Intelitouch Solar Issue

[oahufish]

I have a 22k gallon pool, SWG, Fafco solar panels, and intelitouch i5 automation system.
I'm having issues with the solar sensor not controlling the automatic valve which diverts the flow to my roof. In the past, I've had to change out the solor sensor every few years, then the system was up and running again.

This time I've changed out the sensor four times so far, and even swapped out the board with a spare that I've been keeping around for years.
After changing the board, it worked with the 3rd sensor for about a week, then stopped working. The valve is controlled by an Intermatic 24v actuator, which I replaced about 4 years ago, it still works using the toggle switch on the actuator.
I have my "Heat" setting on the control panel set to "solar Pref" and have tried it on "solar" only as well, doesn't seem to make a difference.

Could it be an issue with the board again? I'm just getting frustrated with this already, have been trouble shooting it off and on for over a month now.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Maybe @ogdento can collaborate with @mas985 @Dirk to figure out this IntelliTouch Solar problem.

 

[mas985]

I have a 22k gallon pool, SWG, Fafco solar panels, and intelitouch i5 automation system.
I'm having issues with the solar sensor not controlling the automatic valve which diverts the flow to my roof. In the past, I've had to change out the solor sensor every few years, then the system was up and running again.

This time I've changed out the sensor four times so far, and even swapped out the board with a spare that I've been keeping around for years.
After changing the board, it worked with the 3rd sensor for about a week, then stopped working. The valve is controlled by an Intermatic 24v actuator, which I replaced about 4 years ago, it still works using the toggle switch on the actuator.
I have my "Heat" setting on the control panel set to "solar Pref" and have tried it on "solar" only as well, doesn't seem to make a difference.

Could it be an issue with the board again? I'm just getting frustrated with this already, have been trouble shooting it off and on for over a month now.

I think I have replaced my sensors maybe 1-2 times over 18 years. Are you using Pentair sensors? Doesn't seem right that they fail so often so I am wondering if something else is going on.

Do you have a surge protector on your equipment?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Hawaii/comments/ygzvl6/power_outages_and_power_spikes

 

[ogdento]

There are three main components that work to make your solar valve actuator function, so these are the ones that I'd look at...

1. Temp Sensor: The sensor is of course what tells the system it's supposed to turn on the solar valve in the first place... it's a standard "10k" sensor (10k equates to about 76 degrees), and the resistance changes based on the temp. Under further reading, there's a chart that correlates resistance with temperature... Use an ohm meter to read the value of the sensor and see if it matches the chart. At what temp is the solar supposed to engage?
See: Temperature Sensors - Further Reading

2. Relay Driver: If the sensor is working and the system tells the solar valve to turn on, it enables on one of the relay driver chip inputs (the three socketed un2803 chips) to energize the small relay on the i5 board. The relay routes 24vac from the system transformer to run the valve actuator, and if the driver chip is blown it won't be able to energize the relay.
See my post here: Help! My aux circuits (or valves) stopped working!!

3. Relay (on-board): If you don't hear that on-board relay clicking on/off - or you don't see the voltage changing on the three pin connector on the i5 board - then the relay could be bad (but I doubt it). The valve actuator should only draw between maybe 700mA and 1.25A-ish of current... so that's probably not going to be smoking your relay, unless there's something wrong with the valve actuator.
see: Valve Actuators - Further Reading

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I have my "Heat" setting on the control panel set to "solar Pref" and have tried it on "solar" only as well, doesn't seem to make a difference.

"Solar Pref" is used when you have a heater in addition to solar. Do you have a heater? If not, keep it on "Solar". If your intellitouch thinks you have a heater, it will attempt to run it to no avail.

I have replaced my solar sensor a couple of times over the years, while my original air and water sensors are still going strong. I think the blazing heat where the panels are destroys sensors more often.

 

[oahufish]

There are three main components that work to make your solar valve actuator function, so these are the ones that I'd look at...

1. Temp Sensor: The sensor is of course what tells the system it's supposed to turn on the solar valve in the first place... it's a standard "10k" sensor (10k equates to about 76 degrees), and the resistance changes based on the temp. Under further reading, there's a chart that correlates resistance with temperature... Use an ohm meter to read the value of the sensor and see if it matches the chart. At what temp is the solar supposed to engage?
See: Temperature Sensors - Further Reading

2. Relay Driver: If the sensor is working and the system tells the solar valve to turn on, it enables on one of the relay driver chip inputs (the three socketed un2803 chips) to energize the small relay on the i5 board. The relay routes 24vac from the system transformer to run the valve actuator, and if the driver chip is blown it won't be able to energize the relay.
See my post here: Help! My aux circuits (or valves) stopped working!!

3. Relay (on-board): If you don't hear that on-board relay clicking on/off - or you don't see the voltage changing on the three pin connector on the i5 board - then the relay could be bad (but I doubt it). The valve actuator should only draw between maybe 700mA and 1.25A-ish of current... so that's probably not going to be smoking your relay, unless there's something wrong with the valve actuator.
see: Valve Actuators - Further Reading

Since I'm not super savy with electronics, I just replaced the entire board. Shouldn't this have taken care of any #2 and #3 issues?
Do these sensors work strictly on temp and not amount of light? If its its just temp, I'm guessing it would stay open almost the entire day, since my ambient air temp is usually over 75 degrees here this time of year.
It seems like in the past, my valve would actually open and close based on sunlight. On a clear day it'd be open most of the time, but for example during a rainy afternoon it would close. Doesn't seem to work like that anymore.
I have several sensors I've tried, with two of them, the valve doesn't open at all. The other sensor, an older one I had, will open valve when the automation switches from spa to pool, but it will stay open the entire day, regardless of temp, light etc...even during several rainy overcast day's it remained open.