IntelliCenter - Daughter card upgrade?

[lukash]

Hey everyone,

I am working on rebuilding my pool system that came with the house and is purely manual and awful - there is a Pentair pump so I've decided to go ahead with a Pentair Intellicenter.
After doing a bunch of research I see the i5PS/i8PS/i10PS are ludicrously expensive for what they are - bunch of connectors on a PCB (from what I've been able to find).

I have only seen pictures of the front of these boards and it is just some connectors, is there anything preventing one from simply populating missing connectors on i5PS to turn it into i10PS? Is there some circuitry on the back? I suppose the system somehow is identifying what daughter boards it has populated - or is this a manual process in settings?

If anybody could post pictures of both sides of the daughter card that would be amazing
I did see the valve expansion box is a different story specifically, having a bunch of circuitry.

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.

@MyAZPool has experience with the Intellicenter.

 

[MyAZPool]

@lukash
Good luck trying to do what I think you are trying to do. It may be possible but I think it unlikely unless you really have an in-depth knowledge and the necessary skill sets in that sort of thing.
Here are up and close photos of both sides of an extra i5PS daughter card that I just happen to have. I hope this can be of some help to you...
r.
BTW, When I upgraded from the i5PS to the i10PS. After installing the new daughter card, the IntelliCenter automatically configured itself for the new card.

 

[lukash]

Thanks @MyAZPool, this is very helpful. I did not quite expect they would have a separate microprocessor on each daughter card but it appears they do...

This is the processor on the board - PIC32MX130F064B. My assumption is the "PS" daughter cards (i5PS, i8PS, i10PS) are the same hardware-wise (otherwise it would not make sense for them to use the same PCB (printed circuit board) and those AUX connectors would not even be there). Therefore I think the only difference is in the programmed memory telling the microprocessor which type of card this is and that is how it then identifies to the main-board.

If it is not too much trouble, could you take more pictures of the circled integrated circuits so the writing on them is legible (see below)? It does not appear there is any external EEPROM, so I think the data is stored within the processor's built-in memory but it would be good to know for sure.

Also, if you have this card as extra, I'd be interested in maybe making this research happen in some free time as I'm in process of getting an IntelliCenter and it would be interesting to understand the inner workings better. The parts are not exactly easy to obtain (trade-only, sold only locally, yada yada), so if you are willing to part with this card "for science" send me a PM and we can work something out

 

[MyAZPool]

@lukash
I gave it a shot but there is no way to get the type of closeups of those chips that would be useful to you. However, using a flashlight and magnifying glass, I believe that I was able to accurately record the writing on the chips.
Starting from the top circled chip and moving downward, here is what i was able to come up with.

RT8289
GSP4E21Y

UN2003A
25K^G4
CV01
(Note: There appears to be a Texas Instruments logo as well)

HC595
6BA^G3
P29X
(Note: There appears to be a Texas Instruments logo as well)

I am certainly willing to let the card go in the name of science. It's not doing anybody any good setting in a ESD bag in the attic.
I'll shoot you a message on the PM side and we can work out the details.
Thanks...
r...