Intellicenter - Solar Valve won't work in Spa Mode

[ride525]

I wanted to preheat my Spa, using solar.

Turned to Spa Mode, pump working fine, both valves move to Spa. Try Solar Heat, and Solar valve won't move to flow wate to solar panels.
(It works in in Pool mode, Try Solar Heat, and valve moves just fine.)

Suggstions, as to why Solar Valve won't move when in Spa Mode. Intellicenter is just about two months old, I swear it worked when first installed.

Thanks

 

[Jimrahbe]

Ride,

I do not have the IntelliCenter nor a Spa, but would assume that is how it is designed.. Not a normal configuration..

Let's see what others say...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Is solar heat assigned to the spa in Affiliated Body in the heat setup?

Show us how Solar is setup.

 

[ride525]

I tried it on Intellicenter2.com. Same bad results, no solar heating when in Spa Mode. (There is a Solar Only and Solar Preferreed on both pulldown menus, both for Pool and for Spa.)

 

[ride525]

Is solar heat assigned to the spa in Affiliated Body in the heat setup?

Yes Solar Heater is set up the same as Gas Heater. Both are set to Pool/Spa

 

[ajw22]

What firmware level is in your IntelliCenter?

 

[ride525]

What firmware level is in your IntelliCenter?

1.064

 

[ride525]

I aslo tried this on the intellicenter contols themselves. Solar valve works for Pool, does not work for Spa. However, shows up as (ERR) in both cases, SOLAR ONLY (ERR).

 

[ajw22]

1.064

Consider upgrading to 2.026 using a USB stick. Maybe it will work with the update.

Call Pentair Support and ask them how it should work.

Few people want to heat their spa using solar heat.

 

[ride525]

Consider upgrading to 2.026 using a USB stick. Maybe it will work with the update.

Call Pentair Support and ask them how it should work.

Few people want to heat their spa using solar heat.

I thought I had done this when I first got intellicenter 2-3 months ago.
Here is what Intellicenter Quick Start Guide says:

"Spa Heat Mode Button: Tap this button access the Select Heat Mode screen. Heat Mode options are Off, Gas, Solar, Solar Preferred, Heat Pump (Preferred), UltraTemp Preferred, Hybrid Preferred. Select OFF for no heater installed. When the heater is turned on the heater will activate when the pool pump is on and the temperature Set Point is above the current temperature reading. Note: Heaters are configured from Settings > Advanced System Configuration >"

 

[ajw22]

Show me these two screens for your spa with solar…

,

 

[Ahultin]

I've never managed to get "solar preferred" to work as I would expect. I want it to heat to the max temp the solar will support then activate the gas heater (more a solar first then a solar preferred) In practice it seems that solar preferred only activates the solar if the solar temp is less than desired temp otherwise it defaults to gas heater (mastertemp in my case). I have forced it to work like i want by switching spa to solar only for a few hours before use to "preheat" then switch to Mastertemp shortly before we get in.

 

[ride525]

I've never managed to get "solar preferred" to work as I would expect. I want it to heat to the max temp the solar will support then activate the gas heater (more a solar first then a solar preferred) In practice it seems that solar preferred only activates the solar if the solar temp is less than desired temp otherwise it defaults to gas heater (mastertemp in my case). I have forced it to work like i want by switching spa to solar only for a few hours before use to "preheat" then switch to Mastertemp shortly before we get in.

Thanks, that essentially the way I have been trying to use it. Curious what Intellicenter firmware you use. Thanks

 

[Ahultin]

Thanks, that essentially the way I have been trying to use it. Curious what Intellicenter firmware you use. Thanks

i have been on 2.017 for quite some time and just moved to 2.026 about a week ago with no issues popping up as of yet

 

[ride525]

i have been om 2.017 for quite some time and just moved to 2.026 about a week ago with no issues popping up as of yet

Did you have to use USB to install? My Intellicenter does not show upgrade options from 1.064.

 

[ajw22]

Did you have to use USB to install? My Intellicenter does not show upgrade options from 1.064.

Right now USB stick is the only way to do a firmware upgrade.

 

[ride525]

Show me these two screens for your spa with solar…

,

Show me these two screens for your spa with solar…

,

Spa and Solar heater, Solar heating Pool next post.
NOTE: Heat light is not on in SPA mode, (and Valve does not turn).

 

[ride525]

Solar heating pool. Note the heat light is on.

 

[ride525]

Update: I talked with Pentair. They could not see anything wrong with my Intellicenter.
About 5% of the time it started to operate the Solar valve in Spa mode, but mostly did not work.
And most of the time it operated the Solar valve in Pool mode.

I lost phone connection, and not sure what is wrong. Going to talk with pool builder about replacing valve, or at least looking into this.

Update 2: I tried swapping the valves for A and B. Intellicenter still has trouble with valve A, it won't work sometimes in Pool mode, and almost never works in SPA mode.

I now think either Intellicenter has a problem, or the solar temperature sensor is flakey.

Pool Builder is stopping by tomorrow.

 

[Ahultin]

Your solar temp sensor is showing in "error" status. Do you know where the sensor is?