Intellicenter Spa setting

[Chgorob1]

I just replace my old Jandy with an intellicenter that has pool and combo set up.

I really like the new system however I have one item unaddressed.
In my current set up I have the spa setting to which I can turn it on and off and I can turn the heat to the desired temperature or off completely. Also I have a single speed 3 hp pump Pentair that works for both Pool and Spa.
I am trying to have it work like my old Jandy in which I was able to turn on the spa heater button and it would get the temperature up to the setting by putting warm water into the spa. Then when I was ready to get in to the spa I could hit the spa button and the Jets would come on.
There are times when you may wish to soak in a certain temperature and maintain it by having water come in at that temperature for an indefinite period of time without activating the Jets.
With the new system I cannot do this as initially set up. if I want to heat it , the Jets are on. if the Jets are off the temperature will steadily reduce based on the outdoor temperature. I should note I do not have a separate blower or any separate pump for the spa.

any advice?

 

[Chgorob1]

Everything seems to be working normally but for some reason there is an error message to which I will post a photo.
The message says it is not connecting to the Pentair MasterTemp400 heater although the heat is working fine. So what I don’t know is if this is just an old message that I do not know how to erase. If this is the case any help erasing the message would be appreciated.

The other thing that occurs to me is that it is truly not connected correctly to the heater even though it is working and I need to make some adjustment and then the message would go away in theory.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Odd. Have you tried the easy stuff like rebooting/resetting the Intellicenter? When you say it is working just fine, can you turn on/off the heater from the Intellicenter and change the temp?

 

[ajw22]

What path did the heated water take to your spa with the jets off with the Aqualink system?

Something is setup differently. You should be able to do it with the IntelliCenter but we need to understand how the Aqualink did it.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rob,

I am not an IntelliCenter guy, but what you want the system to do should be easy..

The switch between the pool and spa mode is the same as Jandy.. Both the Intake and Return valves move to change from the pool mode to the spa mode.. At that point no jets should be on..

Since you only have one pump, the water through the jets must be controlled by a valve.. I suspect that valve is now assigned as "spa" and you need to set the valve up so that it only opens when you push an Aux button or Icon..

The heater should work identical to your old Jandy system..

Who programmed your system? Can you show us some screenshots of your valve assignment??

Let's see if we can get @MyAZPool to chime in..

As a side note... you really, really need to look at getting an IntelliFlo VS pump..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[setsailsoon]

I have way less expertise that Ron but I do have an Intellicenter. Sounds like the heater may have been installed using a fireman's switch control instead of the RS 485. You can hook it up both ways on any system. What firmware version do you have? The spa flow should be independent of temperature with a single speed pump. Do you have a booster pump for the spa? *** Edit*** Re-read your post and realized you don’t have a booster pump. Do you have a separate set of jets for the heated water and other jets for unheated water?

Chris

 

[MyAZPool]

@Chgorob1
Insure that the Fireman's switch below the Fenwal box is configured correctly for a 2-Wire Control as outlined on pp30 of the MasterTemp Installation and User's guide.
The firemans switch is the two center bottom terminals with the yellow wires on the block below the Fenwal box. The right terminal has the fuse. You remove the jumper and run a wire from one fireman's switch terminal to the one connection at the J2 Gas heater screw terminal on the IntelliCenter motherboard and wire from the other J2 terminal to the other fireman's switch terminal.

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

btw, I couldn't agree more with @Jimrahbe, regarding your pump situation. You will not even start to be able to realize all of the automation potential of that new IntelliCenter with your present pump. Kind of like having a Dodge Challenger with a supercharged HEMI and a Yugo transmission.
Thanks..
r.

 

[MyAZPool]

Also please see the following thread for further detailed guidance.

Pentair MasterTemp Wiring to Easy Touch Where is Jumper?

Hello, I recently installed a MasterTemp 300 and about to hook it up to my EasyTouch, however i am confused as to exactly where the "fireman's Switch" is that i need to disconnect. As a note, i will be hooking up a screen logic to the easy touch as well. In another post, i received this...

www.troublefreepool.com

r.

 

[Chgorob1]

Odd. Have you tried the easy stuff like rebooting/resetting the Intellicenter? When you say it is working just fine, can you turn on/off the heater from the Intellicenter and change the temp?

Yes reset several times from front of data center with no difference. Yes I can turn heater off or on for pool or spa and adjust the set point temperatures.

 

[Chgorob1]

What path did the heated water take to your spa with the jets off with the Aqualink system?

Something is setup differently. You should be able to do it with the IntelliCenter but we need to understand how the Aqualink did it.

I’m not sure exactly. I can send a picture later. My setup does have what Ill call a spa bypass where there are two paths that feed to the return to spa pipe. My understanding is that spa always gets some filter pressure, but when spa jets are on it gets all the pressure and return to pool actuator closes off.

 

[Chgorob1]

Rob,

I am not an IntelliCenter guy, but what you want the system to do should be easy..

The switch between the pool and spa mode is the same as Jandy.. Both the Intake and Return valves move to change from the pool mode to the spa mode.. At that point no jets should be on..

Since you only have one pump, the water through the jets must be controlled by a valve.. I suspect that valve is now assigned as "spa" and you need to set the valve up so that it only opens when you push an Aux button or Icon..

The heater should work identical to your old Jandy system..

Who programmed your system? Can you show us some screenshots of your valve assignment??

Let's see if we can get @MyAZPool to chime in..

As a side note... you really, really need to look at getting an IntelliFlo VS pump..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thank you!
I glad it should be easy. I will note the settings and screenshots and reply again.
My pool guy programmed.

So I got this pump 2 years ago when I added my solar on my roof. Went 3hp to have adequate pressure to move water over and all the way up to the rooftop. I wanted a VS but was told at that time I should not with the solar as it will need high speed. I’m guessing Jandy could not vary the speed as needed and at that time I was not ready to get a new control system.
Im sure my new can do it fine. What’s best reason to go vs? Energy savings considerably lower? Something else?

 

[Chgorob1]

I have way less expertise that Ron but I do have an Intellicenter. Sounds like the heater may have been installed using a fireman's switch control instead of the RS 485. You can hook it up both ways on any system. What firmware version do you have? The spa flow should be independent of temperature with a single speed pump. Do you have a booster pump for the spa? *** Edit*** Re-read your post and realized you don’t have a booster pump. Do you have a separate set of jets for the heated water and other jets for unheated water?

Chris

From my phone app connection it shows:
iOS Version 2.0.133

Jets supply heated water, no other water inputs.
Thank you!

 

[Chgorob1]

@Chgorob1
Insure that the Fireman's switch below the Fenwal box is configured correctly for a 2-Wire Control as outlined on pp30 of the MasterTemp Installation and User's guide.
The firemans switch is the two center bottom terminals with the yellow wires on the block below the Fenwal box. The right terminal has the fuse. You remove the jumper and run a wire from one fireman's switch terminal to the one connection at the J2 Gas heater screw terminal on the IntelliCenter motherboard and wire from the other J2 terminal to the other fireman's switch terminal.

View attachment 173767

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

btw, I couldn't agree more with @Jimrahbe, regarding your pump situation. You will not even start to be able to realize all of the automation potential of that new IntelliCenter with your present pump. Kind of like having a Dodge Challenger with a supercharged HEMI and a Yugo transmission.
Thanks..
r.

Ill check this and reply again. Thank you! I’m curious to what features it will add for me!
Is it kind of like the new central HVAC that unlike the old days were either on or off, can now run the fan at low or even “circulate” speeds, based on temp and humidity?

 

[setsailsoon]

There are times when you may wish to soak in a certain temperature and maintain it by having water come in at that temperature for an indefinite period of time without activating the Jets.

Not really sure what you want the spa control to do. Where does the water come in if it's not coming to your spa via jets? Do you have a separate return to the spa? Mine has two jets that are returns and are heated if the heater's running. Several additional are for the booster pump to create bubbles. There's no way to adjust the outlet temp of the heater, it is either on or off.

The way we use our spa is to set a temp we want it to be when we get in. It heats up quickly and when the phone app says it's ready we get in, normally about 93 deg. After we're in we heat it up and turn bubbles on and off as desired. I don't think there's any way to have the water coming in at your desired temp.

 

[setsailsoon]

So I got this pump 2 years ago when I added my solar on my roof. Went 3hp to have adequate pressure to move water over and all the way up to the rooftop. I wanted a VS but was told at that time I should not with the solar as it will need high speed. I’m guessing Jandy could not vary the speed as needed and at that time I was not ready to get a new control system.
Im sure my new can do it fine. What’s best reason to go vs? Energy savings considerably lower? Something else?

Wow! This doesn't make any sense at all. Energy savings is the main reason people purchase a VS pump and it would most likely have already paid for the cost by now if you had gotten a VS pump. You got some very bad advice. Can you provide some details on your system by adding a signature? It will help our volunteer experts be more efficient with their time. Here's how.

Chris

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rob,

Since your old system would allow your spa to heat without the jets working, then something must be able to turn your jets on and off.. Since you only have one pump, the jets must be controlled by a valve..

Did your old system have two pumps??

Show us several pics of your equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I was going to mention a booster pump, but see that was already addressed earlier. Do you have a blower that forces air into the returns to create the bubbles? You should be able to turn that on/off.

I also think you may be over thinking your heater's capabilities. Most/all are either on or off based on the current water temp and the set temp for the spa. Once they reach the desired temp they cycle on/off trying to maintain that temperature.

 

[Chgorob1]

@Chgorob1
Insure that the Fireman's switch below the Fenwal box is configured correctly for a 2-Wire Control as outlined on pp30 of the MasterTemp Installation and User's guide.
The firemans switch is the two center bottom terminals with the yellow wires on the block below the Fenwal box. The right terminal has the fuse. You remove the jumper and run a wire from one fireman's switch terminal to the one connection at the J2 Gas heater screw terminal on the IntelliCenter motherboard and wire from the other J2 terminal to the other fireman's switch terminal.

View attachment 173767

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

btw, I couldn't agree more with @Jimrahbe, regarding your pump situation. You will not even start to be able to realize all of the automation potential of that new IntelliCenter with your present pump. Kind of like having a Dodge Challenger with a supercharged HEMI and a Yugo transmission.
Thanks..
r.

Here is my intellicenter box. I’m not seeing it line up to your posted schematic

@Chgorob1
Insure that the Fireman's switch below the Fenwal box is configured correctly for a 2-Wire Control as outlined on pp30 of the MasterTemp Installation and User's guide.
The firemans switch is the two center bottom terminals with the yellow wires on the block below the Fenwal box. The right terminal has the fuse. You remove the jumper and run a wire from one fireman's switch terminal to the one connection at the J2 Gas heater screw terminal on the IntelliCenter motherboard and wire from the other J2 terminal to the other fireman's switch terminal.

View attachment 173767

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

btw, I couldn't agree more with @Jimrahbe, regarding your pump situation. You will not even start to be able to realize all of the automation potential of that new IntelliCenter with your present pump. Kind of like having a Dodge Challenger with a supercharged HEMI and a Yugo transmission.
Thanks..
r.

.

 

[Chgorob1]

I wasn’t looking at the control panel portion. There are wires on the fireman jumper, I’ll check where they go and if wired that way.