IntelliCenter Wi-Fi Link Kit issues after power outages

[a361655]

Hello all, we recently completed a pool that has an intellicenter panel with the Wi-Fi link kit. The customer has reached out twice over the panel loosing its internet connection after a power outage. Once during a thunderstorm and again when Generac was installing a home standby generator. I can duplicate the issue reliably by power cycling using the breaker. It doesn’t seam to be a signal strength issue with the link kit. When the issue is occurring and I try to go to the network settings it tells me no Ethernet cable is connected. The outdoor transmitter shows it has power and the RX light flashes occasionally, no TX light activity. The fix is the reboot the panel using the reboot option in the setting menu. The customer finds it unacceptable to have to manually reboot the panel after a power outage. Anybody have any ideas. I have checked for a firmware update and the panel reports it has the latest firmware. the firmware is 1.064.

 

[ajw22]

It is an IntelliCenter firmware bug. Nothing you can do about it other than report it to Pentair. Someday if we get firmware updates maybe Pentair will fix it.

 

[a361655]

It is an IntelliCenter firmware bug. Nothing you can do about it other than report it to Pentair. Someday if we get firmware updates maybe Pentair will fix it.

I actually spoke with our local Pentair rep and was told the same. He said he will be emailing me firmware 2.something tomorrow to install via USB. Hoping that will get it fixed. Too bad there isn’t a built in watchdog function to reboot the network interfaces if it detects no internet. I can think of a few features I wish these panels had. As much as an intellicenter costs you would think Pentair would be a bit more responsive with patching firmware bugs.

 

[ajw22]

I am running 2.017 and it still has the problem of the online connection stalling requiring a reboot of the panel to restart communication.

 

[a361655]

I am running 2.017 and it still has the problem of the online connection stalling requiring a reboot of the panel to restart communication.

, customer isn’t going to like that. I guess it is what it is. Will go update the firmware tomorrow and see if it will at least be better. As it is if I flip the breaker off then on again it will almost always loose its network connection. We are a young company with about four intellicenter installs and this is the first time we have encountered this. We usually use easy touch panels. We install intellicenter for customers who want and are able to afford premium equipment. I would expect Pentair to be more responsive with bug fixes. Customers want a trouble free experience and expect that when buying the Cadillac of Pentair control panels. This guy doesn’t want to reboot his pool control panel every time the power flickers.

 

[ajw22]

You can power the IntelliCenter panel through a 120V battery UPS box that should keep the voltage from dropping. That is what I was thinking of doing if my disconnects became too annoying. But so far they don’t happen often enough to do the rewiring.

 

[mknauss]

Easytouch has been discontinued.

 

[a361655]

You can power the IntelliCenter panel through a 120V battery UPS box that should keep the voltage from dropping. That is what I was thinking of doing if my disconnects became too annoying. But so far they don’t happen often enough to do the rewiring.

Yeah, it’s outdoors so im not sure about the UPS idea. I thought about that but units intended for outdoor applications are prohibitively expensive… it also just something else to fail. Going to snake an Ethernet cable out to the panel and see if the issue occurs with a hardwired network connection. It’s going to be a pain to run Ethernet out to the panel but it’ll be a more reliable connection and if it fixes this issue then It’ll be worth it. It’s not good for a small business to have an unhappy customer at best not recommending you and at worst actively bad mouthing you. Going to recommend Ethernet be ran to the panel in all other intellicenter installations if that’s a good fix.

 

[ajw22]

Hardwiring the panel will not make a difference.

The bug is the web server stalls in the IntelliCenter. That has nothing to do with the type of network connection.

 

[a361655]

Hardwiring the panel will not make a difference.

The bug is the web server stalls in the IntelliCenter. That has nothing to do with the type of network connection.

Still going to try it, when trying to access the network settings while the panel is experiencing the issue at hand it tells me there is no Ethernet connection. Pentair tells me it is because the panel has to “handshake” with the wireless bridge and when there is a quick power flash the panel looses that connection to the wireless bridge and isn’t programmed to attempt to reconnect. They say a wired Ethernet connection should solve the issue. Personally I’m inclined to agree with you but it’s worth a try… if at least so we can tell the customer we have tried everything we can and it’s up to Pentair to fix their firmware. It can’t be to hard for them to build in a feature that periodically reinitializes the network connections when no connection is detected. Basically a watchdog feature. They can put a toggle in the network settings if for some reason someone wants to disable the watchdog or the panel for whatever reason won’t be connected to a network. Just ship the panels with the feature off by default.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Still going to try it, when trying to access the network settings while the panel is experiencing the issue at hand it tells me there is no Ethernet connection. Pentair tells me it is because the panel has to “handshake” with the wireless bridge and when there is a quick power flash the panel looses that connection to the wireless bridge and isn’t programmed to attempt to reconnect. They say a wired Ethernet connection should solve the issue. Personally I’m inclined to agree with you but it’s worth a try… if at least so we can tell the customer we have tried everything we can and it’s up to Pentair to fix their firmware. It can’t be to hard for them to build in a feature that periodically reinitializes the network connections when no connection is detected. Basically a watchdog feature. They can put a toggle in the network settings if for some reason someone wants to disable the watchdog or the panel for whatever reason won’t be connected to a network. Just ship the panels with the feature off by default.

FWIW - I have a hardwired connection and have never had the issue of the panel having to be rebooted to reinitialize a network connection. There have been a few other things, such as my iPh thinks I have put the system into Superchlor mode and won't dispense, but not network connections.

--Jeff

 

[ajw22]

Using the Wireless Bridge gives an air gap from the home network.

Having the wired connection allows a lightning hit to follow the Ethernet cable and blow out equipment in the house. We have seen that from a few folks here. You open up your customers to more lightning damage with a hard wired connection.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Having the wired connection allows a lightning hit to follow the Ethernet cable and blow out equipment in the house. We have seen that from a few folks here. You open up your customers to more lightning damage with a hard wired connection.

I am one who had a network switch blow due to a lightning strike. I have not had an issue since I installed the ethernet surge protectors, although there was discussion that those didn't provide much protection. I did have one of the surge protectors blow out and had to replace it, so I think it did it's job.

--Jeff

 

[ajw22]

I am one who had a network switch blow due to a lightning strike. I have not had an issue since I installed the ethernet surge protectors, although there was discussion that those didn't provide much protection. I did have one of the surge protectors blow out and had to replace it, so I think it did it's job.

--Jeff

I am not sure it proves anything other then you did not get the right storm yet.

I also blew out an IntelliCenter board, replaced it, made no changes, and have not blown out another. Does that prove anything?

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Does that prove anything?

If I install a fuse, and the fuse blows, the assumption is that the fuse protected the circuit/wiring as intended. So until I have one of these ethernet surge protectors blow and also take out another network switch, I consider that proof that it is functioning as it should.

--Jeff

 

[ajw22]

If I install a fuse, and the fuse blows, the assumption is that the fuse protected the circuit/wiring as intended. So until I have one of these ethernet surge protectors blow and also take out another network switch, I consider that proof that it is functioning as it should.

--Jeff

I replaced the board and did a few incantations. I consider that proof incantations work as well as your surge protectors.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I replaced the board and did a few incantations. I consider that proof incantations work as well as your surge protectors.

That's the great thing about this place... You can do your thing, I can do mine, and in the end as long as we are both happy, That's all that really matters.

--Jeff

 

[wireform]

Using the Wireless Bridge gives an air gap from the home network.

Having the wired connection allows a lightning hit to follow the Ethernet cable and blow out equipment in the house. We have seen that from a few folks here. You open up your customers to more lightning damage with a hard wired connection.

Have seen more then one lightning strike without the hard wire too.

 

[a361655]

It is an IntelliCenter firmware bug. Nothing you can do about it other than report it to Pentair. Someday if we get firmware updates maybe Pentair will fix it.

I actually just figured out the problem today. I double checked all the wiring since a sub-contractor did it. I noticed that the serial connection between the intellicenter and the intelliflo3 pump had all four wires connected (black, green, yellow and red). The pump only requires the yellow and green for serial communications. After disconnecting the black and red I was able to simulate multiple power failures and every time the network connection immediately reconnected and once the internet modem reconnected the panel had an internet connection. It consistently reconnects regardless of the outage duration. I simulated quick power flashes and extended outages. Not sure why the unnecessary power wires between the pump and panel causes such an issue. The intelliflo3 does has some battery backup power as the buttons stay illuminated for quite a while with no power connected. Wonder if it was back feeding the intellicenter control panel with a small amount of voltage causing strange issues. I guess it’s important to wire things how is shows in the manual. It doesn’t explicitly say you can’t connect the red and black wires, but it does show just the green and yellow in the illustration.

 

[ajw22]

Thanks for that feedback.

I don't have an Intelliflo3 and the other systems I have wired with an Intelliflo3 I have only connected the yellow/green wires.

It is good to know for others.