panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 354
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
IntelliConnect Operating Problems
- Thread starter danvet
- Start date
With everything connected did you / could you try pushing:
- the start stop bottom on the pump
- program 1 button on the pump
- program 1 "run now" in the app (if available)
So it seems that the problem must lie in:
- app settings
- pump settings
- ic40 settings (I'm not familiar)
Have you tried taking the IC40 out of the equation (powering off or physically disconnecting it from intelli connect) to remove that possibility?
- the start stop bottom on the pump
- program 1 button on the pump
- program 1 "run now" in the app (if available)
So it seems that the problem must lie in:
- app settings
- pump settings
- ic40 settings (I'm not familiar)
Have you tried taking the IC40 out of the equation (powering off or physically disconnecting it from intelli connect) to remove that possibility?
Also I was looking again at your photos and I just noticed that the screen on the pump is not showing the pump address.
This is what mine looks like:
So my guess would be a comms error. I think things I'd check would be...
1. Check that the Pump Address is set on the pump (Menu, Settings, Pump Address)
- The default is 1 so set it to that. If it's already set to 1 then try changing it to something else.
2. Disconnect the IC40 comms wires from the IntelliConnect
- If that works then perhaps try reconnecting them to the other Green / Yellow terminals rather than doubling up (I know the manual says you can double up but why trust the manual?).
Of course, you may have already done all this.
This is what mine looks like:
So my guess would be a comms error. I think things I'd check would be...
1. Check that the Pump Address is set on the pump (Menu, Settings, Pump Address)
- The default is 1 so set it to that. If it's already set to 1 then try changing it to something else.
2. Disconnect the IC40 comms wires from the IntelliConnect
- If that works then perhaps try reconnecting them to the other Green / Yellow terminals rather than doubling up (I know the manual says you can double up but why trust the manual?).
Of course, you may have already done all this.
panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 354
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Update:
After the Intelliconnect was powered off for 3 days and powered back on, everything is working. Schedules, pump, temperature & IC40. The only thing that I can think of is after the firmware upgrade maybe the flash needed clearing.
After the Intelliconnect was powered off for 3 days and powered back on, everything is working. Schedules, pump, temperature & IC40. The only thing that I can think of is after the firmware upgrade maybe the flash needed clearing.
splat10
0
on my pump i can press the menu button and it will bring the display to local control. In the settings menu you can change from FLOW (GPM) to SPEED (RPM) in the pump settings. This will allow you to change the programs from the app. If you run the pump withthe 485 disconnected it will tell you how many RPM it's running to achieve X GPM. Granted this will fluctuate slightly based on Filter cleanliness but just set the RPM to achieve the GPM you want.Also I was looking again at your photos and I just noticed that the screen on the pump is not showing the pump address.
This is what mine looks like:
View attachment 329702
So my guess would be a comms error. I think things I'd check would be...
1. Check that the Pump Address is set on the pump (Menu, Settings, Pump Address)
- The default is 1 so set it to that. If it's already set to 1 then try changing it to something else.
2. Disconnect the IC40 comms wires from the IntelliConnect
- If that works then perhaps try reconnecting them to the other Green / Yellow terminals rather than doubling up (I know the manual says you can double up but why trust the manual?).
Of course, you may have already done all this.
I was doing the same as you and it worked fine in Link20 but was struggling the same as you with the pump trying to take off to 450 GPM.
panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 354
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
2 firmware updates and powered off for 3 days and everything is working perfectly now. Everything is controlled thru the app, pump screen says not active now.
BowserB
Silver Supporter
- Jul 29, 2018
- 785
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
IntelliConnect has been a blessing and a curse for me...and mostly the latter. First the pool installer couldn't get it work at all until the local Pentair rep told us that Link2O didn't work with the current version of Apple iOS. I had an older iPad that hadn't been updated, though, so it worked there. Next I called Pentair tech support because I couldn't see the pump in the app. The guy I spoke with is no longer with Pentair. What a shame. He was really knowledgeable and helped a lot. He had me describe the setup, and that was when I learned that the installer hadn't bothered to install the RS-485 serial cable between the pump and IntelliConnect! Two days later, the pool guy came out with a cable, and we got connected.
Early on, I learned that the IntelliConnect could set RPM but not GPM. GPM was something they were "working on". Three years and a new app later, and I guess they're still working on it. There is a chart in the pump manual that will give you a rough idea of GPM at various RPMs. Under the right conditions, you can look at the display and see the current GPM. I've looked at mine (a model 11056) and at 1650 RPM the day I looked, it was 25gpm. Another day at 1725rpm, it was 26gpm. Still another time at 3000rpm, it was moving 75gpm and at 3450, 86gpm. Your flow rate would likely be different depending on filter condition. Mine too.
I believe the pump gets the time from Pentair. I was told by the tech manager that the Intelliconnect polls the Pentair server twice a day at 7pm and 11am. If the pump happened to be running at those times, it would restart. I learned that when I emailed to ask why my pump shut off and restarted at 7pm. Also if you don't have a temperature sensor, the system gets the temperature from your nearest AccuWeather (r) provider and uses that for freeze protection activation.
Enabled/disabled. Still a mystery. I have two scheduled runs. Program 1 from 1am to 4am; program 2 from 9am to 8pm; both at 1700rpms in anticipation of my IC40 being installed soon, in the event it ever stops raining here (since the rains began about ten days ago, my salt level has dropped from 3600ppm to 3000ppm, and I guess our storm drains have gotten a little saltier.) My program 3 is 2175rpm for 30 minutes (for mixing stuff when needed). Program 4 is manual ON at 2500rpm. Use of the manual program while one of the schedules is running seems to disable the scheduled program and I have to enable it again after turning off the manual program. Pentair Home is gets a low score on the intuitiveness rating scale.
I also have a Whisperflo pump for water features. That one is on a schedule to run for five minutes every morning at 9:30, just to be sure it doesn't accumulate stagnant water in the pump or pipes. There is also a Pentair booster pump for a pressure side cleaner which I retired after moving to a robot. I should run that a few minutes a day too, but it's really noisy.
My lights are one color only and not connected to the IntelliConnect.
I was disappointed that Pentair Home, unlike Link2O, doesn't have a browser connect option. I've considered an Android emulator for the PC...maybe later. I have enough unpredictable home automation already. It also took me nearly two weeks to change over to Home from Link2O because Pentair's Home installation server was down. That was a helpful exercise for about 20 minutes every evening.
A question, if you don't mind. How is your IC40 connected to the IntelliConnect? I had been lead to believe that couldn't be and I'd have to upgrade to another Pentair automation. If yours is connected, can you tell me where? I have an available serial connection on the IntelliConnect as well as allegedly one for the heater, but that's not connected either. I haven't worried about the heater, as the few times I use it I normally have to change some valves at the same time, since I normally use it in winter or early spring for just the spa. If I had the ability to schedule the IC40 from the app to coincide with pump run times, that would be handy.
Good luck to you. The VSF pump is very economical to operate at low speeds. I'm using 1700rpm, but if the IC40 will still work, I'm going to drop back to probably 1500. Slower than that and the skimming action gets a bit weak, even with the main drain closed. Anything that saves money is going to be useful in the coming years. I was an adult in the 1970 decade, so I remember inflation and the psychology of inflation. If the price of avocados is any indication, inflation is well under way already! $.59, then $.69, now $.77 all in a matter of weeks!
Early on, I learned that the IntelliConnect could set RPM but not GPM. GPM was something they were "working on". Three years and a new app later, and I guess they're still working on it. There is a chart in the pump manual that will give you a rough idea of GPM at various RPMs. Under the right conditions, you can look at the display and see the current GPM. I've looked at mine (a model 11056) and at 1650 RPM the day I looked, it was 25gpm. Another day at 1725rpm, it was 26gpm. Still another time at 3000rpm, it was moving 75gpm and at 3450, 86gpm. Your flow rate would likely be different depending on filter condition. Mine too.
I believe the pump gets the time from Pentair. I was told by the tech manager that the Intelliconnect polls the Pentair server twice a day at 7pm and 11am. If the pump happened to be running at those times, it would restart. I learned that when I emailed to ask why my pump shut off and restarted at 7pm. Also if you don't have a temperature sensor, the system gets the temperature from your nearest AccuWeather (r) provider and uses that for freeze protection activation.
Enabled/disabled. Still a mystery. I have two scheduled runs. Program 1 from 1am to 4am; program 2 from 9am to 8pm; both at 1700rpms in anticipation of my IC40 being installed soon, in the event it ever stops raining here (since the rains began about ten days ago, my salt level has dropped from 3600ppm to 3000ppm, and I guess our storm drains have gotten a little saltier.) My program 3 is 2175rpm for 30 minutes (for mixing stuff when needed). Program 4 is manual ON at 2500rpm. Use of the manual program while one of the schedules is running seems to disable the scheduled program and I have to enable it again after turning off the manual program. Pentair Home is gets a low score on the intuitiveness rating scale.
I also have a Whisperflo pump for water features. That one is on a schedule to run for five minutes every morning at 9:30, just to be sure it doesn't accumulate stagnant water in the pump or pipes. There is also a Pentair booster pump for a pressure side cleaner which I retired after moving to a robot. I should run that a few minutes a day too, but it's really noisy.
My lights are one color only and not connected to the IntelliConnect.
I was disappointed that Pentair Home, unlike Link2O, doesn't have a browser connect option. I've considered an Android emulator for the PC...maybe later. I have enough unpredictable home automation already. It also took me nearly two weeks to change over to Home from Link2O because Pentair's Home installation server was down. That was a helpful exercise for about 20 minutes every evening.
A question, if you don't mind. How is your IC40 connected to the IntelliConnect? I had been lead to believe that couldn't be and I'd have to upgrade to another Pentair automation. If yours is connected, can you tell me where? I have an available serial connection on the IntelliConnect as well as allegedly one for the heater, but that's not connected either. I haven't worried about the heater, as the few times I use it I normally have to change some valves at the same time, since I normally use it in winter or early spring for just the spa. If I had the ability to schedule the IC40 from the app to coincide with pump run times, that would be handy.
Good luck to you. The VSF pump is very economical to operate at low speeds. I'm using 1700rpm, but if the IC40 will still work, I'm going to drop back to probably 1500. Slower than that and the skimming action gets a bit weak, even with the main drain closed. Anything that saves money is going to be useful in the coming years. I was an adult in the 1970 decade, so I remember inflation and the psychology of inflation. If the price of avocados is any indication, inflation is well under way already! $.59, then $.69, now $.77 all in a matter of weeks!
splat10
0
Your can hook the serial up to the power supply for the ic40. There are two terminals in there that you can just wire directly to the intelliconnect. I just used extra wire from the pump serial cable
panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 354
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
BowserB-
The location for the IC40 and Pump RS485 connections is the P2 connector, the IC40 only produces when the pump is running. What I was told from Pentair the time is received from the NTP setting off you router. As for the app on Apple, I've run both Link02 and Home on versions 14.0 and up with no issues and on Android. I have not seen any loss of connections at 7 & 11 and had the app open from 1745CT until now without any drops or connection errors.
The location for the IC40 and Pump RS485 connections is the P2 connector, the IC40 only produces when the pump is running. What I was told from Pentair the time is received from the NTP setting off you router. As for the app on Apple, I've run both Link02 and Home on versions 14.0 and up with no issues and on Android. I have not seen any loss of connections at 7 & 11 and had the app open from 1745CT until now without any drops or connection errors.
BowserB
Silver Supporter
- Jul 29, 2018
- 785
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Panic, it looks like you have two devices sharing the first serial connection. Is one the VSF pump and the other the IC40? If so, where is your water features pump connected--I'm guessing the EasyTouch is the answer? Easytouch and Screenlogic are foreign to me. I'll have to look those up. Increasingly, a swimming pool is resembling a sailboat in its ability to never stop consuming money! Thanks.
Splat, if you see this, could you take a picture of your Intelliconnect connections? Thanks.
Bill
panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 354
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Sorry to confuse you, I have an EasyTouch for my home pool, and an Intelliconnect for my rental.
The picture is the Intelliconnect, you can connect numerous RS485 devices to 1 port. The pump and IC40 are paired together in the picture. What I was told from Pentair, the Intelliconnect will support 2 pumps and an IC40 via RD485. So you could have a pool pump and feature pump. Or you could use the 2nd relay for a 1 speed pump for features.
BowserB
Silver Supporter
- Jul 29, 2018
- 785
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I have only one RS-485 connection in use, and it appears to run to the VSF pump. I guess the Whisperflo and booster pumps are connected to relays under cover, since I can't see the wires themselves--just conduits running from box to box to box. Clearly from my Pentair Home app, and previously Link2O, I can run three pumps: the VSF with four programs, and the Whisperflo and booster, both of which are limited to scheduled on/off or egg timer. When the guys come to install the IC40, I'll hope they know what they can do or have access to support.
My biggest complaint about the Intelliconnect is that it requires an Internet connection to Pentair servers to change a program or activate a manual on or egg timer. When we lose power here, our standby generator kicks on instantly, but our Comcast Xfinity Internet service apparently does not have standby power and is offline, so all during the Texas Freeze we had no access to the Intelliconnect. Luckily, freeze protection came on before we lost Internet, and our VSF pump and plumbing were fine. I didn't get to the Whisperflo in time, so it froze and cracked the housing. Local access--via wifi--to the Intelliconnect is another item that Pentair is "working on."
My biggest complaint about the Intelliconnect is that it requires an Internet connection to Pentair servers to change a program or activate a manual on or egg timer. When we lose power here, our standby generator kicks on instantly, but our Comcast Xfinity Internet service apparently does not have standby power and is offline, so all during the Texas Freeze we had no access to the Intelliconnect. Luckily, freeze protection came on before we lost Internet, and our VSF pump and plumbing were fine. I didn't get to the Whisperflo in time, so it froze and cracked the housing. Local access--via wifi--to the Intelliconnect is another item that Pentair is "working on."
Attachments
panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 354
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Well after running great for 1 week, it's back to the pump showing disabled and the schedule on the Intelliconnect not working. Pump runs per the old Intelliconnect schedule, shows display not active yada yada, Pentair has no clue what's going on after spending 5 hours with them today.