Since I replaced my Pentair Intelliflo pump, the communication will cease between the pump and my easy touch panel. They will talk and work fine together for a few days and then all communication stops. After I cut the power to both the panel and pump, let sit for about 5 minutes and turn back on the power, communication will work again for another couple days. I have replaced the communication cable thinking that may have been the issue, no results. I check the connections on that cable to the panel every time I have to "restart", those are secure. I have a salt cell which will not output sanitizer without the Easy Touch controlling the pump. Any ideas on what the issue could be? A setting I am missing or a step I overlooked when setting up the new pump?
Intelliflo Pump intermittently stops communicating with Easy Touch
- Thread starter der2125
- Start date
D,
My guess is that your new pump has an intermittent RS-485 com chip.
Things to make sure of...
1. When the EasyTouch is controlling your IntelliFlo, the pump's display should say "Display not active"
2. For the pump to run there has to be at least one Active Circuit scheduled in the EasyTouch and it needs to be on. Like the Pool Circuit as an example.
3. There has to be a speed assigned to the Active Circuit. Like Pool = 1500 RPM, as an example.
4. The system must be in AUTO and not Service mode
If the above are all ok, then the pump should run unless there is an RS-485 failure of some kind.
As an RS-485 test, the next time the pump stops, look at your remote or ScreenLogic and see if the system knows the pump has stopped. Does it report zero RPM or com failure or ??? Try to use a remote or ScreenLogic and see if you can make something change. As an example, turn on a light and ensure that the light actually comes on. The whole point being.. is the RS-485 com port not working at all, or is just the pump's RS-485 that is not working.
Thanks,
Jim R.
My guess is that your new pump has an intermittent RS-485 com chip.
Things to make sure of...
1. When the EasyTouch is controlling your IntelliFlo, the pump's display should say "Display not active"
2. For the pump to run there has to be at least one Active Circuit scheduled in the EasyTouch and it needs to be on. Like the Pool Circuit as an example.
3. There has to be a speed assigned to the Active Circuit. Like Pool = 1500 RPM, as an example.
4. The system must be in AUTO and not Service mode
If the above are all ok, then the pump should run unless there is an RS-485 failure of some kind.
As an RS-485 test, the next time the pump stops, look at your remote or ScreenLogic and see if the system knows the pump has stopped. Does it report zero RPM or com failure or ??? Try to use a remote or ScreenLogic and see if you can make something change. As an example, turn on a light and ensure that the light actually comes on. The whole point being.. is the RS-485 com port not working at all, or is just the pump's RS-485 that is not working.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Hey Jim,
Thanks for the quick response!
The pumps display says "Display not active" for the couple days that it is communicating but then stops and the pump display shows the RPMs signaling to me that it's no longer talking. There are active circuits and a full schedule that runs fine while the pump is connected. System is in auto.
Unfortunately the only things that are hooked up to the easytouch is the pump and intellichlor salt cell. I don't have any lights to test. I don't think it is the pump's RS-485 cable since I have tried the cable from the old pump I replaced, the new cable that came with the pump and an additional one I ordered. The easytouch display does not show any errors or failure or anything different for that matter. It looks the same as when the pump is connected.
There is also an additional circuit board that is not the main easy touch display board that I don't see in Pentair manuals and videos. Currently the com cable is plugged into it. That circuit board then has an additional cable running into the J20 slot on the panel. I tried to bypass that extra circuit board and go straight from the pump to J20 but then when I powered back on it didn't communicate at all like it usually does upon reboot.
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Show me a pic of your "extra" card.
I suspect it is a RS-485 expander card that is made for the IntelliTouch, but should work in the EasyTouch.
I am puzzled why when you connected directly to J20 it did not work. That bothers me...
Just so I understand.. You have no wireless remotes or ScreenLogic. Is that true.
Do you have a card mounted to the backwall of your EasyTouch that looks like this?
Thanks,
Jim R.
I suspect it is a RS-485 expander card that is made for the IntelliTouch, but should work in the EasyTouch.
I am puzzled why when you connected directly to J20 it did not work. That bothers me...
Just so I understand.. You have no wireless remotes or ScreenLogic. Is that true.
Do you have a card mounted to the backwall of your EasyTouch that looks like this?
Thanks,
Jim R.
Hey Jim,Show me a pic of your "extra" card.
I suspect it is a RS-485 expander card that is made for the IntelliTouch, but should work in the EasyTouch.
I am puzzled why when you connected directly to J20 it did not work. That bothers me...
Just so I understand.. You have no wireless remotes or ScreenLogic. Is that true.
Do you have a card mounted to the backwall of your EasyTouch that looks like this?
Thanks,
Jim R.
That is exactly the card mounted on the back wall. There is a ScreenLogic however the previous owners didn't leave the all hardware so it is not used. There was also a secondary pump which is no longer used as well.
D,
That little card is the Power Supply for your salt cell, it is called the Surge card. I have no idea why??
It also has some extra RS-485 ports.
If you only have the pump and the salt cell, there should only be two RS-485 cables plugged into that card.
1. A 4-wire cable that goes from J20 on the main card and plugs into one of the Surge card RS-485 ports.
2. A 2-wire cable that goes to your pump.
3. And obviously the big cable that goes to the salt cell.
It appears you have an additional cable. That would most likely be the brown cable with more than 4 wires.
I suggest that you disconnect it from the RS-485 bus. Most likely an old ScreenLogic cable. Do you still have the antenna module connected to the EasyTouch? That could easily be your problem.
I also don't like the strain on the 2-wire RS-485 cable going to the pump. I suggest that move it to another port or pull a little more cable into the EasyTouch, so the cable connection is not under tension. The cable should not be so tight. Make sure the screws are all tight on the all RS-485 connectors.
I have ScreenLogic and would rather be waterboarded than have you take it away from me. I love it.
Thanks,
Jim R.
That little card is the Power Supply for your salt cell, it is called the Surge card. I have no idea why??
It also has some extra RS-485 ports.
If you only have the pump and the salt cell, there should only be two RS-485 cables plugged into that card.
1. A 4-wire cable that goes from J20 on the main card and plugs into one of the Surge card RS-485 ports.
2. A 2-wire cable that goes to your pump.
3. And obviously the big cable that goes to the salt cell.
It appears you have an additional cable. That would most likely be the brown cable with more than 4 wires.
I suggest that you disconnect it from the RS-485 bus. Most likely an old ScreenLogic cable. Do you still have the antenna module connected to the EasyTouch? That could easily be your problem.
I also don't like the strain on the 2-wire RS-485 cable going to the pump. I suggest that move it to another port or pull a little more cable into the EasyTouch, so the cable connection is not under tension. The cable should not be so tight. Make sure the screws are all tight on the all RS-485 connectors.
I have ScreenLogic and would rather be waterboarded than have you take it away from me.
I love it.Thanks,
Jim R.
Check carefully the RS-485 cable where it connects to EasyTouch. A poor connection there can cause the intermittent behavior you are seeing.
