Jandy Aqualink - Repair, Upgrade or Replace?

[nopoolstore]

My current Aqualink controller is no longer functioning correctly. It will randomly (now practically daily) lose all program memory and/or time date memory. Sometimes is will lock up with all the lights lit up on the interface panel, or lock up with no lights or display at all. Totally unreliable to use any schedule for SWG, we don't bother attempting programming anymore and just turn it on manually each day.
I emailed the Jandy repair guy in Santa Rosa who told me repair of my sypmtoms is possible for $150.
I am aware of the "upgrade kit" that would upgrade my board and also get me on wifi instead of the dumb PDA.
Third option: If i have to sink some money into an upgrade, am I better off upgrading the Jandy, or switching to a different brand like Hayward or Pentair?
Fourth option: Get a standalone SWG such as Circupool with some other automation or go oldschool with mechanical timers/relay.

Equipment:
My pool is approx 20K gal.
2 speed Jandy pump
Jandy 1400 SWG cell. - supposidly 40k gal rated, 1.25lb per day
waterfall valve
pool light
cleaner booster pump-but no longer used since upgraded to robot.

I currently run SWG at 100% for 10-12 hours a day to maintain chlorine levels. One thing that appeals to me about the Circupool is they have size's rated up to 3lb per day, vs my current 1.25. Is my logic correct that larger would produce more chlorine with less pump run time?
I am not a fan of the PDA and would love to upgrade to the wifi with android app. Ive read its cloud based and occasionally has issues? hopefully someone has experince and can weigh in here.
Looked into AqualinkD project and this also looks like a solid option to possibly incorperate. Not sure since I have a bad board currently though...
My research has concluded that some love jandy and others hate it. I am on the fence because mine has been a PITA ever since I bought the house and parts seem expensive.

Any opinions regarding how to best repair or upgrade is appreciated. I am just trying to decide rather I stay Jandy and repair/upgrade or leave jandy and go with something else that will serve better down the road.
Thank you

 

[HermanTX]

I have the same PCB as yours and my PDA has the same version (5). However my PCB has the letter "J" in black marker where yours has the letter "K". I am not sure what that means. I have a 9V battery attached to my board which keeps the time and date when the main power is shut off. This way I do not need to reset the time and date when power is restored. This has happened occasionally, mainly when big thunderstorms come through. I do not have a SWCG.

I have all Pentair equipment except for the Jandy automation. I did not install it so I assume the previous owner felt it was the better automation when it was put in. Also, the original was only a single speed pump and now I have a Pentair VSF pump. It does connect to Jandy automation so I am happy with that. I did the upgrade to a PDA back in 2012 and have been using that since.

I am in similar situation as I have researched upgrading to the iQ30-RS which is a new PCB, and a new antenna, plus everything goes to iAquaLink for access via PC or on mobile app. You can add a PDA if you still want that. The iQ30-RS was quoted to me as $1600 installed. The kit is about $1300 plus tax plus installation. This does not include a PDA as that is additional and our (your) current PDA does not work with the new iQ30-RS kit.

I have also looked into CircuPool SWCG as I am not crazy about the Jandy 1400 as you have indicated. If I stay with Jandy Automation, I most likely will go with the CircuPool SWCG in 2022.

My best option would be to go to a Pentair IntelliCenter with a IC40 SWCG but that is a lot of $$$ right now and availability is also difficult. Then everything I have would be Pentair. I did look at just upgrading to a EasyTouch with ScreenLogic by Pentair and that was $2600 on its own - no SWCG.

Hope this gives you want I have found and maybe others will provide some additional info.

Looked into AqualinkD project and this also looks like a solid option to possibly incorperate.

What is this? I am not aware of this.

 

[santacruzpool]

I have a newer Jandy system - and while the newer iAqualink setup is adequate - it is still pretty antiquated - I feel like I am still dealing with 80's tech when I use it. It is really just a PDA programmed to be on a web page...There are not any smarts or reporting that even a good 90's automation setup should have...and here we are in 2021. Well that is how I feel.

I like the look of the Pentair IntelliCenter - and if my system died I might look at that, but I really want something with some better technology and even some learning and if/then options, error reporting, and smart adjustments (pool AI). I am not sure I would replace my system with Jandy. The only thing I have in my system - that seems to be hard to find - is I can adjust my SWCG % depending on if my pool is covered or open. That is a nice feature.

 

[setsailsoon]

np.

My pool was originally on a timer control system. I've owned both Jandy iAqualink rs and Pentair Intellicenter. I installed both myself. Components in my original Jandy iAqualink rs and Jandy gas heater were fried in a lightning strike. I had previously decided to transition away from Jandy due to their decision to eliminate DIY warranty. But I will say the iAqualink system worked pretty well as did the heater and other Jandy equipment I owned. If you look inside the gas heater it is almost identical to many other major brands and even some off brands. But the automation is completely different. The Intellicenter is a modern modular design and has more advanced control capability in many areas. For example you can input settings that allow you to customize temperature difference in the solar heater to close the bypass valve. There are many examples of this. They do reduce the warranty to 90 days but for most electronics that's plenty of time to be sure you don't have a defective board or other component. You can also update firmware yourself by downloading it from the website. For Jandy it is accomplished by replacing a chip that can only be performed by an authorized tech.

All this said the minimum cost approach may well be to continue with your iAqualink. After all it really isn't rocket science to do basic pool control. In my case I wanted to get my automation updated to the latest technology and I spent about $2000 to do it myself. Some of my existing other Jandy equipment is still working fine. I learned more than I ever wanted to in repairing my heater about how it works. In that process I also realized it is very viable to keep the original heater running way over 10 years, perhaps 20 so long as water is balanced with TFP recommendations. So here's what I would sum up:

• Jandy automation works and is a viable option for control unless you want to DIY your own installation and/or repairs.
• Heaters are all about the same inside. With good water balance they will all outlast their warranty. DIY is not as viable for Jandy because of their zero warranty for parts sold online. This is making parts harder to obtain for DIY but if you search you can find them.
• Major manufacturers all reduce swg warranty to about 90 days. Jandy eliminates it. Warranty is important for salt systems since all have at least a few failures beyond the 90 day limit. This is very expensive to repair without a warranty.
• 3rd party suppliers of swg systems provide full warranty to DIY and professional installers. Several have good reputations here for honoring their warranty and providing quality. If you have an automation system you do have additional control functionality for % power if you use their same brand of swg. I don't believe this is worth the trade-off of a very limited warranty for DIY installations. A good installation that is maintained with TFP recommendations will not need % power adjustment more than once per year. Runtime can be controlled for any salt system by any automation system.
• Many experts here that seem very knowledgeable to me favor Pentair pumps over other major manufacturers.. Of course quality comes at a price. Cheaper pumps are all about the same so if your budget leads you down this road I'd just make sure you can get parts down the road. You should get a VS pump for flexibility with your swg. If your current pump works well you may have an option to simply replace the motor.
• $/lb chlorine, warranty, and reputation here were the selection criteria that I used to pick my swg system. In my case Circupool was the clear winner. But prices and specials change frequently so I'd check to confirm the best selection. Here's a website that does a lot of the homework for you.

I think this sums it up and I hope this is helpful.

Chris

 

[setsailsoon]

PS I forgot to mention I would never go with a PDA system. I don't want any more remote controllers than I need to have. Wifi apps are way more convenient and work great with all major automation systems. They also all include a desktop control. You can program and adjust controls on either if you have home wifi. If you want internet control that works too. The only way I'd go with a PDA system is if I didn't have a home wifi system. If you're worried about internet security you can always just not hook up the internet control.

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[nopoolstore]

What is this? I am not aware of this.

It's the project that a developer created to incorporate a raspberry pi into aqualink, allowing you to control system via wifi. Similar to to what jandy does, maybe better? It requires some computer and tinkering skills to install/set up.

Home

Daemon to control Jandy Aqualink RS pool equipment from any home automation hub (Alexa, Homekit & Siri, Home Assistant, smartthings, domoticz etc) or web browser. - sfeakes/AqualinkD

github.com

 

[nopoolstore]

Thanks for the comparison website, that should help with looking at specs/cost.
I was not aware that jandy cuts the warranty for DIY installation, that's a huge strike against them in my opinion.

 

[setsailsoon]

I currently run SWG at 100% for 10-12 hours a day to maintain chlorine levels. One thing that appeals to me about the Circupool is they have size's rated up to 3lb per day, vs my current 1.25. Is my logic correct that larger would produce more chlorine with less pump run time?

Yes, that's correct. You can use Pool Math to get the original settings for your pool for a given ppm of FC per day. If you don't know your current FC consumption it can be estimated at 2-4 ppm. Right now 3 ppm is a good estimate for my area. Just click on the menu button and select "effects of adding" then fill out pool volume, select swg, then click the magnifying glass for your swg model. It will then calculate ppm FC, salt added for any combination of %power and run time.

TFP recommends you size your swg for at least 2x pool volume. There are two advantages for this. First, all cells decline over time and you can end up needing your cell to run 24/7 to make enough FC pretty quickly. Second, incremental capacity is much cheaper than buying a new cell.

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[BenB]

I sent my board to the Santa Rosa guy. He had it back to me within the same week.

Since your options are $150 or thousands, I'd spend the $150 first. You'll be able to use that at least until next season. Even if you then decide to upgrade, you'd have a working board to sell on eBay.

When my PDA and/or SWG die, I will be changing brand and mix/matching. As folks here have said, even "fancy" automation is very dated and it's all outrageously priced for what it really is. So I'm going to simplify as much as possible.