Jandy OneTouch Locks Up

[Russmd]

Hello. I have a Jandy RS8 system, revision R. Attached is a OneTouch Wall Controller, SpaLinkRS Controller, iAqualink, Aquapure, Pentair VS Pump, Solar. It's been working well for several years, but a few months ago I noticed that the indoor OneTouch was locking up - after a few button presses and screen changes, all of a sudden it would not respond to any button press. The display keeps automatically cycling and indicating correctly. During that time, the SpaLink, iAqualink, and main control panel work fine. Just a frozen OneTouch. The only way to unfreeze it is to either press it's little reset button or to power off/on the system. Then immediately it comes back to life until it decides to freeze again - quite frequently. I checked the wire terminals at both ends, fine. Checked voltage both ends - 10VDC, fine. Ohmed out the communication wires - no resistance. In the main box, the OneTouch, SpaLink and Aquapure were wired on the left 4 pin, the iAqualink and VS pump on the right (since installed by the pro years ago).
I just disconnected the SpaLink and Aquapure from the left terminals so only the OneTouch is there and am watching to see if it locks up again.
Looking at the attached picture (from before I disconnected items), I see that the OneTouch and SpaLink both say address #1. In the installation manual, it says that controllers have to be on different addresses in one place, and another place says it doesn't matter - and SpaLink isn't even mentioned.
Does anyone specifically know if this picture indicates a problem and I have to change jumpers on my OneTouch?
Any other ideas? These boxes are expensive and I'm trying to exhaust all avenues first. I've spoken to pool professionals about this - they just scratch their heads.
Thanks,
Russ

 

[PoolGate]

Have you tried cleaning the buttons? It wouldn't hurt to change the address on the unit but seeing as it works and then doesn't I wouldn't think that was the problem. Do you have the multiplex expansion board? It sounds like you have more than 4 connections.

 

[Russmd]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did use contact cleaner on the buttons. I was thinking about the multiplex expansion board as I have three wire bundles coming off 1 of the connectors and 2 off the other but since it’s a clean connection I didn’t think it would really make a difference- at least the installer must not have. I was looking at the video and the multiplexer- does it come with connection wires to run back to the main connector? If I find that the system no longer locks up during this test period with other cables detached, I will try it. Thanks.

 

[PoolGate]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did use contact cleaner on the buttons. I was thinking about the multiplex expansion board as I have three wire bundles coming off 1 of the connectors and 2 off the other but since it’s a clean connection I didn’t think it would really make a difference- at least the installer must not have. I was looking at the video and the multiplexer- does it come with connection wires to run back to the main connector? If I find that the system no longer locks up during this test period with other cables detached, I will try it. Thanks.

Yeah Jandy specifies no more than 2 per connector. I don't think it comes with the cable but they are cheap to buy. The extension is on Amazon I think like $75. I think this is your problem. With that many connections it is possible it is getting errant signals that are scramming it.

 

[Russmd]

Ok, easy fix. If I see that with this test with the other stuff disconnected, the One Touch doesn’t lock, I’ll go that route. What do you think about the remote address question? Is it a problem that the One Touch and Spa Remote are both address 1? I note the iAqualink is address 2. The One Touch documentation says that for more than one “controller,” they need to have different addresses, but the Spa Remote documentation doesn’t mention changing address at all For it. I don’t want to fool with changing it if I don’t have to- I’d probably end up breaking/frying something or erasing everything!

 

[PoolGate]

Ok, easy fix. If I see that with this test with the other stuff disconnected, the One Touch doesn’t lock, I’ll go that route. What do you think about the remote address question? Is it a problem that the One Touch and Spa Remote are both address 1? I note the iAqualink is address 2. The One Touch documentation says that for more than one “controller,” they need to have different addresses, but the Spa Remote documentation doesn’t mention changing address at all For it. I don’t want to fool with changing it if I don’t have to- I’d probably end up breaking/frying something or erasing everything!

Yeah leave well enough alone I would not change the address at this point.

 

[Russmd]

 

[Russmd]

OK, I disconnected the Spalink controller and Aquapure which were sharing connector 1 with the OneTouch, leaving the iAqualink and VS pump wires on connector 2 and viola - the Onetouch stopped freezing up! I then purchased a multiplexer and hooked it up to connector 1 and put the OneTouch, SpaLink, and Aquapure back on it. OneTouch starting freezing again. I disconnected the Aquapure, OneTouch still freezing. I put the Aquapure back on and disconnected the SpaLink - not freezing now. So... it seems to be related to the SpaLink. The SpaLink works perfectly at all times, no problems with it at all. Ideas? I guess I can try changing to the SpaLink to the other connector, #2, and see what happens there? Change OneTouch address?

 

[PoolGate]

Did you try putting the OneTouch on 1 of the 2 board controllers and everything else on the multiplexer? Changing the address might help but I'd think you'd be getting more issues if they were sharing the same address.

 

[Russmd]

That’s one of the things I plan to try today. Then I’ll try the address change. I have low expectations that either should make a difference. I’ve spoken to Jandy tech support and a Jandy pool guy- scratching their heads.

 

[Russmd]

I'm about to tear my hair out (and I don't have much to spare!). I put the One Touch by itself on one connector and the multiplexer with everything else on the other. No difference, still froze after a short while. I then changed the jumpers on the One Touch to the configuration for address 3. It now shows up as "Remote 2" in the program (see picture). Still freezes. Arrrgggghhh!
So, in a nutshell, when the SpaLink is hooked up, the OneTouch randomly freezes - screens still automatically scroll information but buttons don't do anything. Reset makes it work for a while.The SpaLink works perfectly as do all the other systems. I've spoken with Jandy tech support on the phone, more than that they say "call a pool professional." I spoke to a "pool professional" who just scratched his head and has no idea what to do, short of changing boards and controllers at $$$$, which has no guarantee of working either. I still think there's a configuration solution out there somewhere. I need a really really really smart Jandy technician to talk to. Anyone have any back channels or phone contacts for me to speak to? I appreciate the help.
Russ

Addendum: I downloaded two different OneTouch Installation manuals; I realized they show different jumper positions for multiple remotes! That's why this shows OneTouch on 2 when I set jumpers for 3. I changed the jumpers so it shows 3 now. Probably will make no difference but I wanted it on a completely different position than SpaLink and iAqualink.

 

[Russmd]

I think I figured something out - by accident! After I changed the jumper address of the OneTouch, I noticed that the backlight was staying on. Originally, it was set for the 2 min timeout. I went into its menu and noted that it had reset itself to Always On. All other setting stayed the same. Anyway, I left it as Always On and for a few days, NO GLITCH! Hmmmm.. something to do with the backlight? I then reset it to 2 min timeout. After it would turn off, I went to make a change. If I pushed a button and the backlight turned on, the controller worked fine. But sometimes the backlight would not turn on after button presses - and locked up with an unlit screen. So - it seems that when the backlight is on, the controller is somehow "awake," but when dim, it would not reliably wake up with button presses. At this point, I'm happy to just leave the backlight Always On, hoping it will not burn out someday (will it?). Anyone have any explanations of what's going on, why it's happening that way? Regardless, I think I have a workaround.