Jandy RS / variable speed pump offline and chlorinator beeping and going from 80% to 0%

[philgrocks]

Hello,

In May I had a failing Jandy epump (used as filter pump, bearings were failing) so I called my pool specialist and we decided to upgrade all three pumps to Jandy epump. (Filter, cleaner and jet pump). The system was working perfectly before. The other equipment I have is a Jandy iaqua pure, iaqualink, heater and two one-touch keypads. The Jandy RS controller is Rev T.

Immediately after the install if the cleaner pump (and only if the cleaner pump is on), I see messages on the display of "epump 1 offline" sometimes and the aqua pure beeps and switches to 0% production and then a few moments later it switches back to 80% production.

If we disconnect the aquapure the errors don't happen (but the aquapure is in manual mode).

So far we have replaced the aquapure controller and the cleaner epump. Results the same.

Lastly Jandy told the installer to replace all of the wires between pumps, aquapure, etc. (of course we can replace the controller wires - they are buried and inside walls of the house.). After all of that, nothing changed. Pump 1 still going offline, aquapure beeping. Jandy now suggests to add another multiplex board so no connectors are doubled up. Will do that, but... Grrrr.. Really seems like that Jandy has no clue.

I'm going mad.

Thanks for any ideas.

Phil

 

[ajw22]

What pump did you have on the cleaner before you “upgraded” it to the epump?

 

[Oceansol]

I have a similar set up, and have seen the "epump1 is offline" error before. I don't remember the issue, but I think it has to do with conflicting programs on variable speeds. You have to program the pump's variable speeds, and make sure that none conflict with the other's time. Also, I recommend programming the pump to start at, say 10am, then have the variable speed program start at 10:05am, etc. That way the pump can prime itself and settle down to it's normal speed, then the variable speed kicks in afterward.

So I have several programs: if I want the pump to run from 10am to 4pm, I set the "filter pump" to 10am - 4pm, then I run a slow speed from 10:05am to noon, then I run high speed from noon to 2pm, then another low speed to run from 2pm to 4pm.

Hope that helps

 

[philgrocks]

What pump did you have on the cleaner before you “upgraded” it to the epump?

They were sta-rite 1 1/2 hp pumps that connected only to the relay. Not variable speed.

 

[philgrocks]

Update the Jandy Rep asked us to change some switch settings on the epump 2 (Aux 1) (Off Off On Off) so set to #2. But that didn't work and the pump does not come on at all and now I get errors with aquapure (General Failure) and "epump 3 offline:" epump 3 is the jet pump!

 

[ajw22]

You have the Jandy Aqualink RS system? Please put details of your pool in your signature. It really helps us not have to ask you a bunch of questions on what you have.

It sure sounds like Jandy has a problem communication with all it's devices over the COMM Bus.

I don't know why you need VS pump controls for the cleaner or jet pump. I would disconnect the COMM line from the cleaner pump and jet pump and connect them directly to relays to turn them on and off as desired until Jandy figures out how to make their system work with your four devices communicating to the Aqualink.

 

[philgrocks]

Details on the pool controller
- Jandy RS8 Rev T (I understand there is a rev T.2), but jandy isn't transparent about what that fixes :-(
- Combo Pool / Spa setup
- Three epumps (one for Filter, one for cleaner, and one for jet pump)

Each pump has an individual relay already.

The epumps won't operate if they don't get a command via the RS_485 connection. So suggestion from ajw22 won't work :-(

The S1 Dip switch 1 is on (setting for pool cleaner)

The switches in each epump is:
- Filter pump (off-off-off-off) this is pump address 1
- Cleaner pump (off-off-on-off) this is pump address 2
- Jet pump (off-off-off-on) this is pump address 3

 

[ajw22]

Yeah, I see now that the epump does not come with a control panel for non-automation operation. You have to install an optional control panel if you don’t have a Jandy automation box. This is a big negative of the Jandy ePump.

I think you need to get real noisy with Jandy and they fix the RS8 software, or give you control panels to manually control two of the pumps, or exchange the pumps for other pumps that work simpler.

 

[philgrocks]

Indeed, this is frustrating.

They are going to replace the Rev T RS8 controller with a new Rev T.2 RS8 controller. I found that there was Rev T, Rev T.1 and Rev T.2. Anyone know what they fixed between these versions? I searched and can't find any info on Rev T of any version.

 

[philgrocks]

Got the new Rev T.2 controller. Made no difference at all. The cleaner pump would still not turn on.

So in an act of desperation.
- I moved the cleaner pump from Aux 2 to Aux4 (Luckily I have an RS8 so I had a spare circuit.)
- Changed the dip switch to Pump 4.
- in VSP Setup I disabled Pump 2.
- in VSP Setup I set Pump 4 to "Aux Pump"
- in VSP Setup -> Speed Setup. Select Pump 4 and click next then label the pump as "Cleaner"

This seems to work.
- I'm not getting errors, etc.

There clearly is a serious bug in the controller. Looks like Jandy never tested an epump as a cleaner pump.

Will be the last Jandy controller I ever buy.

There support is terrible (clueless). Their product is out of date. and so on.

I'm working again... But geez. It should not have been this hard!

 

[Frank in FL]

Jandy is junk! I’ve had nothing but issues with their iAquaLink controller. Complete junk junk junk!!!
That is all ?

Got the new Rev T.2 controller. Made no difference at all. The cleaner pump would still not turn on.

So in an act of desperation.
- I moved the cleaner pump from Aux 2 to Aux4 (Luckily I have an RS8 so I had a spare circuit.)
- Changed the dip switch to Pump 4.
- in VSP Setup I disabled Pump 2.
- in VSP Setup I set Pump 4 to "Aux Pump"
- in VSP Setup -> Speed Setup. Select Pump 4 and click next then label the pump as "Cleaner"

This seems to work.
- I'm not getting errors, etc.

There clearly is a serious bug in the controller. Looks like Jandy never tested an epump as a cleaner pump.

Will be the last Jandy controller I ever buy.

There support is terrible (clueless). Their product is out of date. and so on.

I'm working again... But geez. It should not have been this hard!