I had a Aqualink Z4 installed with my new pool and spa. The pool has its own loop with a Jandy VS pump. The spa has its own loop with a VS pump and Jandy heater. My pool guy made me believe I was getting the Cadillac of controls, and did not give me any options for better. I was not satisfied with the controls so I am trying to improve them. neither vs pump was 4 wired to the controller. The heater is 2 wired. The Z4 thinks the heater is a pool heater. I can't figure out how to change it to spa. I 4 wired the spa pump to the Z4 and swapped load leads between the 2 VS pumps. So now everything kinda works, I just have to pretend the spa is the pool. I would love to have the pump speed change when I turn on the heater. I haven't been able to make the 4 wire to the heater work, so I went back to 2 wire. Is my Z4 not capable or am I just missing something?
Need help on Aqualink Z4 automation setup
- Thread starter Blown Asunder
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Welcome to TFP.
The Aqualink Z4 is a basic automation controller. The Aqualink RS is Jandys full featured controller.
You heater is controlled by the 2 wire "Firemans switch". The heater can be in pool mode or spa mode. It doesn't care. You should set the heater temperature to 104. The Z4 uses its water temperature sensor to cycle the heater to the desired temperture. When the Z4 is in POOL mode the heated water goes to the pool. When in spa mode the heated water goes to the spa.
The Aqualink Z4 is a basic automation controller. The Aqualink RS is Jandys full featured controller.
You heater is controlled by the 2 wire "Firemans switch". The heater can be in pool mode or spa mode. It doesn't care. You should set the heater temperature to 104. The Z4 uses its water temperature sensor to cycle the heater to the desired temperture. When the Z4 is in POOL mode the heated water goes to the pool. When in spa mode the heated water goes to the spa.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,166
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
The Z4 is the cheapest controller Jandy sells. In fact, it is just about the cheapest controller on the market.
I'm not sure what the Z4 interface looks like but my full Jandy RS system you can set a speed for the pump to do when the heater is turned on.
I'm not sure what the Z4 interface looks like but my full Jandy RS system you can set a speed for the pump to do when the heater is turned on.
The spa and heater are in separate loops, the heater only goes to the spa. When I have the pool pump wired to the main relay, it shuts off the heater when I shut off the pool pump. Thus I had to wire my spa pump to the first relay, which is the pool filter pump in the controls.
I could not get the heater to run on 4wire, so I went back to the fireman’s switch. In the manual it mentions vs pump speed controlled by different conditions, i.e. heater on. That is the only way I can figure out how to change pump speeds outside of schedules, and I can’t figure out how to get it to work off of heating mode. My equipment is over 100 feet from my spa, and it annoys me to have to go to the pump to change speed. I want it slow when not using the heater, but need more flow for the heater. I’m almost ready to throw in the towel and buy an RS, but it won’t be from my old pool guy. I paid him enough money for an RS for the pinto I got.
I could not get the heater to run on 4wire, so I went back to the fireman’s switch. In the manual it mentions vs pump speed controlled by different conditions, i.e. heater on. That is the only way I can figure out how to change pump speeds outside of schedules, and I can’t figure out how to get it to work off of heating mode. My equipment is over 100 feet from my spa, and it annoys me to have to go to the pump to change speed. I want it slow when not using the heater, but need more flow for the heater. I’m almost ready to throw in the towel and buy an RS, but it won’t be from my old pool guy. I paid him enough money for an RS for the pinto I got.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,166
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
This is where it is set in my Aqualink RS. You have to use the keywords for it to work. My heater goes to 3000rpms when it is running and returns to the previous setting when it is shut off. Usually "Pool", 2000rpms.
"Temp1" Temp2"
"Temp1" Temp2"
With your replies I decided to look around in the settings to see if I could set pump speed to temp 1 or 2. I only saw settings to set the pump speeds to the aux relays, which in my setup are: aux 1- LED Lights, aux 2 - Jet pump, Aux 3 - Spa (pool pump for me). The heater doesnt have an aux, only the fireman's switch.
I have set 2750 RPMs to the 'Jet Pump' setting, and have the speed set at 2250 in normal 'pool' mode. Its rainy right now so it might be a little while before I can test it. I have to run my jet pump to get my spa pump to run at the faster speed without a schedule. Its not ideal, and I see myself upgrading down the road.
I have set 2750 RPMs to the 'Jet Pump' setting, and have the speed set at 2250 in normal 'pool' mode. Its rainy right now so it might be a little while before I can test it. I have to run my jet pump to get my spa pump to run at the faster speed without a schedule. Its not ideal, and I see myself upgrading down the road.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,166
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
That's a complex system to be running the Mickey Mouse version of a controller. And i hate to say it, that swcg is also the bottom of the line. It doesn't last long either if you get 2 seasons you're doing well.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Does your spa spill over to your pool?
It looks like you have two independent bodies of water for your spa and pool and effectively two sets of equipment. The Z4 is really only able to control a single body of water and one set of equipment. The higher end automation can handle two bodies of water.
It looks like you have two independent bodies of water for your spa and pool and effectively two sets of equipment. The Z4 is really only able to control a single body of water and one set of equipment. The higher end automation can handle two bodies of water.
I have 2 bodies. My pool guy wanted to sell me a spill over. I insisted on two independent loops. I had my spa built flush with the pool about 4 feet away. I was given one option on controls: do I want the internet controls? I would have upgraded to the RS if given the choice. It is what it is. I love my new pool and spa. We have been in the spa almost every day in the last 2 weeks. I will just have to do some tinkering and maybe upgrading to get it perfect.
I recently installed an Aqualink Z4 (ZQ-4PSI) and have a common Filter Pump that is used for both Pool & Spa and a separate Spa Jet Pump for Spa Jets only. My Filter Pump is a Pentair IntelliFlo VS Pump (3 HP) which I hooked up via RS-485 to my Aqualink Z4 Controller RS-485 port. I am able to set speeds and schedules from my Aqualink Z4 Controller (Heater Speed = 2,350, Pool Speed = 2,000, Clean Speed = 2,500, Spill-Over Speed = 2,350). My Spa Jet Pump is a Pentair WhisperFlo WF-26 (1 1/2 HP) which I hooked up to Aux 1 Relay and labeled Spa Jet Pump. I have the Aqualink Z4 control my Jandy Actuator/Valves for Inlet and Return. I have a Hayward HeatPro Heat-Pump which I wired to the Aqualink Z4 terminal board (pins 1 & 2) as instructed. The iAqualink-2.0 (that comes with the ZQ-4PSi) allows me to set different modes from anywhere - I tested while walking the Power Lines with my dog. The only thing that was tricky was trying to find out how to get my Hayward Heat-Pump into External Mode - I finally found the procedure in the Troubleshooting Manual but it isn't intuitive and was a bit challenging to find the right sequence but I finally go there. Now, my Aqualink Z4 is able to control the Hayward Heat-Pump via the 2 wire remote connection.
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I connected my Variable Speed Pump (Pentair IntelliFlo) to the RS-485 interface which then allows you to control speeds and schedules for pump from Zodiac Z4 Controller. I connected my Single Speed (Spa Jet) Pump to Aux 1 because it doesn't have an RS-485 interface. You can install multiple RS-485 devices (including pumps) but if you have more than one pump on the RS-485, they recommend you purchase an RS-485 breakout adapter. Regarding your Aux, you can name them as you see fit and then assign them to Pool or Spa. It sounds like your setup just needs some tweaking.