Pentair easy touch coming on and fading off

[Rusty1977]

Hi, What has been a reliable 14 year system decided to test me. When I flip breaker on it powers up with lights time etc. after a couple of seconds the screen fades and it ls dead. No controls at that point. Acts like a short or something tripping.

Side note This was after an intellichlor issue when the connection seemed loose and would work intermittently. Not sure they are related but odd because I have had zero problems to this point.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rusty,

Is this just a bad display issue or do simple things like a pool light not work when the Aux button is pushed?

How do you control your EasyTouch? ScreenLogic, Pentair Remote, or just at the panel?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Rusty1977]

This is the outdoor panel. I have a pentair remote. It won’t connect once the screen goes black. The pool light and even the pump/filter work until screen goes black. Then it’s like it loses power.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rusty,

OK, so it is not just an LCD issue.

1. The first thing to check is that you still have AC volts into the box. Make sure you have 240 volts between the L1 and L2 input to your EasyTouch. Do not test between L1 and L2 to ground as this can give a false reading. You need to test this because your breaker could be bad. If you have 240 Volts AC go to step 2.

2. Test the AC going into your System Transformer. This should be 240 or 120 volts AC depending on how it is wired. If ok go to step 3.

3. Disconnect all of the relays and valve connections from the main board. Keep track of what goes where. See if the LCD works now. If not go to step 4.

4. Test the AC coming out of the system transformer. It should be about 28 to 30 volts AC. If not ok, unplug the power cable going to the main board. Retest the system transformer output. If still not ok then the system transformer is most likely bad. If now ok then the main board is most likely bad.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Rusty1977]

Jim thank you!! I will get in this today and see what I can find. Thank you for all the details!

 

[Rusty1977]

Alright so I have voltage in all the right places. I can run the filter and all accessories for about 15-20 seconds before I hear a click and the screen slowly goes blank. Or I can click around for a bit and then it slowly locks and goes blank.

I still have voltage to the pump/filter at 241 after going blank. I do not have a green intellichlor light though. I am leaning towards replacing display first. Then if no good do the transformer. Also, I guess the screen and motherboard are two separate parts so not sure if I should do that when I do screen. Does that sound like a good plan of attack?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rusty,

The Screen is soldered to the main board.


Jim R.

 

[Rusty1977]

Thanks Jim, so since the motherboard and touchscreen/display are sold as two parts I have to do the soldering?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rusty,

The EasyTouch does not have a "touch screen" and I believe replacement of the LCD is much harder than it sounds.

That said, let's see if we can get some help.. Calling Tom at @ogdento

I am a little puzzled.. If I follow what you said above, everything works ok and then the LCD goes blank. If just the LCD was bad, you think that pushing an Aux button would still work, but that does not appear to be the case. So, to me, it sounds like a power supply issue with the main card.

Tom works on these things and might be able to get us pointed in the right direction.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Rusty1977]

Rusty,

The EasyTouch does not have a "touch screen" and I believe replacement of the LCD is much harder than it sounds.

That said, let's see if we can get some help.. Calling Tom at @ogdento

I am a little puzzled.. If I follow what you said above, everything works ok and then the LCD goes blank. If just the LCD was bad, you think that pushing an Aux button would still work, but that does not appear to be the case. So, to me, it sounds like a power supply issue with the main card.

Tom works on these things and might be able to get us pointed in the right direction.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Jim, I agree. The touchscreen does work and all the buttons work until the unit shuts down and goes blank. Then nothing works. I want to go down power supply issue thought. Could the transformer fire up and then fade/lose power like this? I have a video but cannot post it I guess.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rusty,

I screwed up in my troubleshooting post above. I said the system transformer provides you with 28 volts AC, but that is really the SWCG transformer. Oops.

The system transformer converts 120 volts into three voltages. 12 volts AC, 18 volts AC, and 24 volts AC Those three AC voltages go into the main board. The main board changes all or some of them into DC voltages.

So, either the output from the transformer is failing or the voltage regulators on the main board are failing.

If this were my system, I'd run the unit it failed, and then I'd test the three voltages coming for the transformer. The problem is that you can't just test anywhere, you have to test between wire pairs coming from the transformer.

12 VAC comes in on the Blue and the Blue/White wire.
18 VAC comes in on the Orange and the Orange/White wire.
24 VAC comes in on the Red and Red/White wire.

These wires are the ones that are part of the power plug that is connected to the main card.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

Rusty,
When you say it "goes black", i'm assuming you mean it "goes blank" - I saw it written both ways in prior posts. And just to be crystal clear, we're talking about this display:


It sounds like the outdoor board (or something connected to it) is drawing too much current and the 12v supply (Jim pointed out the 12/18/24vac supplies above) is being pulled too low. The 12vac supply is converted to ~15volts dc by an on-board bridge rectifier and it powers not only the outdoor board and display, but also anything connected to the COMM port.

I'd try this after Jim's steps:
- Power down, disconnect anything on the comm port (j20), power back up, and see if it goes blank.
1. if it works ok, something connected to your comm port has failed (i.e. intellichlor surge board, remote transceiver, something else)
2. if it still goes blank, do you have an is-4 remote?
3. if there's nothing on the comm or is4 port and it still blanks, something on the board is likely drawing too much current and you'll want to check the current draw of the board, which I can describe if #1 doesn't fix your problem

-Tom

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rusty,

I'd try Tom's suggestions first as it is simpler to do and is more likely to find the problem.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Rusty1977]

Rusty,

I'd try Tom's suggestions first as it is simpler to do and is more likely to find the problem.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Rusty,
When you say it "goes black", i'm assuming you mean it "goes blank" - I saw it written both ways in prior posts. And just to be crystal clear, we're talking about this display:
View attachment 425593

It sounds like the outdoor board (or something connected to it) is drawing too much current and the 12v supply (Jim pointed out the 12/18/24vac supplies above) is being pulled too low. The 12vac supply is converted to ~15volts dc by an on-board bridge rectifier and it powers not only the outdoor board and display, but also anything connected to the COMM port.

I'd try this after Jim's steps:
- Power down, disconnect anything on the comm port (j20), power back up, and see if it goes blank.
1. if it works ok, something connected to your comm port has failed (i.e. intellichlor surge board, remote transceiver, something else)
2. if it still goes blank, do you have an is-4 remote?
3. if there's nothing on the comm or is4 port and it still blanks, something on the board is likely drawing too much current and you'll want to check the current draw of the board, which I can describe if #1 doesn't fix your problem

-Tom

Tom, I tested a brand new 12/18/24 transformer. Still shut down. Bypassed the intellichlor transformer. Still shut down. I noticed that one prong (black wire) on the intellichlor is black. I am beginning to think that may have damaged the board.