Pentair Easy Touch Installation Help/Questions

[FLGatorJoe]

Hi I was wondering how this installation by the our electricians looked since I was not home when they installed everything. I don’t see the salt cell but I assume that’s installed later. We have a bubbler light spa light and two pool lights I assume by this install we will not be able automate each one individually. They also left some wiring exposed outside the ground will rain cause any problems? Thanks for the help!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe,

Looks neat to me... The real question is what does it look like inside the relay area.. Take off the bottom cover over the circuit breakers and show us a couple of pics of the relays and all the wiring..

If the wire that is "left out" is a uncoated copper wire, that is the bonding wire and is just buried in the dirt as you see it.

If you only have one transformer then all the lights will come on and go off at the same time. These are the kind of things someone has to plan for in advance...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GDN]

As Jim notes about that uncoated wire you see near that pool, that is likely the bonding wire and it is a continual loop completely around the pool and should be the same wire you see exposed at the equipment pad and connected to each piece of equipment out there, the pumps, heater, EasyTouch box, etc.

A question for you (and really Jim) - since you have an external transformer feeding that light junction box I'm assuming they are using the 12 volt version of the lights? (I don't have experience with the 12volt version) If they had used the 120 volt version each light could be independently connected to one of the Aux relays (if you have any free) in the Easy Touch box and then each could be controlled separately. Likewise, I guess you could spend more on two more transformers and drive each one of the 12 volt lights separately (again if you have unused aux relays in the ET). Each transformer would then be connected to a separate aux. relay in the Easy Touch.

Do you know if it is an ET 4 or 8? And how many aux relays do you have free?

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Thanks guys the light in the Spa and Pool are the Pentair Intellibrite 5g 12v LED color lights. I’ll take a few pics of the wiring and relays when I get home.

 

[Jimrahbe]

GDN,

Your are correct..

To be able to independently control a light, you have to have a relay (and transformer, if not a 120 volt light) for each light. So if you had five lights, you would need five relays, if you wanted to be able to turn them on and off at different times..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Thanks Jim. I was told by the PB that I would be able to control the IC salt system via the Easy Touch is that still possible? How do the relays and wiring look? Thanks

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe,

I was specifically looking to make sure that the SWCG's transformer was wired to the pump filter relay and it looks like it is.. so that is good.

The only thing that I see that is a little disappointing is that most installers add a GFCI outlet in the knockout in the lower right side of the cabinet. I see your installer did not do that.. Maybe it is not normal in your area.

In order for you to be able to use your Phone, PC, or tablet, you will need to have an add-on, called ScreenLogic2.. Are you getting ScreenLogic? If you do make sure they install it on your PC as well as your phone.. Programming from your PC is much easier than your phone.

With ScreenLogic, you will be able to control almost everything from your PC or Phone..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Joe,

I was specifically looking to make sure that the SWCG's transformer was wired to the pump filter relay and it looks like it is.. so that is good.

The only thing that I see that is a little disappointing is that most installers add a GFCI outlet in the knockout in the lower right side of the cabinet. I see your installer did not do that.. Maybe it is not normal in your area.

In order for you to be able to use your Phone, PC, or tablet, you will need to have an add-on, called ScreenLogic2.. Are you getting ScreenLogic? If you do make sure they install it on your PC as well as your phone.. Programming from your PC is much easier than your phone.

With ScreenLogic, you will be able to control almost everything from your PC or Phone..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GDN]

The good confirmation as Jim notes is the transformer is there for the SWG. It looks like you only have 4 relays however and not 8 (that is the ET4 vs the ET8). So with that set up it would be hard or next to impossible to control the lights separately. They make the same version of the setup you have with 8 relays rather than the 4 and that would give you the ability to control 4 more devices - ie the lights separately. It all depends on what else they've sold you or plan on integrating in to the automation.

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Thanks again Jim. I thought a GFCI was supposed to in there. PB included the Screen Logic2 I checked the contract we are supposed receive the Easy Touch PSL4 with Screen Logic2. Is if difficult to upgrade the panel to add other Auxiliaries for example landscape lights. I know now is the time to make a change since wiring is still exposed and footers are not completely done yet.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe,

That is not a PSL4.. You do not want a PSL4... the "L" stands for lite as in "tastes bad"...

You have a better system... but they normally do not come with ScreenLogic.. I would double check with the pool builder.

You can't really upgrade from the ET-4 to the ET-8..

Tell me what you are trying to control.. Pump/Filter used to control the SWCG, your single speed pump takes a relay, your light takes a relay, what is the last relay used for ??? Spa blower maybe??? Your pool builder would have to install a new main board and then add 4 more relays to upgrade to an ET-8..

I would ask for the GFCI outlet.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[GDN]

If you really have reason you want to control those lights separately now is the time to do the swap. It would take additional transformers too, but now is the time, don't regret it later. Tell your builder he didn't explain things well - or start to ask him the questions - ask him how you will control the lights independently and tell him that is your request. Talk him through the things you want out of this system. It hasn't been powered up or run the pump - at most you should only pay the price difference in this system to the more robust system I would think he has in stock.

Do you have any special pool circuits like bubblers or fountains that you'd want to control remotely or turn on off with automation? Each of those require a relay of their own to operate.

My builder started me with the ET4 and as I learned more and talked they realized I needed the 8 and we got it done up front. I have a Stenner chlorine pump I added to a relay, I added my equipment light to a relay - I can turn it on remotely from my phone before I stumble to the dark side of the house where the equipment is. I also have both a bubbler on the tanning ledge and two side sprays - that arch into the pool water. I only want those on for certain occasions - don't want them running all of the time - each of those required their own relay - and automated valve.

If you only have spa and pool functions and no other special returns you may be OK, but the lights will still all operate together as one.

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Thanks for the specifics. So we have a second 1HP pump controlling our bubbler and deck jets. A 1.5 HP blower for the spa and the 3 HP variable speed pump. The PB didn’t explain the specifics of the Easy Touch System the sales rep basically told us you can control your filter pumps heat pump lights and spa from your phone/ computer. I didn’t realize it can control others things. I’m little frustrated now but might be able to upgrade depending on what they charge. The automation was a little over 3k alone which I thought was little high being only the ET4/Screen Logic 2 but other PB quotes were around the same give or take a little bit. I really would have liked the bubbler and deck jets to be controller individually and the lights individually automated including landscape lights.

 

[Jimrahbe]

GDN,

As you note... an equipment pad light is one of the most important, yet often missed, items for the ET to run.. It is just plain stupid to have to take a flashlight out to the pad to flip a switch..
Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe,

Ask the pool builder and see what he says.. The worst he can say is no..

Jim R.

 

[GDN]

Now is the time to get it upgraded. I paid $2100 5 years ago for the ET8 with Screenlogic and did not have the SWG transformer built in. The SWG transformer adds a few hundred bucks. However, to get the control you want you need the ET8 for sure. The incremental price for the ET8 over the 4 should only be a few hundred more. You'd have enough relays to control the second pump (bubbler and deck jets) individually as well as each of the lights if you want to separate them and the blower for the spa.

Relays. - this is about all you'll get out of the 4 version
1 - Main Pump
2 - All lights together
3 - Spa Blower

With the 8 you'll have a little room for expansion and you can get
1 - Main Pump
2 - Pool lights
3 - Spa light (would need an additional transformer to run independently )
4 - Bubbler light. (would need an additional transformer to run independently )
5 - Bubbler and Deck Jets
6 - Spa blower
7 - expansion - could be your equipment pad light

I'll stipulate that I like automation and most things in my house are automated, I like the individual control of each pool object.


Edited to show 6 as spa blower.

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Thanks for the very detailed information GDN it’s much appreciated. So after looking at the panel the first button labeled Filter Pump that controls the main 3HP variable speed pump. Aux 1 will control the second 1 HP feature pump
Aux 2 will control the Spa Blower Aux 3 Heat Pump and the lights have their own button at bottom is that correct?

 

[GDN]

Thanks for the very detailed information GDN it’s much appreciated. So after looking at the panel the first button controls the main 3HP pump. Aux 1 will control the second 1 HP feature pump
Aux 2 will control the Spa Blower Aux 3 Heat Pump and the lights have their own button at bottom is that correct?

The first button always controls the main pump, correct. All others just depend on the order of the wiring. The Aux switches do not necessarily line up to the order of the breakers, they can, but they don't have to, it's all about the wiring inside the box, which I didn't trace.

I believe the lights will be tied to one of the Aux switches, then the heat pump likely is just controlled from the app. Once it is programmed and you open your app - the Pool will have a heater button and you set the temp and the same for the spa.

I have never tried to control my heater from the panel - only the app. I also don't have a heat pump so that might be a difference.

Sorry - a lot of this only becomes more clear when you can learn and see the setup software and the app software. It can indeed all be controlled from that outdoor panel, but the app really simplifies it.

 

[FLGatorJoe]

Ok so screen logic 2 is the real key to simplifying things. Using the panel sounds like a pain. Going to ask the PB about the upgrade. I have a feeling they will inflate the price but can’t hurt to ask. Thanks again!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe and GDN,

Just to be clear...

The Pump Filter relay is NOT used to control the IntelliFlo VS pump. It is controlled by a serial cable.. The Pump Filter relay is used to control the SWCG. If you did not have a SWCG, the Pump Filter relay would be empty.. It would be used if you had a single speed pump as your main pump, which you do not.

No matter what, it can't be used as an aux relay, so it makes little difference in the relay count.

The EasyTouch just tells the heater or heat pump to turn on or off.. It does not control the AC voltage going to the heater so there is no need for a relay.

Thanks

Jim R.