PentAir EasyTouch 4 Question

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K

Kit

Bronze Supporter
Mar 10, 2016
326
Medford, Oregon
This is a rather remedial question, but I want to be sure that my thinking is correct. My in-ground spa is controlled by a PentAir EasyTouch4 control panel. I have designated 2 circuits: (1) the SPA circuit for spa use & (2) the POOL circuit for automatic daily filtration & chlorine generation.

Here is where I need some confirmation that my reasoning is correct: I believe that the factory default setting for the SPA circuit automatic run-time schedule is 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. However, since I do NOT want the SPA circuit on any automatic schedule, I deleted that schedule. When the spa is being used, I want to simply turn it on & off using the SpaSide button. However, I wanted the SPA circuit to shut off automatically after 2 hours in the event someone forgot to manually turn it off. So, under Menu>Schedule>Spa>Mode, I set the Egg Timer for 2 hours. Thus, the only automatic schedule for the SPA circuit is the Egg Timer.

Is this correct? Thank you kindly.
 
kit,

Yes... if you set the egg timer for 2 hours, that circuit will shut off after 2 hours.

I have an Aux circuit that I use to add water to my pool using the egg timer. I click an icon on my PC screen to add water, and in 45 minutes it turns off.

Have you thought about adding ScreenLogic 2? Costs about $350 and lets you control and program your EasyTouch from your PC, tablet, or phone.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.
 
Brian: Thank you so much. Jim: Yes, I am thinking about ScreenLogic or the future.

Actually, I have another reason behind my original post. But since it is not really related to this thread, I will post it separately.
 
Tripped Circuit Breaker

Several days ago I noticed that the double 20-amp circuit breaker for the PentAir IntelliFlo pump for my spa was tripped. I reset the breaker. The next day during the 2-hour general filtration run cycle (1800 rpms) the breaker tripped again. I then tried to isolate the situation that would trip the breaker. Unfortunately, the problem seems somewhat random. Generally, the breaker trips after about 1 hour of pump run-time (regardless of pump speed). I might add that the pump (as well as all of the spa equipment) is about 9 months old.

There is one other thing that I might point out (which, I assume, is unrelated). Prior to the breaker tripping the first time, I did some reprogramming of the schedules on the EasyTouch4 control panel (specifically, I deleted the factory default automatic run schedule for the spa & replaced it with an "egg timer" schedule).

Today an electrician is scheduled to check the load on both the pump & the circuit breaker. But, in the meantime, I am curious if anyone might have had a similar experience or any thoughts on what might be the cause.

Thank you so much.
 
Kit,

If you read the manual for the Intelliflo it states that you should connect this pump using a Pentair GFCI circuit breaker. Their circuit breaker is supposed to help prevent random trips.

The manual also states that the output from the pump's circuit breaker is supposed to go directly to the pump and nowhere else. It should not go to any relays, jumpers, or any other circuits.

These instructions are ignored by most PB's electricians. There job is to install it a cheaply as possible.

I would have your electrician check out these two requirements.

You did nothing to cause this issue...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Kit,

If you read the manual for the Intelliflo it states that you should connect this pump using a Pentair GFCI circuit breaker. Their circuit breaker is supposed to help prevent random trips.

The manual also states that the output from the pump's circuit breaker is supposed to go directly to the pump and nowhere else. It should not go to any relays, jumpers, or any other circuits.

These instructions are ignored by most PB's electricians. There job is to install it a cheaply as possible.

I would have your electrician check out these two requirements.

You did nothing to cause this issue...

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Jim: Thank you for the heads-up. I will check out the manual & address these points with the electrician. However, does it seem curious that this tripped-breaker issue never occurred since the spa was first activated 9 months ago?
 
Kit said:
Jim: Thank you for the heads-up. I will check out the manual & address these points with the electrician. However, does it seem curious that this tripped-breaker issue never occurred since the spa was first activated 9 months ago?
Click to expand...

The problem is random, so who knows???

Also, it might be something completely different and nothing to do with the CB or wiring.. Could be a bad pump?

Let us know what the electrician says.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
The problem is random, so who knows???

Also, it might be something completely different and nothing to do with the CB or wiring.. Could be a bad pump?

Let us know what the electrician says.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jim. I looked at the IntelliFlo manual. Although there was mention of PentAir's own 2-pole 20-amp GFCI breaker, I didn't see anything suggesting using this breaker rather than other 20-amp breakers. Also, in the troubleshooting section of the manual there was mention of a problem of "pump trips & restarts constantly" due to air bubbles. Although there is no obvious air emitted from the filter housing when I open the relief valve, there always has been a 1-inch air bubble visible in the pump strainer pot. Is this normal? Thank you.

- - - Updated - - -

Foosman said:
Hopefully Kit doesn't feel like I'm hijacking this thread, sorry. I'll add an external transformer for the 24V and have it wired similar to the Globrite transformers. One point of clarification is that I have the ET 8 w/ integrated SWCG power source. I do not believe this uses a relay, as it has a separate connection directly to the IC-60.
Click to expand...

No problem as long as I can get some answers to my concerns.

Kit
 
Just to be sure that my question doesn't get lost in this combined thread, let me reiterate:

In the IntelliFlo manual, the troubleshooting section mentions a problem of "the pump trips & restarts constantly" due to air bubbles. Although there is no obvious air emitted from my filter housing when I open the relief valve, there always has been a couple of 1-inch air bubbles visible at the top of the pump strainer pot. (While the pump is running, there does not seem to be any additional bubbles entering the pot). Is this normal? Thank you.
 

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Kit said:
Thanks, Jim. I looked at the IntelliFlo manual. Although there was mention of PentAir's own 2-pole 20-amp GFCI breaker, I didn't see anything suggesting using this breaker rather than other 20-amp breakers. Also, in the troubleshooting section of the manual there was mention of a problem of "pump trips & restarts constantly" due to air bubbles. Although there is no obvious air emitted from the filter housing when I open the relief valve, there always has been a 1-inch air bubble visible in the pump strainer pot. Is this normal? Thank you.

- - - Updated - - -



No problem as long as I can get some answers to my concerns.

Kit
Click to expand...

Kit,

What you say about the manual and Pentair's circuit breaker is true, but it is their answer to a known issue of GFCI trips.. My pool builder, who is about a cheap as they come, used a Pentair circuit breaker when my pool was installed. He did not do that out of the kindness of his heart. :p

Having an inch of air in the top of your pump lid is not really an issue that would case the CB to trip. It has a lot more to do with what speed the pump is running. The slower it runs, the more likely there is to be a little air in the pump lid.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Kit,

What you say about the manual and Pentair's circuit breaker is true, but it is their answer to a known issue of GFCI trips.. My pool builder, who is about a cheap as they come, used a Pentair circuit breaker when my pool was installed. He did not do that out of the kindness of his heart. :p

Having an inch of air in the top of your pump lid is not really an issue that would case the CB to trip. It has a lot more to do with what speed the pump is running. The slower it runs, the more likely there is to be a little air in the pump lid.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...


Thank you. Jim. Much appreciated!
 
Thought that I would post this since it might be of value to others. The electrician suspected that the reason for the tripped breaker was a faulty breaker. So he swapped out the breaker. After about 18 hours of run time on the new breaker, all seems to be well (fingers crossed).

After chatting with the electrician & a tech at PentAir, let me pass on a couple of tidbits of information:

1. According to the electrician, motors & GFCI breakers do not play particularly well with each other. Since motors are more likely to leak some current than other electrical devices, breakers are more likely to trip.
2. PentAir apparently acknowledges this since they have a list of approved (read: tested) GFCIs that they recommend in addition to their own breaker. That list is printed on the inside of the EasyTouch control panel cover. It is also available from their tech support staff. In fact, I would be happy to post it if anyone might be interested.
 
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