Pentair intellitouch - IC 60 com errror

[RBurn]

Hello All,

Well my mobile remote that communicates with the IC5 is displaying a comm errror when I go into setup and swg. I had to get to the wall behind the swg’ seperate power supply. I shutdown and moved the power unit and reconnected. Now I can say for certain if I wasn’t getting this error prior to the move but the cell have been communicating fine this last season and last checked some days ago it had the cold water shutoff message as expected.
I thought I had the connector wrong that plugs into the power comm board and I did get back to the message cold water , that was yesterday…. This am I checked and the comm error was back.

I reset the whole setup and then shut it down and rechecked all the comm wires on ic5 and swg power. I’ve made sure each wire from swg comm to ic5 has continuity. I used like a twisted pair cat5 wiring as they are silver, they are probably on the light side are 24 gauge. Wonder if I should use a heavier wire next?
What are your thoughts?
Thanks

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Show us pictures of the wiring and connectors you are discussing.

If you use Cat5 cable, it is best to twist a pair of wires together and use them as one wire.

18 gauge wire is better for RS-485 circuits.

 

[ogdento]

another note about using cat-5... if it's exposed to the sun make sure the cable is UV rated or you're going to have an issue once the sun rots it and the water gets in.

with the comm errors we have to figure out which component is causing the issue... you've got an intelliflo pump - does the lcd on the pump say "Display not active" (which means it can talk to the outdoor board)

Also, on your Mobiletouch, do you see the correct time and temp? And if you press the "Heat" button do you get a comm error or does it take you to the heat screen?

 

[RBurn]

Ok here is an update after 3 hours of checking and diagnostics.

The system as flaky as a best guess as if I powered down and powered up 1 out of 5 times everything worked as expected. Ok the other 4 times here is what I found.

Power on the entire system. I5+3, intellfo vsf, ic60 with separate power supply. Original mobile touch.
The mobile touch would not respond and sit there at 12:00 time and 0 degrees air temp. The vsf appears in standby mode. (No display no active.. not talking to i5)
I opened the antenna and with I turned on the mobile it would flash a signal light so it’s trying to talk.
Ok, I removed all the wires except the antenna 4 wires to the i5 comm port (power off) and repowered and mobile would immediately respond and have correct time and air temp. Ok, power off and connect the vsf pump communication cable repower and mobile would not respond again.

I checked the cable on the vsf and the yellow and green wires have continuity….
I had also replaced the comm cable to the swg…
I checked voltages on where the transformer plugs in and also the comm input and voltages were slightly above what is stamped on the board.

I left the communication cable disconnected and connected the swg to the com port and started the pump in manual mode and then clicked on the pool buttton in mobile touch and relay clicks and swg starts it check and when it completes I check mobile in swg option and gives a expected cold water shut off.

Talked to pentair automation teams Dane they tell me it’s either the i5 or the vsf pump board. Yikes…

Not sure if there is anyway to check vsf communication board?

Does anyone have a spare i5 and motherboard I could try? (I’m close to Chico I ask as I see my road as buying the update
Intelligent center 522047 and I have an issue with the vsf and I’m in the same boat so in additional the the new upgrade i would have to buy a vsf pump board as well.….

At present I turned off the i5 and swg (it’s cold water till spring) and set a schedule on the vsf pump.

Thanks for any help or feedback.

 

[ajw22]

The i5 RS-485 comm works with all your devices except for your IntelliFlo VSF pump. That points to your pump as the problem with its RS-485 communication.

 

[ogdento]

+1 to what Allen said... your i5 boards (mainboard and personality board) are fine...

- is the pump cable connected to the personality board, or does it connect to the surge board for the IC60? (i'm assuming your surge board is ok since your swg can talk to the i5)
- check to see if the comm connector on the pump - where the comm cable attaches - is corroded or if it looks clean.

can you attach a pic of your keypad?

 

[RBurn]

The i5 RS-485 comm works with all your devices except for your IntelliFlo VSF pump. That points to your pump as the problem with its RS-485 communication.

It appears one has to replace the drive system or board. Interesting I see drives for vsf on eBay that state works standalone but not with system… I wonder if this is common? The pump is 4 years old

 

[ogdento]

It appears one has to replace the drive system or board

that's not always the case... the keypad has it's own comm chip that can blow up.

 

[RBurn]

+1 to what Allen said... your i5 boards (mainboard and personality board) are fine...

- is the pump cable connected to the personality board, or does it connect to the surge board for the IC60? (i'm assuming your surge board is ok since your swg can talk to the i5)
- check to see if the comm connector on the pump - where the comm cable attaches - is corroded or if it looks clean.

can you attach a pic of your keypad?

I put some dialectic grease … it looked ok, but I should remove the top and go from the i5 to inside connector just to make sure.

I’ll let the vsf keypad picture

 

[ogdento]

ha sorry, the keypad on your pump... i want to see what keys are on there

 

[RBurn]

that's not always the case... the keypad has it's own comm chip that can blow up.

 

[ogdento]

ok cool that's Pentair 357527Z... I might have one you can try, I'll check tonight

 

[RBurn]

ok cool that's Pentair 357527Z... I might have one you can try, I'll check tonight

Wow, that would be fantastic..
Are you saying the comm board is in the keypad unit? If so that is good news

I’d even drive down to pick it up …. I have family in paradise I’m visiting time to time.

 

[ogdento]

Well shoot, I don't have a working one... I sold a few earlier in the year and thought I kept one. but yes, there is a comm chip in the keypad unit itself... it's the 8-pin chip to the right of the big silver DB9 connector:

IMG_20190102_123357973 - Copy.jpg

• ogdento
• Jul 5, 2019

I've never seen inside the drive unit (because of all the epoxy they pot them in) but others have said there's a comm chip in there as well.

 

[RBurn]

So can you tell if the keypad comm chip is bad and repair or? I plan to take off and make sure the cable is getting through ok

 

[RBurn]

Well shoot, I don't have a working one... I sold a few earlier in the year and thought I kept one. but yes, there is a comm chip in the keypad unit itself... it's the 8-pin chip to the right of the big silver DB9 connector:

IMG_20190102_123357973 - Copy.jpg

• ogdento
• Jul 5, 2019

I've never seen inside the drive unit (because of all the epoxy they pot them in) but others have said there's a comm chip in there as well.

Also no spare i5 or 7 etc board with motherboard to check?

 

[RBurn]

I did connect a completely different cable from vsf to intellitouch and no change.

I did disassemble the keyboard and scanned the circuit board and didn’t see any obvious issues…

I do think the comm in the keypad is the culprit or I’m thinking I can change that part out first and if no go then a drive would be next… is this solid thinking? This is based on the idea the i5 comm works with the mobile touch and ic60 reports correctly when vsf comm cable is unplugged.

Ok I’m scanning a replacement drives and I thought the part number was 356880Z but when I spoke to Pentair they told me the newest one for my IntelliFlo VSF 011056 would be part 356944Z

I look at the drive on my pump and the number is 356880Z… so is the 994Z a newer updated model?

The keypad is part 357527Z and my keypad is showing 357526, so I take it the 527z is the latest?

Thanks again all.

 

[ajw22]

Ok I’m scanning a replacement drives and I thought the part number was 356880Z but when I spoke to Pentair they told me the newest one for my IntelliFlo VSF 011056 would be part 356944Z

I look at the drive on my pump and the number is 356880Z… so is the 994Z a newer updated model?

The keypad is part 357527Z and my keypad is showing 357526, so I take it the 527z is the latest?

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/nam/pentair-pool/residential/catalogs/2025-pool-product-catalog/low-resolution-pdfs-for-posting-2025-2026-edition/pumps-2025-2026/sec22_rp_pumps_2025-2026.pdf

 

[RBurn]

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/nam/pentair-pool/residential/catalogs/2025-pool-product-catalog/low-resolution-pdfs-for-posting-2025-2026-edition/pumps-2025-2026/sec22_rp_pumps_2025-2026.pdf

View attachment 621746

Interesting as my pump 011056 vsf date 2/22/1018 drive number doesn't show up in the chart , it shows
Original drive kit 356992Z , whereas my pump has a drive part # 356880 , which isn’t listed above. I guess I need what it lists in the chart 356944Z for a drive…. ?? I’m including my pump part and drive number picture

 

[ajw22]

Interesting as my pump 011056 vsf date 2/22/1018 drive number doesn't show up in the chart , it shows
Original drive kit 356992Z , whereas my pump has a drive part # 356880 , which isn’t listed above. I guess I need what it lists in the chart 356944Z for a drive…. ?? I’m including my pump part and drive number picture

There may have been some intermediate drive part numbers between the original drive listed and the current drive part number. Only Pentair can tell you.