Pentair Mastertemp 400 control panel not receiving power.

[bigjonbird]

I went to this forum post Pentair Mastertemp 400-Blank Screen-No Power and came to the conclusion that my screen logic control board is not sending power to my heater. I jumped the heater at the panel inside the heater like it suggested and the heater kicked on. I couldn't get a tone or reading when checking resistance/ohms for the yellow and green wire coming from the screen logic controller. I'm assuming that the circuit board is bad and not pushing power to the heater for it to turn on. Where do I go from here?

Thank you in advance!

 

[bigjonbird]

I went to this forum post Pentair Mastertemp 400-Blank Screen-No Power and came to the conclusion that my screen logic control board is not sending power to my heater. I jumped the heater at the panel inside the heater like it suggested and the heater kicked on. I couldn't get a tone or reading when checking resistance/ohms for the yellow and green wire coming from the screen logic controller. I'm assuming that the circuit board is bad and not pushing power to the heater for it to turn on. Where do I go from here?

Thank you in advance!

I just came across this post after I posted original and scrolled down page Pentair MasterTemp 400 Not Connecting to Easytouch

Seems like I need a new circuit board.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

You may have a bad relay driver which is a socketed $2 chip.

Read Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading

Tell me step by step how you are testing the heater relay on the PCB.

BTW, the screen logic control board does not push power to the heater. The gas heater relay on the EasyTouch PCB closes the circuit on the 24V control circuit in the heater. The relay is an ON/OFF switch. The 24V comes from the heater.

 

[bigjonbird]

Thanks for the response. Got busy over the holidays like everyone else and just now trying to figure this out. I bought two ULN2803 transistors and swapped them out because it was an easy cheap fix, but it did not fix my issue. I watched this YT video

. attached picture of chips I changed.

 

[ajw22]

If the chip does not get the heater relay working, you must replace the PCB.

You are in CA. Maybe @ogdento can repair the board.

 

[ogdento]

@bigjonbird I'll send you a private message...

 

[ogdento]

ok so just to confirm, the problem is you're not getting continuity on the two pins of J19 when the Easytouch is calling for heat?

in addition to the other tests Allen had you do, have you checked to make sure the water temp sensor is reporting the correct temp? i.e. is the Easytouch in fact calling for heat, thereby turning on the heater relay and closing the J19 pins (fireman's switch)

 

[bigjonbird]

I will check the J19 pins again but I didn't see anything. I'm also not an expert at this stuff. Just learning. I did jump the fireman's switch and the heater kicked on. When I turn heater on in my app it does not update the temperature so I'm assuming that is not working correctly.

I appreciate everyone's replies. Is it worth it to upgrade to a different system since I might have to shell out some money to get a new board?

 

[ajw22]

Does your EasyTouch have a working water temperature sensor that accurately displays the pool water temperature on the panel and app?

 

[bigjonbird]

Does your EasyTouch have a working water temperature sensor that accurately displays the pool water temperature on the panel and app?

Yes. It's working correctly. The Spa thermostat says water is at 101 deg and it is definitely same as pool at 53 deg. I something is off.

I try to change temperature lower and hotter to kick the heater on and nothing happens.

 

[ogdento]

Is it worth it to upgrade to a different system since I might have to shell out some money to get a new board?

I wouldn't upgrade yet, or spend a bundle on a new board... let's see if we can figure out what's wrong with yours and it may be repairable.

Yes. It's working correctly. The Spa thermostat says water is at 101 deg and it is definitely same as pool at 53 deg. I something is off.

Hmm, that doesn't seem like it's working correctly... but I don't have a heater. As far as I knew, the Easytouch told the heater to turn on via the fireman's switch - and I didn't think it had any ability to detect and display the spa water temp, so I'm guessing it's just displaying the spa set temp on yours? @ajw22 do the temp readings he's getting sound right?

(I see in a section in the Mastertemp 400 manual for connecting to an Intellicenter via rs485 - i.e. the comm port - but I don't know if that works with the Easytouch, what do you think @ajw22?)

I'm guessing the issue with your board is that the relay that makes up the fireman's switch isn't turning on/off correctly... if that's the case - and since you've already replaced the driver chip - the problem could be the relay, the latch chip that controls the driver chip, or the processor. odds are the latch chip is bad.

 

[bigjonbird]

I believe the app is displaying the last spa temperature I had it warmed up to. Before I turned spa off. Thank you for the help everyone. @ogdento I'll shoot you a message.

 

[ajw22]

@ajw22 do the temp readings he's getting sound right?

Dunno. Pictures don't lie.

(I see in a section in the Mastertemp 400 manual for connecting to an Intellicenter via rs485 - i.e. the comm port - but I don't know if that works with the Easytouch, what do you think @ajw22?)

EasyTouch does not have RS-485 support for MasterTemp heaters. It does support RS-485 for UltraTemp HPs.

 

[ogdento]

I have John's board on the bench and it seems to be working fine... so I'm stumped. I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

When I press the valve button to switch to the spa, the heater turns on and the fireman's switch conducts - as I would expect. So I know that everything involved in controlling that relay is working (I have my dummy 10k/10k/10k resistor block connected to the air/water/solar sensors so the ET thinks everything is 76 degrees, and the spa setpoint is 100).

Also, if I switch into Service mode and press the "Heat" button, the heater turns on.

What am I missing??

 

[ajw22]

What am I missing??

Dunno. There were requests for pictures that were never shown to confirm what was being saiid.

Tell me step by step how you are testing the heater relay on the PCB.

Never got the details.

 

[bigjonbird]

Dunno. There were requests for pictures that were never shown to confirm what was being saiid.


Never got the details.

Sorry. I missed that. I probably did not check it right. If I need to post any more pictures just let me know.

Could it be the board on the actual heater?

 

[ajw22]

Could it be the board on the actual heater?

Not if this is true.

I jumped the heater at the panel inside the heater like it suggested and the heater kicked on.

Get the board back and connect everything and start over. If ir does nor work then you need to follow a more structured diagnostic process.

 

[bigjonbird]

I installed the board and still having the same issue.

My next step is to install a new fuse just in case. Easy cheap fix to rule out.

Again, I'll Jump the fireman switch wires and verify the heater turns on and screen on the heater comes on.

After that I'll check the black wires that connect to the ET board. I'll check wires at the heater and at the board to make sure board is calling for the heater to turn on. ( I don't think I ever checked the wires at the heater side, only the back of the Easy Touch board. There could be a broken wire or disconnect between ET board and the heater. Worst case I'll just run two new wires with everything opened up and see if it works. )

After I check all this stuff I'll report back. I appreciate everyone's help!

 

[ogdento]

when it's calling for heat, the heater relay will be closed and you'll have continuity on the Easytouch's 2-pin connector block for the fireman's switch... check that with a multimeter and if that's good, since shorting the fireman's switch (I think you did this AT the heater) works... then yeah, check your cable.

 

[bigjonbird]

I was unable to get continuity at the heater. I tried about 10 different times with and without the jumper wire on. I was able to get continuity once on the back of the ET Circuit Board when I turned the pool heater on not the spa heater.... I think it was a fluke.....I don't know. AND only once I heard a click like a relay activated to turn the heater on but still no continuity (could have also been random or something else turning on)

I ran a completely separate wire from the PCB to the heater and it still the heater did not turn on.

I jumped the Fireman's switch and I can get the heater to turn on. I did not feel hot air coming out / I was too afraid to leave it on long enough for that. I attached some pictures for reference. I am stumped. Does it have anything to do with the smaller PCB mounted vertical on the back wall behind the main ET PCB? See picture - it is the square PCB

Also, the Spa temperature does not show the correct temp if that matters in the app. I tried adjusting temp to get heater to kick on but still no luck.

Once again, thanks for the continued support on this.