Pentair Screenlogic wireless system (adapter+indoor&outdoor antennas) intermittent failures, heat overloading the circuit board?

[PoolyMe]

Happy September Pool experts!

I have had intermittent failures of my wireless control system now for about a year and a half. I’ve had a pentair serviceman out, (he got it working for a short time) and weeks later spent 30 minutes on the phone with pentair, and it still fails intermittently. All wires are connected properly, the protocol adapter with inside transceiver is located just the other side of the wall from the pool equipment and outdoor transceiver. I have rebooted everything, including disconnecting the outdoor transceiver and checking the wire connections (waiting 1 min, then reconnecting) pressing the reset button 3 times on the adapter, even rebooting my entire router system. It appears to be a problem between the interior and exterior transceivers. When not functioning, the lights on the exterior transceiver do not blink or connect correctly- power blinks, RX nothing, TX nothing. The Pentair help desk told me that if it would not connect after going thru the complete diagnostic, i would need to replace the entire set of transceivers. I was resigned to doing that, then BINGO, it started working again!! WHAT? I’m wondering if it the transceiver outside gets overheated? That seems to be the one thing that is consistently happening when the system goes off line and cannot connect. HOT days. Has anyone else experienced this? Hate to replace something that is working with a set ($$$$) that will do exactly the same thing when we get a heat wave……. Any experience with this or suggestions are helpful. Thanks!!

 

[Jimrahbe]

power blinks, RX nothing, TX nothing

P,

On my system both transceivers have a solid power lights. And the TX and RX randomly blink. I suspect the blinking power light must mean something..

Let's see if Tom has any ideas of what you can test.... Calling @ogdento

I have not heard of anyone having a heat related issue with ScreenLogic. Of course, you could have that problem, but it is not common, and we have plenty of users in hot places.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

+1 for solid power leds... are yours really blinking? to figure out which card you've got, Is "QTS0000LINK" the FCC:ID on the indoor unit's label?

also, do you have any kind of IR thermometer or camera so you can check the actual temp of the chips on the card?

 

[PoolyMe]

+1 for solid power leds... are yours really blinking? to figure out which card you've got, Is "QTS0000LINK" the FCC:ID on the indoor unit's label?

also, do you have any kind of IR thermometer or camera so you can check the actual temp of the chips on the card?

Hi! Thanks for your reply. Yes QTSOOOOLINK is the FCC:ID. I don’t have an IR thermometer or camera to check the temp, unfortunately. When it is connected, PWR light is solid, and RX and TX are blinking, at least on the inside transmitter. Will check what the lights on the outside transmitter look like tonight when it cools down and when it connects next. Right now its 90 degrees out in CA (heatwave), and no connection.

 

[PoolyMe]

P,

On my system both transceivers have a solid power lights. And the TX and RX randomly blink. I suspect the blinking power light must mean something..

Let's see if Tom has any ideas of what you can test.... Calling @ogdento

I have not heard of anyone having a heat related issue with ScreenLogic. Of course, you could have that problem, but it is not common, and we have plenty of users in hot places.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hi Jim R. Yes, you are correct. When the RX and TX lights are blinking they are trying to transmit. When they connect, they seem to intermittently blink also, so that’s a bit confusing, but a good sign that they are receiving and transmitting. The PWR light should be on steadily when connected to power i believe, on both the inside and outside transcievers.

 

[ogdento]

is the outdoor unit in the sun? 90 doesn't seem all that hot for CA, unless the unit isn't shaded (it was 111 in Chico yesterday).

 

[PoolyMe]

is the outdoor unit in the sun? 90 doesn't seem all that hot for CA, unless the unit isn't shaded (it was 111 in Chico yesterday).

Yes, its in the full sun. Its working tonight when it cooled off, and checking the exterior transciever, it shows steady power light, and intermittent blinking of the TX & RX. Seems fine, and the same as the interior transceiver. MUST be the heat shutting it down. Wonder if i could wrap it with some kind of heat shielding material? Hmmm….

 

[ogdento]

you could experiment with a little tin foil... it'll look ridiculous but would probably do the business! as long as it doesn't kill your signal

 

[ogdento]

i probably wouldn't wrap it in anything... and if you can't move it to a shady spot maybe add a shield/panel of some sort to block the sun? - with some air-space between the shield and the unit

 

[PoolyMe]

i probably wouldn't wrap it in anything... and if you can't move it to a shady spot maybe add a shield/panel of some sort to block the sun? - with some air-space between the shield and the unit

Good idea, my husband is an engineering guy, so he thinks he can possibly remount it with a heat shield between it and the metal panel box its mounted to. Its on the back side of the main panel box, facing the house. This is FOR SURE the problem, because now that its cool…. No problems at all with connecting. The transceiver is probably conducting heat from the panel box (in direct sun) plus direct sun from overhead directly on it. Thanks for the help.