Pump or Easy Touch Issue?

[willbaker13]

We have a Pentair IntelliFlo VS pump and Easy Touch 8 automation system - both about 3 years old. On and off for the last month or so we have an issue where the pump will turn on at its scheduled time but will show 0 RPM. The Easy Touch panel and screen logic software works to turn on and off other features (i.e. cleaner, waterfall) but only about 50% of the time can we use it to control the pump. The last week the 0 RPM issue has gone from intermittent to every day. I spoke with Pentair and they gave me multiple possible causes (bad pump, bad motherboard, bad connection cable) but no way of troubleshooting to determine exact cause. As all of these options, except the cable, are pretty pricey to try and not have it be the solution. All software versions are up to date as well. I would welcome any thoughts that could possibly help us narrow this down.

Thank you.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Will,

Does the zero RPM show up on the pump or on ScreenLogic? I assume you have actually looked at the pump and it is not running. When you look at the pump what does the display say?

The first thing I would do is to push the system reset button on the front panel of the main enclosure..

The next thing I would do is to make sure the following set up page is correct for your system...

Heater Speed.PNG

• Jimrahbe
• Jan 3, 2019

I would also disconnect the cable at the pump and inspect the pins on both sides of the connector.. We have seen a few that have just corroded away.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[willbaker13]

The 0 RPM is what is on the pump screen. ScreenLogic shows 2850. I've checked that the cable is securely connected but will pull and look at the pins and will try the reset button again.

Appreciate the quick response.

 

[Jimrahbe]

If the pump's display says anything but "Display not Active" that means the pump is not connected to the EasyTouch. The only way this can happen is to be in the Service mode, or the pump has lost its RS-485 com connection.

Assuming it is a communication issue, it could be the pump, the cable or the EasyTouch.. Since you can turn other things on and off with ScreenLogic, it is doubtful that it is the EasyTouch.

As far as the cable goes, it could be corrosion at the pump connector, or a loose connection where the cable connects to the EasyTouch. Or, the cable could have been eaten by critters.. This happens more often than one would think.

The only thing left is is pump... As I said earlier, we have seen a couple of reports where the pins on the pump side of the RS-485 cable connector have just corroded away.

Please let us know what you find..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[willbaker13]

I checked the connectors at the pump and all look good. Cable looks good. Opened up the Easy Touch panel and ensured all connections are sung, nothing loose, etc. So in the four days since I originally posted, 2 days the pump came on and operated normal and 2 days it did not. Strange thing is even when it is acting up it follows the programmed schedule in Easy Touch and always shuts off when it is supposed too.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Will,

Keep in mind that if you manually turn on a circuit that is scheduled, you mess with the EasyTouch's mind and depending on when you turn something on or off, it may take 24 hours for the schedule to get back on track.

The other thing to keep in mind is that an EasyTouch can only have 12 total schedule.. That includes schedules and any Egg-Timers that are not set to the 12 hour default setting.. ScreenLogic will let you enter a trillion schedules, but anything over 12 will not work..

If the pump screen read zero RPM and not "Display not Active" that means the pump was not connected to the EasyTouch at that moment... It will only do this if you are in the Service mode, or the RS-485 com bus is intermittent.

Not sure how you can troubleshoot this.. If this were my pool, the first thing I would do is wipe out all of the pump schedules and then set up a couple of test schedules... And see if you can duplicate the problem.

Show me your ScreenLogic Pump speed page as will as your Schedules and Egg timers..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[willbaker13]

Here are the screen shots. We've wiped out the schedules a few times but not adverse to trying again.

 

[ogdento]

Hey I'm not clear on something... when you said the pump display is showing 0 rpm and screenlogic is showing 2850, is the pump actually running? and does the pump run (turn on/off) according to the easy touch schedule??

What I'm getting at is if the pump is showing "rpm" or anything other than "display not active" like Jim mentioned, then it's not connected to the Easytouch. But if the Screenlogic can still control other Easytouch circuits then the Easytouch comm's can't be bad - it's not a problem with the comm circuitry or cabling between the Easytouch and Screenlogic, so that points me back to the pump cabling or the pump itself (less likely, since you replaced it already)

last questions...
- When you checked the pump cabling, did you use an ohm-meter or just a visual inspection?
- Do you have anything else on the comm port besides the pump and the screenlogic?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[willbaker13]

Tom,

1. When you said the pump display is showing 0 rpm and screenlogic is showing 2850, is the pump actually running? Yes, the pump is running, just at 0 rpm. If i hit one of the pre programmed buttons it will react accordingly but will not react to the Easy Touch (turn off/on, switch to service mode has no impact, etc.)
2. Just a visual inspection of the cable - don't have a ohm meter
3. No, nothing else on the comm port

Appreciate all the help!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Will,

Once again.. if the pump shows zero rpm and not "Display not Active" it is not being controlled by the EasyTouch. The only way I can see that happening is if the system is in the Service mode, which I assume it is not, or if the RS-485 information is not getting from the EasyTouch to the pump.

That means the EasyTouch mother board could be bad (Intermittent) which I doubt..
The cable could bad..
The pump control head could be bad...

I would buy a new cable.. Amazon.com : Pentair 350122 Communication Cable for Pool Plumbing System 50-Feet : Computer Ethernet Cables : Garden & Outdoor

For $35 bucks, I would roll the dice... The problem of course, is that cables are not normally intermittent.. They tend to work or not work.. Did you look inside the connector on the pump and make sure that the mail pins were not corroded?? Did you look inside the cable connector with a flashlight and make sure that end was not corroded?

Thanks,

Jim R.