Pumps not starting/stopping between pool modes after pump motor change!

[pcm2a]

Today in the cold rain I replaced my spa pump with an exact replacement. It took about two hours. During the swap out I turned the breakers off to the pool and spa pump just to be safe. After completing the installation I turned on the pool pump, works. Next I turned on the spa pump, works. I tried turning the spa pump on and off a few times, works. Then I tried switching from pool mode to spa mode. The pool pump shuts off, the valves start to move, the spa pump does not shut off. On top of this, with only the pool pump running, if I change from pool to spa mode the pool pump turns off, valves change, pool pump turns on 30 seconds later. If I turn back to pool mode the pool pump turns off and never turns back on again. Confusing I know, I break it down below.

I am not sure what has gone wrong. If I got the 230 wiring backwards L1 vs L2 | L2 vs L2, I assume it matters not, both wires were the same color and it comes on and off with the aqualogic controller. I also don't see how that would have affected my pool pump.

Things I tested:
1. Only pool pump on
2. Go to spa mode, pool pump off, 30 seconds, pool pump on
3. Go to pool mode, pool pump off, forever (not correct!)
4. Go to spa mode, pool pump still off, 30 seconds, pool pump on

1. In pool mode, pool + spa pumps on
2. Go to spa mode, pool pump off, spa pump still running (bummer)

1. In spa mode, pool + spa pumps on
2. Go to pool mode, pool pump off, spa pump still running. (bummer)

The good news is the pump is working! During the freeze tonight I can just turn off freeze protect and the valves and run the pumps 24/7.

 

[Jimrahbe]

pcm,

I am not an AquaLogic guy, but logic says that you have the two pumps reversed from the automation's point of view..

I "assume" that you have one Aux relay that turns on the Pool pump and another Aux relay that turns on the Spa pump.

I suspect that when you change modes, both Aux relays turn off to give the valves time to move...

If this were my pool, the first thing I would check is that the relay that is controlling the pool pump turns on when in the pool mode (240 volts out).. And the relay that controls the Spa pump turns on when in the spa mode. Then I'd make sure that the wires leaving the relays are the actual wires going to the right pump.

For trouble shooting purposes, I would not worry about the 30 sec delay...

And you are correct.. it does not matter if L1 and L2 are reversed...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[pcm2a]

This was a working system and all I did was unhook the spa pump wires to replace the pump. I unhooked them at the pump. Nothing was changed at the relays. Also, pressing pool filter on/off turns the pool filter on/off. Pressing aux1 (spa) turns it on/off).

 

[Jimrahbe]

pcm,

I'll keep trying until an AquaLogic guy comes along..

How about you teach me how your system works while we wait..

I think I understand the Pool/Filter relay and the Aux 1 relay operation, and what you say makes sense..

Tell me how you normally switch between the Pool mode and the Spa mode. I assume you have two buttons marked Pool and Spa or ???

Am I right in saying that when it was working in the pool mode, pressing the Spa button caused the pool pump to shut off and the Spa pump to come on. And, when running in the Spa mode, pressing the Pool button would shut off the Spa pump and turn on the Pool pump.. this action would also cause the Intake and Return valves to rotate 180 degrees. And, this happened without touching the Pool/Filter button or the Aux 1 buttons..???

Because if is a little slow, I am going to read up on the AquaLogic operation, but it would be helpful to know how it worked in the past.

And just to make sure you are not in any type of Service mode?? My system has Auto, then Service and then Time out.. What does your system have??

On the surface, changing the pumps, with the same wires at the pumps should not have any effect on the normal operation, so it is a puzzle.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[pcm2a]

I have figured it all out. Three years with this system and I am clearly not the master of it. Part of the problem was a change in the aqualogic configuration. The other part is my wrong understanding of how switching modes work. I had to bust out a pdf of the manual to get it figured out.

Configuration change:
Under Aux1 is a setting called interlock, it was disabled. I have no idea why this would be reset but it must have been set to enabled before. I turned interlock on and now when switching between pool/spa modes the spa is turned off along with the pool pump. Perfect!

Aux1 Interlock If “Enabled”, this feature will override the function (Manual On/Off, Countdown Timer, Timeclock), selected above and turn the aux1 off when: filter pump is off, first 3 minutes of filter pump operation (allows the pump to prime and get water flowing), when the pool/spa suction return valves are in any position other than “pool only”, or for the first 3 minutes after solar turns on (allows air in the solar panels to be purged).

My lack of understanding:
In the past every time I switch modes from pool to spa or reverse the pool pump always comes back on. Why does it do that? Because I happened to be switching those modes during the time when my timer has the pool pump set to on. I was installing the pump outside of that time window!
I thought in the past if both pumps were on, when switching modes they would both come back on. I guess this was just a figment of my imagination. When switching modes both pumps turn off. If anything turns back on it is due to the timers.

Later tonight will be the final test when freeze mode will be activated and it should run both pumps and cycle between modes every 30 minutes.

 

[Jimrahbe]

pcm,

Thanks for the feedback.. It helps me understand a little more about your automation system..

Glad you were able to get it working...

Jim R.

 

[pcm2a]

Now I'm second guessing this interlock mode. In interlock mode the spa pump doesn't turn on for 3 minutes. So when it switches in freeze mode from pool/spa, the pool pump stays off for 30 seconds while the valves rotate and then the spa pump waits another 3 minutes. The spa pump also does not come on in spa mode, even with freeze protection on (with the interlock on). Seems odd and I'm 95% sure in previous winters both pumps ran in both modes, in freeze mode.

Is there a reason to not let the spa pump run 24/7 in freeze mode, without stopping between valve changes? The pool pump stops while the blue (suction) and red (output) valves change. If the spa pump keeps running during this time it will suck from the spa suction and I guess it tries to suck from the pool output.

When the unit switches to pool mode:
1. Pool pump off 30 seconds, valves move
2. Spa pump off
3. Pool pump on
4. Spa pump on after 3 minutes

When the unit switches to spa mode:
1. Pool pump off 30 seconds, valves move
2. Spa pump off
3. Pool pump on
4. Spa pump never comes back on (until switching back to pool mode)

On the other hand....the spa pump running every other cycle would save some money. I don't think anything would freeze in 30 minutes.

Image of the whole system:
View attachment 122594