Solar Diverter Valve Not Working Properly

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J

jwcod

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2019
80
concord, california 94521
When in pool mode and with solar off, the solar diverter valve moves to the open position. Until I figure this out, I have unplugged the valve actuator from the controller board and put it in the off position. I need help to figure out why this is happening and how to correct it. I have a Pentair Easy Touch system. The attached picture shows the equipment with the solar diverter and isolation valves closed.
Thanks, John
 

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jwcod said:
When in pool mode and with solar off, the solar diverter valve moves to the open position. Until I figure this out, I have unplugged the valve actuator from the controller board and put it in the off position. I need help to figure out why this is happening and how to correct it. I have a Pentair Easy Touch system. The attached picture shows the equipment with the solar diverter and isolation valves closed.
Thanks, John
Click to expand...
What is the position of the toggle switch at the back of the actuator?
Your system is plumbed so that the solar valve blocks flow from the solar, therefore circulation through the panels, when it is "solar off." Your solar is under pressure anytime the pump is running if the blue-handled isolation valve on the right is open.

Try flipping the toggle to its other position, open the isolation valves and run the system briefly in pool mode to see if the valve shuts the solar off. That's the first step in troubleshooting. It will push water to the roof and if there is an open drain at the panels it will all come back down, so briefly is what we look for, just enough time to watch the valve. DO NOT run the test with the blue-handled valve closed, that could cause damage.

You can also just put the toggle in the middle position with the actuator in the position it is in the picture and it won't move until you have more time to troubleshoot. Just remember what position the switch is in now so that it can be returned there when working on it.
 
jwcod said:
Sorry to be so dense, but why did that remedy the problem?
Click to expand...
Don't know exactly what you did. The actuator has two positions based on the switch, if that is what you moved.
One, on your pool, is set for "pool on/solar off" and the other for "pool on/solar on." If the switch is in the opposite position, the solar will turn "on" when the system tells it to turn off.
 
I plugged the actuator back into the controller, turned the toggle switch from off to position 2 (which I thought was solar off), and then to position 1, opened both isolation valves, and put the controller in pool mode. When I turned the toggle switch from position 2 to position 1, the solar valve opened. When I turned the controller to pool mode, the valve moved back to the solar closed position.
 
jwcod said:
I plugged the actuator back into the controller, turned the toggle switch from off to position 2 (which I thought was solar off), and then to position 1, opened both isolation valves, and put the controller in pool mode. When I turned the toggle switch from position 2 to position 1, the solar valve opened. When I turned the controller to pool mode, the valve moved back to the solar closed position.
Click to expand...
Sounds like it is working correctly. Sometimes those little switches get bumped while doing service. Had one customer who's dog kept sniffing the actuator and flipping the switch with his/her nose. They found that by accident.
 
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this and make sure that I don't have a problem. When I switch from service to pool/auto mode with the actuator toggle switch in position 2, the solar isolation valves closed and solar disabled on the controller, the solar diverter valve moves from the closed to open position. Is this what's supposed to happen.
Thanks again, John
 
jw,

The automation has no clue where the valve is pointed.. It just 'assumes' it is correct based on how you set the little toggle switch. It is up to you to set the toggle switch correctly.

The toggle switch just moves the valve from one stop to the other stop.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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jwcod said:
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this and make sure that I don't have a problem. When I switch from service to pool/auto mode with the actuator toggle switch in position 2, the solar isolation valves closed and solar disabled on the controller, the solar diverter valve moves from the closed to open position. Is this what's supposed to happen.
Thanks again, John
Click to expand...
If it is opening the valve to the solar piping, reverse the toggle. Isolation valve make no difference to what the automation does or doesn't do.
 
When I changed the actuator toggle switch to position 1 and turned the system off, the solar diverter valve moved 90 degrees (to the left) from the closed to the open position. When I turned the system back to pool/auto mode, the diverter valve moved 90 degrees back to the closed position. When I enable the solar, shouldn't that valve open to the isolation pipes when in pool/auto mode?
Thanks again, John
 
jwcod said:
When I changed the actuator toggle switch to position 1 and turned the system off, the solar diverter valve moved 90 degrees (to the left) from the closed to the open position. When I turned the system back to pool/auto mode, the diverter valve moved 90 degrees back to the closed position. When I enable the solar, shouldn't that valve open to the isolation pipes when in pool/auto mode?
Thanks again, John
Click to expand...
The solar diverter valve will only open, with the system on and the desired temperature set point above the water temperature, when the Solar Temperature Sensor on the roof senses that there is enough heat at the panels to heat the water.

I believe in SERVICE MODE you can display the Solar Sensor temperature.
 
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