(Solved) Pentair Screenlogic App no communicating with Raypak heater system to produce heat remotely

[takeadive123]

My family just had our pool built last year and our pool installation contractor recommended/sold us the Pentair system.
The system seemed great because our family rents out the home during the summer and with the Pentair Screenlogic app, we can control the heat for guests from outside the home and they don't need to touch anything.

Our Problem:
The application works when you reset the heater manually via the pool equipment, but eventually the temperature no longer rises in the spa/pool even if the app shows that the heat is on in the spa and the temperature should be rising, because the heater has actually cut off. Maybe the app isn't communicating with the heating equipment properly? It just doesn't make sense to us since the app shows the spa should be heating and the heater is set to the right temperature, yet the heater turns off.

We start renting next week and the guest expect the spa to be heated. If anyone could help, we would be great as the pool contractor has been unresponsive.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

You need to observe what the heater is actually doing, not what the app is saying. The app gives a suggestion to the heater to turn on and heat. But there is no feedback to the app on what the heater is actually doing.

Tell us what the heater is actually doing when you think it is not heating.

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[takeadive123]

Welcome to TFP.

You need to observe what the heater is actually doing, not what the app is saying. The app gives a suggestion to the heater to turn on and heat. But there is no feedback to the app on what the heater is actually doing.

Tell us what the heater is actually doing when you think it is not heating.

Pentair MasterTemp Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you very much for the quick reply!
The heater is off when we try adjusting the heat. Right now we are getting a system alert Pump 1: communication lost, but that may be a different issue since it wasn’t working before the error. We also updated our wifi to a mesh, but left the system on the old router since we were afraid if we messed with the system it wouldn’t work at all. Is it possible that the mesh is interfering with the other routers connection to our pool?

I’ve attached photos of the error and a shot of the spa heater being on in the app but staying on the same low heat even though we set the temp to 100 in the app.

 

[ajw22]

The heater is off when we try adjusting the heat.

Where are you trying to adjust the heat? On the app or at the heater control panel?

The heater will be off when the EasyTouch is not calling for heat.

Right now we are getting a system alert Pump 1: communication lost, but that may be a different issue since it wasn’t working before the error.

Is the pump running? Does the pump have power?

We also updated our wifi to a mesh, but left the system on the old router since we were afraid if we messed with the system it wouldn’t work at all. Is it possible that the mesh is interfering with the other routers connection to our pool?

Screenlogic does have problems connecting to mesh routers. But you would see different connectivity problems with the app.

I’ve attached photos of the error and a shot of the spa heater being on in the app but staying on the same low heat even though we set the temp to 100 in the app.

We need to see pics of the actual heater when you say it is not operating properly.

 

[takeadive123]

We are only adjusting the heat on the app and we have the heater (Raypak Model 406A) set to stay at 104 degrees. What we’ve noticed is that the pentair system is responding to the app commands as when we go to turn the heat setting on we can here the pump running. However, the heater doesn’t turn on with the pentair system until you go to it and click on the mode button. When we first looked at the heater it appeared with a “press mode to reset limit” message on the screen. Once clicked it went back to the spa mode and worked fine. Could it be an issue of a one pump pool where since we have to switch the pump to pool during cleaning cycles, the heater gets thrown off? Could the issue be that after a set time the heater goes into a sleep mode of some sort which must be reset? Is there anyway we can just leave it so the heater always responds to the pentair system?

Photos of pre and post pressing the mode button.

 

[ajw22]

Do you have the Remote Function active on the heater?

 

[ajw22]

Does the pump run for 5 minutes after the heater is shutoff?

Do not shutoff the pump with the heater running.

 

[takeadive123]

Yes we let the spa system continue to run for five minutes even after the heater is off so not sure if that’s the issue. If anything we can gradually heat the spa overtime versus setting the app to max heat from the start to prevent overheating as well. By south hampton regulation we need to have a cover over the unit so possibly this is causing the unit to overheat and should be more properly vented (picture below and will take more during daytime )

Based on looking at the manual you sent it seems that our heater model isn’t an ASME unit ( model p-r406a-en-x) so that message isn’t applicable to a high limit event. However, I did see a “rollout sw open” message which may be an indication that the system is overheating.

In reference to the remote mode, I will try turning that on tomorrow when the electrician comes, because I’m not sure if our remote (would that be the pentair system?) is supplying it’s own voltage to the heater and could damage the circuit board.

At least now it seems clear that it’s a heater to pentair communication issue and not a pentair system to app communication issue. Thank you again immensely for your help and will keep you posted later today!

 

[ajw22]

Yes we let the spa system continue to run for five minutes even after the heater is off so not sure if that’s the issue. If anything we can gradually heat the spa overtime versus setting the app to max heat from the start to prevent overheating as well. By south hampton regulation we need to have a cover over the unit so possibly this is causing the unit to overheat and should be more properly vented (picture below and will take more during daytime )

I can’t tell from your picture but it looks like the heater is not properly vented. It is a natural draft heater that exhausts from the top and needs clear space on top for the heat to rise and dissapate.

I’m not sure if our remote (would that be the pentair system?) is supplying it’s own voltage to the heater and could damage the circuit board.

The Pentai system does not supply any voltage. The EasyTouch simply has a relay that opens/closes to turn the heater on and off. It is a simple automated switch. All voltage comes from the heater.

At least now it seems clear that it’s a heater to pentair communication issue and not a pentair system to app communication issue. Thank you again immensely for your help and will keep you posted later today!

Your problems are with your heater setup and operation.

Is your system under warranty?

 

[takeadive123]

Here are some additional photos of our setup. We usually keep the doors closed when not using the heaters and open them up when in use. While the top is covered, we thought the sides would supply significant enough ventilation, especially with the wind.
However, if that isn’t the case we can also take off the top when in use.

Regarding the warranty, we haven’t registered the system but I will get in contact with the installer to get our proof of installation paperwork and install date. If definitely should be under warranty and if that’s the case could we have raypak take a look?

This morning when I looked at the heater system it had the message “clock/fireman sw”. Whatever the issue is, it seems like the heater may have had some installation issues.

 

[1poolman1]

Outside of the fact that the heater can't operate properly in that confined space, with the doors closed and the heater operating, all of the equipment can be damaged. If an outdoor stack isn't installed through that top, the top of that cabinet should be at least 36" above the heater. Right now you have a fire hazard.

 

[takeadive123]

Thank you for the feedback! We run the heater with the doors open and I’ve now taken off the top so that the system can get proper ventilation. I ran the SPA to the max heat and confirmed that it was heating properly. Now the heater is off and we ran the spa pump after to dissipate heat from the pumps, but I still see the message “clock/fireman sw”, but I’m not sure why that’s displaying.

Before we had the shed built we had the same issue so I don’t think that is the reason why the heater doesn’t work, but whatever has caused the “press mode to reset limit” to appear may be the cause.

If I put it on remote mode and the “press mode to reset limit” reappears will I be able to remotely press the mode button? If there’s a raypak heater app as well to remotely press the mode button or will the pentair app relay the mode press to the heater while it’s on remote mode?

Thanks again for your support and if no luck well just get a raypak certified tech out to help us.

 

[ajw22]

We usually keep the doors closed when not using the heaters and open them up when in use. While the top is covered, we thought the sides would supply significant enough ventilation, especially with the wind.
However, if that isn’t the case we can also take off the top when in use.

The top and sides must be opened when the heater is operating.

Regarding the warranty, we haven’t registered the system but I will get in contact with the installer to get our proof of installation paperwork and install date. If definitely should be under warranty and if that’s the case could we have raypak take a look?

Raypak is not going to have a look. Raypak will reimburse your installer for any warranty work required.

This morning when I looked at the heater system it had the message “clock/fireman sw”. Whatever the issue is, it seems like the heater may have had some installation issues.

That is a normal message when the Pentair system is not calling for heat. The Firemans switch is the device the Pentair system opens when the heater should be off and closes when the heater should operate.

Heater Control with Automation - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[takeadive123]

Hello All,

After having a RayPak technician speak live with our on sight electrician, it seems like we figured out the solution.
Originally, our electrician connected the wiring from the Pentair unit to the wiring connected to clock/fireman switch slots on the motherboard. We had the electrician rewire the fireman/clock wires to each-other, completing the circuit between the two slots, and then took the pentair wiring that was originally wired to the fireman/clock wires and wired those to the remote wiring slot on the motherboard. From there we put the RayPak on remote mode and the Pentair application worked like a charm.

I definitely recommend to people if you have similar issues like mine, where you think it's a miscommunication between your systems, that you get a tech from the heater company to validate your electricians work. Our guy was wiring based on what Pentair told him and prior experience. Not what Raypak recommends for the wiring on their heaters.

Thank you again all for all your help! Our summer and investment is saved!!!