Hi all, my first post here since actually registering. Really grateful to the community here.
I have a Rheem 406A Propane heater for a 15K gallon inground pool. Everything works totally fine in manual mode. I'm building my own pool controller based on a Raspberry Pi computer, an 8-switch relay, and some cool free software. Here's an example of the kinds of instructions I'm following.
I recently replaced the control board (a raypack 013464). The instructions say that you provide 24VAC on the blue wire, and then a path to common on either the black or the orange and that's how it knows whether you want spa temp, pool temp, or no heat. I've built this with my relays and it delivers what I think is the right electric signal in the right circumstances.
The problem is this: I put the heater into 'remote' mode (hold down temp up/down buttons for a few seconds). I trigger the voltage from my automation system. Nothing happens. I'll see 'remote. no demand' on the display. It never changes. If I take it out of remote mode, and I use the 'mode' button to turn it on/off and set temperatures, it works fine. E.g., putting into spa mode will spark and heat to spa temperature.
I took my electric meter out to measure the voltage at the heater. When I have it on, I see 28.8V AC on the blue/orange path (for example). Then I switch it and I see 28.8 VAC on the blue/black path. Then I turn it off and I see like maybe 1V AC. Interestingly, when I have 28.8 VAC running across one circuit, I seem to have about 10 VDC running on the other. At least that's what I *think* the readings show. (The "AC" on my multimeter disappears, and about 10.1 V appears on the display). That's weird. I don't know if it's an incorrect reading, related to my problem, or just spurious information.
Below is a wiring diagram of how it looks. If relay 7 is active, 24VAC flows from COM to NO ("NO" means normally open). Power then passes via relay 8. Either it goes over the NC (normally closed) path, which is the orange wire for pool temperature, or it flows over the NO path to the black wire, indicating spa temperature. If Relay 7 is off, no power flows at all. This seems like the right wiring. But the heater doesn't respond.
Anybody have ideas what I should try next?
I have a Rheem 406A Propane heater for a 15K gallon inground pool. Everything works totally fine in manual mode. I'm building my own pool controller based on a Raspberry Pi computer, an 8-switch relay, and some cool free software. Here's an example of the kinds of instructions I'm following.
I recently replaced the control board (a raypack 013464). The instructions say that you provide 24VAC on the blue wire, and then a path to common on either the black or the orange and that's how it knows whether you want spa temp, pool temp, or no heat. I've built this with my relays and it delivers what I think is the right electric signal in the right circumstances.
The problem is this: I put the heater into 'remote' mode (hold down temp up/down buttons for a few seconds). I trigger the voltage from my automation system. Nothing happens. I'll see 'remote. no demand' on the display. It never changes. If I take it out of remote mode, and I use the 'mode' button to turn it on/off and set temperatures, it works fine. E.g., putting into spa mode will spark and heat to spa temperature.
I took my electric meter out to measure the voltage at the heater. When I have it on, I see 28.8V AC on the blue/orange path (for example). Then I switch it and I see 28.8 VAC on the blue/black path. Then I turn it off and I see like maybe 1V AC. Interestingly, when I have 28.8 VAC running across one circuit, I seem to have about 10 VDC running on the other. At least that's what I *think* the readings show. (The "AC" on my multimeter disappears, and about 10.1 V appears on the display). That's weird. I don't know if it's an incorrect reading, related to my problem, or just spurious information.
Below is a wiring diagram of how it looks. If relay 7 is active, 24VAC flows from COM to NO ("NO" means normally open). Power then passes via relay 8. Either it goes over the NC (normally closed) path, which is the orange wire for pool temperature, or it flows over the NO path to the black wire, indicating spa temperature. If Relay 7 is off, no power flows at all. This seems like the right wiring. But the heater doesn't respond.
Anybody have ideas what I should try next?
