Spa Not Working Right

[bpdunlv]

I am having an issue with my spa. The pool is running just fine, but when I turn on my spa (via the Pentair app) it is not working properly. The water level in the spa will go down, I get some water coming out of the jets but it is very weak, and I am getting a clicking sound every other second which is coming from the valve actuator. I have not touched this actuator since the pool install, and although a year or so ago the handle on it broke off (care of the brutal sun here) it is still worked fine up until now.

I thought it might be the filters or a clog in there since we had a bad wind storm recently, so I cleaned them and did not see any blockage anywhere so I don't know if this actuator just needs to be fixed or replaced or if it may be something else. Anyone else ever had this issue?
Thanks
Note that the super jets on the spa work just fine.

 

[ajw22]

You need to replace the actuator. It is the end of its useful life.

We can't tell what position the valve is at since the handle broke off. The water level of the spa is going down because the return valve is probably not opening all the way for water flow into the spa.

I would remove the actuator from over the valve and put the handle on the valve. Manually turn the valve to direct all water to the spa and see if your spa then operates normally without losing any water.

Post pics of your other pool equipment and your suction actuator and valve. Let's see what that looks like.

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,

When you switch between the Pool mode and the Spa mode, the Intake valve and the Return valve should both move, usually 180 degrees...

The most likely problem is that one of your actuators is bad.. (The actuator is mounted on top of a standard Jandy valve)

It could also be the Jandy valve itself is bad

Or it could be that the EasyTouch is bad, but I really doubt that.

Since the pool is only three years old, it may still be under warranty???

If this were my pool, the first thing I would want to know is.. are both valves moving. and if not, which valve is not moving. (I would assume the Return valve is not moving..)

Assuming the Return actuator is not working, you can open it and try to repair it, but I would just buy a new actuator and swap them out. I would also replace the handle, because that is the kind of guy I am...

Let us know what you find.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bpdunlv]

Ok thanks. My first question, what does the actuator valve do? Does the easy touch system tell the actuator to open the valve for the spa so it doesn’t have to be done manually?
Also, would a new handle come with a new valve actuator? And any recommendations on where to purchase a new one? I haven’t had to replace any equipment yet so I don’t know where to go.

I will attach a few old photos from when it was new.

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,

The handle comes with the Jandy valve.. But, I suspect you can buy one from Amazon..

The actuator electrical moves the Jandy valve with an electric motor. So, instead of going out to the equipment pad and manually turning the valves to switch between the Spa mod and the pool mode, the automation electrically does it for you.

You can get actuators from places like this ... Polytec Pools

Or Amazon.

To swap out an actuator, you take out 4 screws and remove the old one.. Install the new one with the same screws. Then.. Disconnect the old cable from inside the automation and then connect the new cable.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[HermanTX]

The actuator simply takes the command from the control panel to turn the valve or not. Your picture shows 2 valves with actuators. The one in front of the main pump is suction. When the valve handle is to the right (as shown in the picture), the spa suction is CLOSED, so it is pulling water from the pool (main drain or skimmers). On the far right side is the return lines. The actuator controls the flow either back to the spa or to the pool. The picture is most likely is in POOL mode, suction from the pool and return to the pool. Most likely one of your actuators is not turning the valve that it sits on.
As mentioned in earlier post, once you remove the actuator you can manually move the valve to ensure that the valve is functioning correctly.

 

[bpdunlv]

Thanks for all the info. So I bought a new actuator and the install seemed easy until I had to power it. The existing actuator has 24awg that goes into a pvc pipe and merges with 18awg wire and that goes into the heater. I took apart the heater cover and it’s hard wired in there. And the wires going into the pvc won’t come out of it. So how am I supposed to power this thing?
My other valve actuator is for the pool and it is plugged into a piece of equipment that I don’t know. It’s on top of the pool pump and has a digital screen. There is no place to plug this little wire harness in. Unless it’s on the easy touch control panel?

 

[HermanTX]

The new actuator's cable should plug into the Easy Touch panel. Can you trace where the old actuator cable is plugged in to that same panel? So it going through a conduit but it should not be connected to the heater. It should end up at the panel.

The digital screen on top of your pool pump is your control for the variable speed pump. That also should be connected to the Easy Touch panel. Maybe show some more pictures of the wires entering the ET panel and also where is the wiring for the other actuator and the pump.

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,

How far is your EasyTouch from your equipment pad?? Normally they are right next to each other.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bpdunlv]

It is all right next to each other. Do these normally plug into the easy touch panel?

 

[bpdunlv]

Ok thanks. I will take more photos tomorrow

 

[Jimrahbe]

B,


Here is a pic of the main board in an EasyTouch.. The valves plug in to one of 4 places.. Intake valve - Return Valve - Valve A and Valve B. The valves all have 3 pin connectors.

Main PCB.jpg

• Jimrahbe
• Jan 28, 2018

The valve connectors are at the top right side.. You can see where I only have one valve connected...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bpdunlv]

Ok thanks. I took some pics of my
Main board as well. I have two of the 3 pin connectors in use. They are going to the intake valve and return valve. Would this be my two actuators? Or something different? It’s very hard for me to trace them back. They are eitger
Plugged into something else as I mentioned before, or they are ran under the dirt and I cannot see them.

 

[ajw22]

Your two actuators are plugged into the INTAKE and RETURN valve connectors.

The INTAKE actuator is in front of the pump. The RETURN actuator is the one causing the spa problems.

You need to trace the wires or just put a new actuator on the return and plug it into the RETURN connector.

 

[Jimrahbe]

bp,

If you bought two actuators, I would replace then both... Just replace the actuators one at a time.. Install the one in front of your pump and then run the cable over to the EasyTouch and up through low voltage section on the left, and plug the cable into the Intake connector. Then replace the actuator on the return side of your plumbing and connect it to the Return connector on the EasyTouch board.

Keep in mind that the EasyTouch has no idea where these valves are.. So you have to tell it.. Put the automation in the Pool mode and see where the valves move.. In the Pool mode, the Intake valve should be sucking water from the pool and the spa should be shut off.. If the valve is not positioned correctly, move the on-off-on switch on the actuator to the other on position.

In the Pool mode, the Return valve should be sending all the water back to your pool.. If not, you will have to move the on-off-on switch to reposition it.

Thanks,

Jim R.