Tossing out iAquaLink and controller!

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Ale_Brewer

Ale_Brewer

0
Aug 7, 2015
225
Plano, TX
Hi all. Been away for a while. Good to be back and perusing the posts. I have had it with the piece of junk Jandy iAquaLink controller software AND hardware. I've hated this thing since I put it in. This time, it magically deleted half my programmed automation steps causing all my equipment to freeze up. Now I have (at minimum) a cracked in/out heater manifold on a brand new $1700 heater and I still don't have flow since the pipes are frozen too. I'm sure my pump housings, heat exchanger, and filter housing will all freeze and bust before this is over. When I bought this POS 5 years ago, it was the best thing out in my opinion. Is there anything else out now that's better quality and more reliable? The RS8 panel works great. It's pretty basic. The controller software (app and web version) and the wireless transceiver are garbage.
 
I'm a Pentair guy. I have had my EasyTouch system for years now and it has operated flawlessly (for the most part) the entire time. I don't have the fancy ScreenLogic-2 interface (just the basic 8-button RF remote) but I can upgrade to S/L anytime. Most Pentair folks on here will probably say the same.

Problem is, you have all Jandy equipment. While a Pentair panel can be *made* to play nice with Jandy equipment, we don't usually recommended mixing & matching equipment (why put a Ford engine in a Chevy truck??). So hopefully some other Jandy owners can come along and tell you what's worked for them....

Sorry to hear about your busted equipment....
 
Well I very well could end up having to buy a whole new pad so it doesn't have to be Jandy. Strange that they don't play well together...doesn't Pentair own Jandy? I hope it doesn't get to that point, but if it does, I wouldn't know where to start when it comes to selecting equipment.


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If you manage to get re-programmed, try relocating the transmitter at the equipment. I do know that they like to be 6' off the ground and at least 10 feet from the nearest motor (interference). Also line of sight, if possible, between the two transceivers.

Not trying to talk you back into Jandy, just something you might try until you get something different.
 
The programming. The built in freeze protect is done. It turns the main pump on and it runs (single speed) 24/7 while engaged, but I cannot set it to control any other pumps. The booster pump took a dump years ago and it was replaced with a robot. Water flows through it when the main pump is on, so I re-wired the main pump to the booster pump output relay. I programmed the main pump and water feature pump to come on for 10 minutes each hour (offset), 5 minutes in pool mode, 5 in spa mode, spa spill over engaged. I have to remember to change program group to B (freeze mode) from A (normal mode) when the temps drop but I'm diligent about checking temps and it worked like a champ last winter. Well this recent freeze came and I popped it over to program group B and went to bed. Woke up and everything was frozen. Looked at the programming and half the steps were gone. Main pump never came on, spa mode gone.

Aside from this very expensive fluke, it's always giving me trouble. Even on the web version, trying to do anything is super slow, non-reactive, full of errors, and just generally terrible for a $500 piece. I'm a freakin plumber/electrician and I can write better software than that


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Switching over to Pentair shouldn't be a problem, if you wanted to go that way.
The Jandy heater would be controlled the same way a Pentair/Sta-rite heater would be.
Your single speed pump would be a simple on off w/relay, as would be the lights.
You could even leave the Jandy valve actuators. They will plug right into the Pentair board.
If you opt for the indoor controller, and you already have the jandy ICP, the same wire that runs through the wall(s) can be used.
 
The only control I have is the iAquaLink. When we inherited the pool, it had no controller except manual in service mode. Is there an app based controller for the Pentair board? I travel a lot and need to be able to control it remotely. Also, how sensible is the programming interface?


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I have a Hayward Aqua Plus unit for the past ten years with only one issue: About four years ago a solder joint on the main board failed which caused the chlorinator to stop working. This is a common fault and repair instructions are on the web. You setup maybe larger (number of devices to control) so you might have to step up the ProLogic line.
 

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I have an iaqualink as well. It has caused me lots of grief, but I haven't found anything better. I personally never use any controls other than my phone / internet. It seems like there's a huge market opportunity for a really well built pool controller that only works via internet/mobile.

For what it's worth when I upgraded from an iaqualink 1.0 to an iaqualink 2.0 a lot of my problems and frustration went away. That being said, it's still the same bad product, just a bit less buggy.
 
Rob I've thought about getting the 2.0 but I've heard the only thing different is the antenna, which isn't a concern anymore (for me). I might have to say forget this and make my own controller !


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Wow! Sounds like Jandy has given you quite a lot of grief! Well, I'll definitely plug Pentair EasyTouch again - rock solid, programming is fairly easy (even when using the control panel interface) and the freeze protect has never failed.

You might also consider switching over to a variable speed pump at some point. One reason why I "winterize" my waterfall (drain the water, blow out the lines, drain the pump and shut the pump off) is because it is a single speed pump (3HP Whisperflo...waaaay overpowered for the application) and I did not want to run the Freeze Protect mode on it and consume all that power. My VSP (IntelliFlo) is set to run a slow skim feature circuit which runs the pump at 1200rpm (~150W) so, even if it the cold snap starts at 8pm and goes all night, the electricity usage is insignificant.
 
Okay well I got all my leaks fixed due to frozen headers on heater. Now I am set on replacing the controller. Looking at the Pentair and a lot of them come with a SWCG. My current setup is liquid chlorine. Leaning more towards sticking with that method (of daily testing and dosing, I don't mind) to save money, but I found a controller that doesn't come with a SWCG but it says "Pentair 520591 EasyTouch 4P Single Body, Pool or Spa, Control System, Base System - No ICP, No Actuators" and it's less than half the price. I guess I need to buy actuators and what is an ICP?
 
Ale,

A single body system will run a Pool or Spa, but not both... If you have a built in Spa you will need a dual body system.

The ICP is the indoor control panel. I would go with ScreenLogic2 in place of the ICP.

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Ale,

A single body system will run a Pool or Spa, but not both... If you have a built in Spa you will need a dual body system.

The ICP is the indoor control panel. I would go with ScreenLogic2 in place of the ICP.

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Yeah ScreenLogic is more appealing to me than the indoor control panel. So I need to look for dual body, got it. Should I assume the panel comes with all necessary relays and contactors?
 
Ale,

An EasyTouch 4 comes with four internal relays.. One of the relay is reserved for the SWCG, so that leaves you with just 3 relays.. If you use one for your pool light, and one for your pad light, and one for something else, you are out of relays.. The EasyTouch will control your heater and 4 valves without any relays. Are your Stealth pumps variable speed pumps. I suspect it will not be able to control them except to turn them on/off which will use up another two relays..

An Easytouch 8 comes with 8 internal relays.

Circuit breakers are not included.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Ale,

An EasyTouch 4 comes with four internal relays.. One of the relay is reserved for the SWCG, so that leaves you with just 3 relays.. If you use one for your pool light, and one for your pad light, and one for something else, you are out of relays.. The EasyTouch will control your heater and 4 valves without any relays. Are your Stealth pumps variable speed pumps. I suspect it will not be able to control them except to turn them on/off which will use up another two relays..

An Easytouch 8 comes with 8 internal relays.

Circuit breakers are not included.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

My main pump and waterfall pump are both single speed only. I will replace them with variable speed if these every go out, which may never happen (before we move, anyway) since I completely rebuilt both of them last year. I do have a booster pump for the alien but it is not being used. It must have frozen before I bought the house and I bought a robot instead of fixing it. So I have two light circuits (I'm not opposed to combining them, may have to go LED though for wattage reasons), two single speed pumps, heater (Jandy LRZ400EN), and 2 actuated valves. Looks like I need the ET4. Combine the lights and still have one relay for the booster if the future owner wants it. Unless I cannot use the "reserved relay" for the SWCG for something else, assuming I don't go the SWCG route?
 

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