Using the Zodiac 5098 Relay Splitter to Combine Lights

[rgk]

I want to control the main pool lights and the lower voltage step lights off the same relay. Is it possible to use the Zodiac 5098 relay splitter and power on/off the main pool lights and the step lights together?

It was recommended to NOT connect the lower voltage step lights and the high voltage main pool light by just wiring the two together in the same relay, but I am wondering if the splitter is OK to use - essentially achieving the same result in a safe manner.

Thx

 

[PoolGate]

I want to control the main pool lights and the lower voltage step lights off the same relay. Is it possible to use the Zodiac 5098 relay splitter and power on/off the main pool lights and the step lights together?

It was recommended to NOT connect the lower voltage step lights and the high voltage main pool light by just wiring the two together in the same relay, but I am wondering if the splitter is OK to use - essentially achieving the same result in a safe manner.

Thx

When you say power, you mean power the 120 volt main lights and 120 volt transformer for the low voltage lights right? If so, I do not see a problem with this as long as the total load doesn't exceed the relay's rating. All a relay is is a switch. If you had a power strip plugged into a switched outlet it would be the same thing.

 

[JamesW]

It was recommended to NOT connect the lower voltage step lights and the high voltage main pool light by just wiring the two together in the same relay, but I am wondering if the splitter is OK to use - essentially achieving the same result in a safe manner.

Recommended by whom?

I do not see any reason why you could not connect the 120 volts going to the transformer and the 120 volts going to the lights.

If you want a separate relay, you don't need a splitter, just wire both to the same relay plug.

 

[rgk]

Recommended by the electrician who wired up the pool. I too am wondering why connecting a relay to low voltage step lights and the high voltage pool lights with a splitter would be an issue.

In the zodiac 5098 splitter installation instructions it says “to be used to control two high voltage relays at the same time” - so a low voltage device and high voltage device can’t be connected to this splitter at the same time?

System is an Aqualink RS-8 - didn’t think there was much difference at the relays….but I don’t want to fry a low voltage light, if high voltage is also connected to the splitter…

Has anyone done this / used one of these splitters?

 

[PoolGate]

Recommended by the electrician who wired up the pool. I too am wondering why connecting a relay to low voltage step lights and the high voltage pool lights with a splitter would be an issue.

In the zodiac 5098 splitter installation instructions it says “to be used to control two high voltage relays at the same time” - so a low voltage device and high voltage device can’t be connected to this splitter at the same time?

System is an Aqualink RS-8 - didn’t think there was much difference at the relays….but I don’t want to fry a low voltage light, if high voltage is also connected to the splitter…

Has anyone done this / used one of these splitters?

We really need to know what exactly you are connecting. Are you connecting two 120 volt devices or 1 120 and 1 12 volt? Also what are you calling the "relay"? The relay is the small (usually omicron) switch that is located in the lower half of the Aqualink box. It actually has 2 120 volt legs. When energized by Aqualink, both 120 volt legs are active. Each leg is independent of the other.

 

[ajw22]

Recommended by the electrician who wired up the pool. I too am wondering why connecting a relay to low voltage step lights and the high voltage pool lights with a splitter would be an issue.

In the zodiac 5098 splitter installation instructions it says “to be used to control two high voltage relays at the same time” - so a low voltage device and high voltage device can’t be connected to this splitter at the same time?

System is an Aqualink RS-8 - didn’t think there was much difference at the relays….but I don’t want to fry a low voltage light, if high voltage is also connected to the splitter…

Has anyone done this / used one of these splitters?

You seem to lack an understanding of the role of the transformer with "low voltage" lights.

Low voltage lights gets their power from transformers that take 120V AC in and change (transform) it to 12V to 14V AC or DC to power "low voltage" lights.

You don't connect a "low voltage" light to a relay. You connect the transformer that powers the light to the 120V relay, just as you connect a high voltage light to the relay. The "low voltage" light is then connected to the 12V-14V output of the transformer.

There is NO problem with a 120V high voltage light and a transformer that powers low voltage lights being connected to the same relay as long as the transformer is controlling white lights (not color changing lights which is a separate discussion in how they work). None, NADA, ZIP, Zilch.

 

[PoolGate]

Think of that relay as a light switch with an on and off signal that is controlled by Aqualink instead of a switch that you manually click up and down. When you activate a device within Aqualink, Aqualink sends a signal to a relay to turn on. Your splitter allows that signal to turn on 2 relays instead of one. Relays have 2 110 volt legs, each independent. So if you use that splitter, you can actually control 4 110 circuits. But, the power that comes out of those relays is 110 volts (or 220 volts if you use both together). It does not convert the voltage into "low voltage" which some lights use. Low voltage lights have a transformer that runs on 110 volts and convert the power internally to be "low voltage". So it matters not if you connect both the 110 volt lights and the transformer for the low voltage lights to the same relay. Any electrician would know this. So I think you are understanding this wrong.

 

[JamesW]

As noted, you do not need separate relays.

If you want separate relays, you do not need the splitter.

Just wire the coil of the second relay to the coil terminals of the first relay so that when the first relay gets power, the second relay also gets power.

Get the polarity correct.

The pool lights need to be on GFCI.




To use the same relay, you can send power to line 1 and have both devices connected to load 1.

If you have a GFCI breaker, the neutrals have to be connected to the breaker neutral terminal.

Or, you can have power 1 to line 1 and one device connected to load 1 and power connected to line 2 and the second device connected to load 2.

 

[rgk]

We really need to know what exactly you are connecting. Are you connecting two 120 volt devices or 1 120 and 1 12 volt? Also what are you calling the "relay"? The relay is the small (usually omicron) switch that is located in the lower half of the Aqualink box. It actually has 2 120 volt legs. When energized by Aqualink, both 120 volt legs are active. Each leg is independent of the other.

View attachment 544046

yeah sorry for the confusion. I want to control 1 x 120v device (pool lights) and 1 x 12v device (step lights) from the same aux port. I just want to use the single aux port on the panel, and by using this splitter box, enable me to power on/off both the relays for the lowvoltage and high voltage devices at the same time. This means either: the coil side of relay 2 is wired to relay 1 and relay one is wired up to the aux plug for aux port 4; or option is to use this splitter board (5098) which AFAICT achieves the same thing as wiring coil side in series back to the board.

End of the day this is all I am trying to determine if this is ok - and moreso, why the electrician would be saying not to do this?

 

[ajw22]

enable me to power on/off both the low voltage and high voltage relays at the same time.

We have been trying to explain to you above that you do not use low voltage relays to control a low voltage light.

A light is a high voltage device that uses a transformer to power a low voltage light.

 

[PoolGate]

yeah sorry for the confusion. I want to control 1 x 120v device (pool lights) and 1 x 12v device (step lights) from the same aux port. I do NOT want to combine relays and wire one to the other. I just want to use the single aux port on the panel, and by using this splitter box, enable me to power on/off both the low voltage and high voltage relays at the same time.

There aren't any "low voltage" relays in the Aqualink load center. Unless you have wired the output of the 12 volt light transformer into the line (hot) side of the relay. If not, you can use a single relay for both of your lights since each relay can power 2 110 volt devices. The single aux port will turn on both of the 110 volt outputs on the relay. See the diagram above.

 

[JamesW]

I want to control 1 x 120v device (pool lights) and 1 x 12v device (step lights) from the same aux port.

The transformer to the step lights is powered by 120 volts.

Can you show the step light transformer?

I do NOT want to combine relays and wire one to the other.

You are confused about what you want to do.

I just want to use the single aux port on the panel, and by using this splitter box, enable me to power on/off both the low voltage and high voltage relays at the same time.

Again, you do not need the splitter.

 

[PoolGate]

See page 8 (section 4) in the below Jandy low voltage light manual.

https://cdn.fluidrausa.com/-/media/zodiac/global/downloads/jandy/lighting/h0622800.pdf?rev=88eed8c3dd8a447cbb0adbd0ac3bd98d

 

[rgk]

You seem to lack an understanding of the role of the transformer with "low voltage" lights.

Low voltage lights gets their power from transformers that take 120V AC in and change (transform) it to 12V to 14V AC or DC to power "low voltage" lights.

You don't connect a "low voltage" light to a relay. You connect the transformer that powers the light to the 120V relay, just as you connect a high voltage light to the relay. The "low voltage" light is then connected to the 12V-14V output of the transformer.

There is NO problem with a 120V high voltage light and a transformer that powers low voltage lights being connected to the same relay as long as the transformer is controlling white lights (not color changing lights which is a separate discussion in how they work). None, NADA, ZIP, Zilch.

@ajw22 Yep I was not diving in deep enough - found the schematic for the system - correct, the relays themselves output 120v.

So in my case the main pool lights are on relay 4 (connected coil side to aux port 4), and I want to connect relay 7 which is connected to a transformer to 12V for the step lights together on aux port 4. All I am asking (and my electrician is saying to not do it for some reason) is to connect relay 4 and relay 7 to the aux splitter board (connected itself to aux port 4 on board). This way I can turn on/off the step lights and main pool lights together. I am trying to confirm what I am thinking...that there is no issue with this. I really dont even need the splitter - I could just wire the coil terminals of the second relay to the first - or both coli relay wires to the same aux plug (plug 4) . Is this correct?

Now they are all colored lights - I assume they will all just output the same color?

 

[rgk]

The transformer to the step lights is powered by 120 volts.

Can you show the step light transformer?

You are confused about what you want to do.

Again, you do not need the splitter.

The transformer to the step lights is powered by 120 volts.

Can you show the step light transformer?

You are confused about what you want to do.

Again, you do not need the splitter.

yeah - noted. Summarized the ask state of play as: I just want to use the single aux port on the panel, and by using this splitter box, enable me to power on/off both the relays for the low voltage and high voltage devices at the same time. . This means either: the coil side of relay 2 is wired to relay 1 and relay one is wired up to the aux plug for aux port 4; or option is to use this splitter board (5098) which AFAICT achieves the same thing as wiring coil side in series back to the board.

 

[PoolGate]

yeah - noted. Summarized the ask state of play as: I just want to use the single aux port on the panel, and by using this splitter box, enable me to power on/off both the relays for the low voltage and high voltage devices at the same time. . This means either: the coil side of relay 2 is wired to relay 1 and relay one is wired up to the aux plug for aux port 4; or option is to use this splitter board (5098) which AFAICT achieves the same thing as wiring coil side in series back to the board.

Just move the line and load wire from relay 7 and put it on the empty terminals of relay 4.

 

[ajw22]

@ajw22 Yep I was not diving in deep enough - found the schematic for the system - correct, the relays themselves output 120v.

Relays don't output anything.

Relays put out on the LOAD screw whatever voltage is put on the LINE screw.

Relays can be used with any voltage from 1 to 120V.

So in my case the main pool lights are on relay 4 (connected coil side to aux port 4), and I want to connect relay 7 which is connected to a transformer to 12V for the step lights together on aux port 4. All I am asking (and my electrician is saying to not do it for some reason) is to connect relay 4 and relay 7 to the aux splitter board (connected itself to aux port 4 on board). This way I can turn on/off the step lights and main pool lights together. I am trying to confirm what I am thinking...that there is no issue with this. I really dont even need the splitter - I could just wire the coil terminals of the second relay to the first - or both coli relay wires to the same aux plug (plug 4) . Is this correct?

It is really easier putting both on one relay - 4 or 7. That is just some screws.

Trying to put two relay coils together takes some new wiring.

Now they are all colored lights - I assume they will all just output the same color?

Now you introduce a new complexity. I said earlier this is all simple if they are all white lights.

Which lights are color lights - pool or steps or both?

What model lights are we discussing?

 

[JamesW]

Now they are all colored lights - I assume they will all just output the same color?

What lights are colored?

Does the system cycle power to change the color?

achieves the same thing as wiring coil side in series back to the board.

The coils can be wired in parallel, not in series.

Just remove the existing plug wires from the second relay and wire the second relay coil to the first relay coil with two wires.

You can power both from the same power because the low voltage gets power to the transformer at 120 volts.

 

[PoolGate]

What lights do you have btw? It matters since some of the lights work via an on/off switch and some work via RS-485 control cable.

 

[rgk]

What lights are colored?

Does the system cycle power to change the color?

The coils can be wired in parallel, not in series.

Just remove the existing plug wires from the second relay and wire the second relay coil to the first relay coil with two wires.

You can power both from the same power because the low voltage gets power to the transformer at 120 volts.

All lights are colored.
Yeah the lights seem to power cycle when changing color (they cycle through the colors)

What lights do you have btw? It matters since some of the lights work via an on/off switch and some work via RS-485 control cable.

They are Jandy colored lights.