Valve programming

[Bob V]

Everything was working fine. All wires and connections have been checked. I have a pool, spa, heater and solar. All work fine in pool mode. When I change to spa mode the two automated valves for the in and out flow work fine. But the solar actuator does not turn off the solar, there fore the heated water is probably going up on the roof. The spa does heat up but it now takes longer to do so and as soon as the heater shuts off at the set temperature, cold water starts coming out of the jets. I think its because the solar valve is not closing. I think it used to, not certain. I had someone look after my pool while I was away for a month and I came back to this situation. Cant find where to program the valves. Thanks to anyone who can help.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Check the toggle switch on the actuator. It may have been moved from the proper setting.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Dirk]

Hey Bob, welcome to TFP!

What is controlling the solar and the valves? Please fill in your signature, so we can better understand your equipment.

My controller is an EasyTouch. Mine allows me to select either gas or solar heat, or both, for either spa or pool (they can each have different heater settings). If you have a similar setup, it might be just a simple setting in your controller...

 

[Bob V]

Hey Bob, welcome to TFP!

What is controlling the solar and the valves? Please fill in your signature, so we can better understand your equipment.

My controller is an EasyTouch. Mine allows me to select either gas or solar heat, or both, for either spa or pool (they can each have different heater settings). If you have a similar setup, it might be just a simple setting in your controller...

The system is a Pentair Easytouch. The actuator is set in the " on 2 " position. I have my spa designated at Heater Only and my pool designated as Solar Only. I'm not sure of the proper position of the switch on the valve. The other two valves are set to " on 2 " also. If, when in spa mode, I turn off the solar valve with the switch ( place it in the on 1 position ) everything is fine. Then in pool mode I switch it back to the On 2 position. But it used to do this on its own

 

[Dirk]

OK, I think we have the ingredients now. We just need a good chef. @Jimrahbe, can you sharpen the ol' chef knife and make mince meat out of this dilemma?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bob,

It used to work, but now it does not.. So what has changed?

Seems to me that if you go into the spa mode, the Solar valve should change positions to off.. Since you can move the valve manually, it sounds like your EasyTouch is not telling the valve to move. This means that either the IC chip that closes the relay that sends the 24 VAC to the actuator is bad, or maybe the relay is bad, or something in your programming has changed and is no longer telling the solar valve to turn off..

You can test the solar actuator by swapping the solar valve connection with the Intake valve connection and then switch back and forth between pool and spa.. If the solar valve moves, then you know that the solar wiring and actuator is good.. If the Intake valve does not move, you know the problem is with the solar output from the EasyTouch.

The EasyTouch sends 24 Volts AC to the solar actuator.. A small relay on the main board sends the voltage down the white wire to move the valve one way and down the red wire to move the valve the other way. The most likely cause of this failure is the driver chip that energize the relay.. or a change in your programming that you did not notice.

My suggestion is to check the valves and see how they work and then come back and we can try to troubleshoot from there.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Bob V]

Bob,

It used to work, but now it does not.. So what has changed?

Seems to me that if you go into the spa mode, the Solar valve should change positions to off.. Since you can move the valve manually, it sounds like your EasyTouch is not telling the valve to move. This means that either the IC chip that closes the relay that sends the 24 VAC to the actuator is bad, or maybe the relay is bad, or something in your programming has changed and is no longer telling the solar valve to turn off..

You can test the solar actuator by swapping the solar valve connection with the Intake valve connection and then switch back and forth between pool and spa.. If the solar valve moves, then you know that the solar wiring and actuator is good.. If the Intake valve does not move, you know the problem is with the solar output from the EasyTouch.

The EasyTouch sends 24 Volts AC to the solar actuator.. A small relay on the main board sends the voltage down the white wire to move the valve one way and down the red wire to move the valve the other way. The most likely cause of this failure is the driver chip that energize the relay.. or a change in your programming that you did not notice.

My suggestion is to check the valves and see how they work and then come back and we can try to troubleshoot from there.

Thanks,

Jim R.

ok. Will Do, thanks

 

[Bob V]

ok. Will Do, thanks

The valve does not shut off on its own when the system is off. If I turn the switch to off, it does nothing. If I turn the switch to " on 1 " it shuts off. If
I turn the switch to " on 2 " it turns to the solar position. The only thing that changed was that I had someone taking care of my pool while I was away for a month.

 

[Bob V]

ok. Will Do, thanks

I switched the connection of the valve in question with another valve and it worked perfectly. So I know that the valve actuator and the wiring are good. Must be a programming issue. I don't know that the program would have changed, but that's what it appears to be at this point. Am I correct in assuming that the solar valve should be in by-pass position during the spa cycle and when the system is off?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bob,

When in the Spa mode, the solar valve should be in the by-pass position.. The on-off-on switch lets you set the valve to where you want it to be.... The EasyTouch does not have a clue where the valve is.. It will just move it to opposite position that it is in now.. So if you are in the Pool mode, set the switch so that the valve is in the open (solar on) position. Then, in theory, when you go into the spa mode and call for heat, the solar valve should move to the by-pass position..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Bob V]

Bob,

When in the Spa mode, the solar valve should be in the by-pass position.. The on-off-on switch lets you set the valve to where you want it to be.... The EasyTouch does not have a clue where the valve is.. It will just move it to opposite position that it is in now.. So if you are in the Pool mode, set the switch so that the valve is in the open (solar on) position. Then, in theory, when you go into the spa mode and call for heat, the solar valve should move to the by-pass position..

Thanks,

Jim R.

That's what I had figured. but it doesn't happen. When I changed the connection to the other valve, it didn't move either, but the spa valve moved when moved to the other connection. That tells me its not the wiring or the valve. Probably a programming issue. Any idea how to program the valve for the proper operation?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bob,

I suspect it is a bad driver chip on the main EasyTouch board... There are two of them and they are in sockets so your can swap them.

Before doing that, confirm that your Pool is set up for Solar only and your Spa is set up for Heater only..

I'll let Tom chime in on swapping the chips or what replacement chips to use... Calling @ogdento

He also might have some other ideas on the cause of the problem.

Obviously all the power would have to be off to do any chip swapping..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

I didn't read the whole thread but the driver chips are ULN2803A. Get them from a reputable electronics supplier so you don't end up with garbage.
I'm not sure if you checked the microswitches but those can also go bad - there's a ton of info on this site about both the driver chips and the microswitches

 

[Bob V]

I didn't read the whole thread but the driver chips are ULN2803A. Get them from a reputable electronics supplier so you don't end up with garbage.
I'm not sure if you checked the microswitches but those can also go bad - there's a ton of info on this site about both the driver chips and the microswitches

Thanks. I did check the micro switches and they are fine. I even swapped the actuator with a known good unit from another valve and it did the same thing. The actuator in question worked fine in the other ones place. I'll look at the driver chips. Thanks again

 

[Bob V]

ok. I switched the driver chips and there is no difference. So here's the problem. There is never any power (28v) to the terminal with the white wire to the actuator. I have 28v to the red wire which turns the actuator to the 2nd position. But never 28v to the white wire which turns the actuator to the first position. Cant find a schematic anywhere that tells me what gives the white wire its 28V

 

[JamesW]

Are the intake and return valves plugged into the correct sockets?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bob,

The IC chips tell a small relay to switch.. This relay is what moves the 28 VAC from the Red wire to the White wire or visa versa...

So, one of two things.. The relay is bad, or system is not telling the relay to move..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

If the valves are plugged into the wrong sockets, the logic will be incorrect for the Pool or Spa mode.

Is the solar valve plugged into valve A socket?

Is solar set correctly in settings?

 

[Bob V]

If the valves are plugged into the wrong sockets, the logic will be incorrect for the Pool or Spa mode.

Is the solar valve plugged into valve A socket?

Is solar set correctly in settings?

yes, everything is in the correct socket. nothing was changed.

 

[Bob V]

Everything is in the correct socket. Solar is plugged into A. according to the readout on the display I am configured for solar only for pool heat and heater only for spa heat. Display for valve a says "used solar"