Actuator Valve Rotating When Pump Turns Off

[Khwillia]

Hi,
I am having an issue with my Pentair Actuator Valve. It responds to all three positions (on 1, off, on 2) and functions properly manually. However, every time my pump shuts off, the valve closes of the pool drain and opens the spa drain which causes my spa to drain completely. When I turn the pump back on, I have to manually turn the valve back to the pool open position. I don't understand why the valve is turning at all when the pump is turned off. I am also having issues with my Screen Logic App and I don't know if this is related or just a coincidence. The other day the app was stuck on Spa and would not turn off or allow me to choose Pool. I disconnect the power to the inside transmitter and that fixed the problem but now it doesn't talk to the outside control box at all. The app shows it is connected but I am not able to turn on the lights, spa, etc. and it doesn't show the temps of the water. This may be a completing separate issues but I am not sure. Any ideas of things I should trouble shoot?

Thank you,
Kim

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kim,

It sounds like your system is stuck in the Spa mode.

Using the outside panel, what does the display show when in the Pool mode, and what does it show when in the Spa mode?

Also.. You can set the valves so that the pump is told to shut off when the valves move. Do you know if this setting is on or off?

ScreenLogic shows whatever the last reading was, so I would not put any faith in what it says until it is working correctly.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Khwillia]

Hi Jim,
At the outside panel I am able to use the valve button to move the valve to both pool and spa and the reading on the display is correct for each valve position. I am not sure if I am able to tell the pump to turn off when the valves move but I don't think that feature is on. I know this because prior to this issue, the valve must have gotten stuck because the switch was backwards. In the one position, the spa drain was open and the pool was open in the 2 position. I believe it is suppose to be the opposite of that. Before I manage to fix that, the valve was moving to open the spa drain and the spa would be empty and the pump kept trying to prime and was still running. I some how got that switch fixed but it may be messed up again now since the valve is doing weird things. I am in Houston and we did experience a freeze for a few days. The issue with the valve started before that but I am wondering if it may have messed up my control box. The buttons are not as responsive as they used to be. For example, I have to touch them more than once to activate them (ie auto, services mode).

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kim,

The EasyTouch does not really know where the valves are positioned. It just assumes they are correct. You need to make sure.

Put the system in the Pool mode and make sure the Intake valve (before the pump) is set to suck water from the Pool only. And the Return valve (after the heater) is set to send all the water back to the Pool. (Depending on your plumbing, it might return a little water to the spa for spillover)

Put the system in the Spa mode and make sure the Intake valve (before the pump) is set to suck water from the Spa only. And the Return valve (after the heater) is set to send all the water back to the Spa.

If the valves are not set up correctly, then you can move the little on-off-on switch to make the valve move to the correct position. You should only need to do this once. The little switch does not know if you are in Pool or Spa modes, it just changes the valve to the opposite position, usually 180 degrees.

Switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode several times and make sure the valves move to the correct positions by themselves.

I assume you have an IntelliFlo VS pump... If so, go look at the display and see if it says, "Display Not Active". It should, if it is being controlled by the EasyTouch.

Let me know what you find,

Jim R.

 

[Khwillia]

The EasyTouch does not really know where the valves are positioned. It just assumes they are correct. You need to make sure.

Put the system in the Pool mode and make sure the Intake valve (before the pump) is set to suck water from the Pool only. And the Return valve (after the heater) is set to send all the water back to the Pool. (Depending on your plumbing, it might return a little water to the spa for spillover)

Put the system in the Spa mode and make sure the Intake valve (before the pump) is set to suck water from the Spa only. And the Return valve (after the heater) is set to send all the water back to the Spa.

If the valves are not set up correctly, then you can move the little on-off-on switch to make the valve move to the correct position. You should only need to do this once. The little switch does not know if you are in Pool or Spa modes, it just changes the valve to the opposite position, usually 180 degrees.

Switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode several times and make sure the valves move to the correct positions by themselves.

I assume you have an IntelliFlo VS pump... If so, go look at the display and see if it says, "Display Not Active". It should, if it is being controlled by the EasyTouch.

Hi Jim,
Ok, here is where I am with this. The spa was currently empty because I turned the system off the other day after it drained. I went out and put the system in Auto mode. The actuator valve was in the pool open and spa off mode. The pump primed and water started to fill the spa. I then pressed the valve button on the Easy Touch and put the system in Spa mode. The valve turned of the pool drain and opened the spa like it was supposed to and the spa stopped filling (I will get to that in a moment). So it appears the valve to the drains is operating properly. However, the other day when the system shut-off after running all day, the valve turned to spa mode (without me telling it to) and drain the spa. I tested this a few times, and it kept turning when the system was turned off. When I tried that today, it did not turn when the system was turned off. So, it appears to be functioning properly. I am filling the spa now and when it is done I will turn the pump off and see what happens. Also, the display on the pump itself does read "Display Not Active".

Ok, so on the return side, we usually have our valve set so that the pool and spa are open (it is set in the middle) so that we have a spill-off from the spa when it is running in pool mode. When I went to check everything just now, I noticed that when I put it in spa mode, the valve is not turning to turn the pool return off. I checked the switch and it is wiggling and not functioning. I will open up that valve and see if it just came loose or broke. I have replaced it before. So that is definitely an issue for using the spa, but I would't think that would be impacting the drain valve turning when I am not telling it to (or would it?).

Then next issue is the Screen Logic. Prior to today, it had "--" for both the pool temp and spa temp so I guess it was not connected. Today, it is showing the temp and it matches what the Easy Touch says. However, it won't operate anything when I try to turn on lights, air blower, waterfall, etc. Those do work because they turn on with the easy touch. So, clearly something is not right.

I also ran the test feature on the Easy Touch. It ran through everything and came back with one error which was code 1. I have no idea what that means.

Thank you,
Kim

 

[Jimrahbe]

When I went to check everything just now, I noticed that when I put it in spa mode, the valve is not turning to turn the pool return off

Kim,

This is most likely a bad actuator. It could also be a bad EasyTouch, but I doubt it. I suggest that you repair or replace the actuator so you can get the pool operating from the EasyTouch and then start looking at the ScreenLogic issue.

However, it won't operate anything when I try to turn on lights, air blower, waterfall, etc. Those do work because they turn on with the easy touch. So, clearly something is not right.

Kim,

In your initial post you said that you removed the power from ScreenLogic.. Does your ScreenLogic use wireless links to connect the EasyTouch with the Protocol Adapter or is the EasyTouch hard-wired to the adapter?

It is possible that ScreenLogic is loading down the power supply in the EasyTouch and this is why you had no temps yesterday. Another reason to make sure the EasyTouch is working by all by itself before reconnecting ScreenLogic.

The fact that the pump showed "Display not Active" is a pretty good indicator that the main circuit cards com port is working. Sometimes ScreenLogic can load the com port down and not allow the pump to run.

Can you show me or tell me what your schedules look like in the EasyTouch? Just looking to see if there is anything obviously wrong.

Again.. I would leave ScreenLogic disconnected until you can get the EasyTouch to run correctly all by itself.

I know of nothing that would turn the valves when the pump shuts off. But.. I suspect that the system was stuck in the Spa mode and you forced the system into the Pool mode by pushing the "F" button to turn the pump on. When you pushed the "F" button again to turn the pump off, you also turned off the Pool mode and that caused the system to turn the valves to the Spa mode. That is just my best guess as the valves do not normally turn just because the pump shuts off.

Thanks,

Jim R.