easy way to turn heat on/off and set temp on easytouch?

[aaron_w_o]

Hi everyone,
i have an easytouch and a new gas heater(pentair). just got the heater working today. easytouch i've had 2 years now.
my question is: is there an easy way to turn the heat on or off, and adjust the temps besides going through the 2-3 levels of menus to enable heat and set the temp?
seems non-intuitive to turn heat on or off right now... as I have to navigate through a few menus.
i would thought it would be as easy as the lights.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Looks from your signature that you don’t have a spa? So it’s a single-body pool and you just want to be able to turn the heater on manually & quickly? In that case, spa mode is your high-temperature mode. Program that to your preferred high temp & engage spa mode to turn on the heat.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Aaron,

Do you not have ScreenLogic??? It makes using the EasyTouch 10 x better...

All you need to do is click an Icon...

Do you just heat your pool now and again or are you trying to maintain a constant pool temp?

If this is something that you do each day, you can schedule the heat to come on at a specific time and at a specific temperature...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[brentkhack]

Only if the phone apps were as nice as the PC version.

 

[aaron_w_o]

hi, yes i have the screenlogic and just set it up other day.
in my case my pc version looks identical to the phone app, just like you screenshot Jim.

as to the simplicity of calling for heat with the software - yes it is dead easy.
however, there will be users in my home who dont have an app or dont know how to use it.
i was hoping that they could just push a button on the outdoor cp or indoor cp.

i would say we will likely just use heat from time to time and not try to maintain any set temp. at least this is my thought... the heater is a new thing for us, 2 days old.

i am intrigued by what rocket squirrel said, but dont know how i would set that up. what settings do i need to configure to have quick touch heat via spa as he described?

 

[Jimrahbe]

aaron,

No matter what you do, you will still have to show the user what buttons to push, it will not be intuitive...

One option would be to take an old smartphone and use it as a dedicated WiFi heater control using ScreenLogic.

Another option is to put your ET into the Spa mode and then use the little 3" display to control the temp.

Another option is to use the iS4 Spa remote inputs to turn on the heater and somewhat control the temp.

Besides ScreenLogic, what kind of control panels do you have? I have to assume you should be able to control the heater with one of them...

Jim R.

 

[aaron_w_o]

I have the easy touch outdoor and easy touch indoor control panels

 

[aaron_w_o]

Ps-strange there isn't a "heat" button on the panels that turns heat on and off. The heater button on my easy touch seems to do nothing.

 

[Jimrahbe]

aaron,

I think they make a hundred different ones.. Can you be more specific?? P/N or number of buttons, does it have the 3" LCD or just the buttons?

Jim R.

 

[aaron_w_o]

Ah yes- both have small LCD.
Both are the 8 button "8 feature" models.

I understand you can go heat->pool->on or off.
3 button presses... why not have the heater button just toggle the heater!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Aaron,

I don't have a heater or control panels so I have no way to test things out... But I'm pretty sure that you can have one of the buttons on your control panel select "Spa"... If you have Spa set up to turn on the heater then pushing the one button should do it.

I'll play around and see what I can do...

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Aaron,

What happens when you push the Spa button on your controller...

Just took a quick look and it appears to me it should do what you want????

Jim R.

 

[aaron_w_o]

Will try in the morning! Let you know. Thanks- you are not first person to suggest this so now that I have 2nd opinion I will check it out in daylight.

Report back.

It's still weird to me that I can't press "heater" lol. - that button does nothing

 

[Jimrahbe]

The manual says the heater button on the main panel is for use in the Service Mode only...

I have no idea why...

Jim R.

 

[aaron_w_o]

folks: success.

here's what i did.
1) on the heater (while it is running), set the max temp to 104F for the pool and the spa (note I dont have a spa)- note the heater doesnt have a toggle for metric
2)on the outdoor easytouch panel, go to "heat"->pool-> off
4)on the outdoor easytouch panel, go to "heat"->pool-> now set the temp all the way down (i was able to go to 4 Celsius)
5) on the outdoor easytouch panel, go to "heat"->spa->heater
6) on the outdoor easytouch panel, go to "heat"->spa-> now set the temp to whatever you want (I used 27 Celsius) thats about 84F

at this point, my panel thinks I have a spa, but i dont. it will never run the heater "accidentally" when the pool is circulating for filtration and chlorination.

so now how do I get heat on demand? easy.
the outdoor easytouch doesnt have a "Spa" button. but the "valve" or V button is the same thing on the outdoor. so I can touch that button and the panel goes into spa mode and heats the pool to 27C.
or, on my indoor control panel, there is a spa button. i can touch that and the panel goes into spa mode and heats the pool to 27 C.
these 2 methods are very easy for my wife and young son.

of course I can still use screenlogic... but i wanted an "old fashioned" way and this works well.

thanks all.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Glad you figured it out and sorry I didn’t explain it well enough at the start. Threads fly by so quickly around here!

- - - Updated - - -

PS, to make it even more obvious for users other than yourself, find the sheet of adhesive labels and stick “Heater” over “Spa”.

 

[aaron_w_o]

brilliant - just put that sticker on!
thanks rocket.

there is really no need to ever use the outdoor control panel anymore. which is kinda nice because i never liked my kids going in there.

also note: and i haven't tried this yet... but step #1 above, i said the heater doesnt have a toggle for metric (aka celsius). but i think if i hold temp+ or temp- for 5 secs, it will change. the manual says this... i will try it next time heater is running, since those keys only work when the heater is on.
sorry - canadian and we use metric

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

On the indoor controller, do Menu > Settings > English/Metric

You can toggle this whether the pump is running or not.

 

[aaron_w_o]

Yes easy to change controller, I was talking about the display right on the heater.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Is your EasyTouch connected to the heater with a 2-wire cable replacing the “fireman” jumper? If so, you simply set the temp via the EasyTouch and let it control the heater. No need to look at the ugly American units on the heater display.

if you don’t have that cable connected, check your manuals. It’s easy.