How to dissemble and repair Pentair Easy Touch 8 button remote

[Bradmu]

I thought I would post my experience so other people can benefit.
My power button stop working on the remote.
To open the remote I used a Dermel tool with a diamond blade. I had to cut all the around the outside.
Once open I saw the ribbon cable to the front board had corroded on one pin. The way this remote turns on, I couldn’t simply just use another button on the remote. I had to add one. I added a 12mm Boat Momentary Metal Push Button I got off ebay for about a buck. I then drilled a 29/64 hole on the front near the bottom. This whole is a bit small but allowed me to screw in the button for a tight seal. I then soldered 2 wires from the button to the board on pin 1 and 10. Now the new button acted like the menu/power button.
I"ll try to upload some photos.

 

[kimkats]

NICE! Love my Dermel tool! Thanks for sharing!

 

[itsme]

Bradmu - thank you! You just saved me from spending few hundred dollars to buy a replacement.

 

[jerryt]

520546 Repair

Re-allocated the menu switch function to the unused Aux 3 switch

 

[Jimrahbe]

FYI for Tom.. @ogdento

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

Hey Brad this is great stuff! @Jimrahbe I actually saw Jerry's ebay listing before I saw this Looks like he used jbweld? to seal it back up... came out great.

I cut these open with a diamond blade set in a drill press so it cuts half of each of the overlapping tabs... then I just spin the remote around it. Makes a nice even cut. Here's a Mobiletouch2a before I cut it open to fix:




I haven't tried it but it shouldn't be hard to slap an Easytouch remote board into an off-the-shelf case (or even 3d printed) and you could even make a new keypad with actual buttons rather than the lame membrane ones.

Converting a 4-button remote to an 8 is easy too... just cut the right jumper on the keypad. My post here shows how:

Convert an Easytouch Lite PSL4 Indoor Controller to an Easytouch 8

I bought a used Easytouch PSL4 system online that came with a universal outdoor controller (uoc) and a universal indoor controller (uic)... ...

saturationregion.blogspot.com

Tom

 

[jerryt]

I used a diamond blade in a Dremel router table, then beveled the edges with the same router table with a bevel bit, so the JB Weld would go in as a wedge. Thickness of the cut was 1/16"

With practice, it might come out perfect. White epoxy would also have been nice.

Found a couple of options for replacement switches;

 

[ogdento]

Great idea @jerryt with the jbweld wedge... I do love that stuff. I also wondered if you could use straight up pvc glue (i thought i read someplace that these were pvc)

Here's another you could try if you wanted to add another 4 buttons onto an ET4 remote to make it an 8. I've always wanted to get a few of these myself but I can't get through my project list!

Membrane 1x4 Keypad + Extras

Punch in your secret key into this numeric membrane keypad. This keypad has 4 buttons, and since every key has its own wire line, no matrix code is required - just treat these like every day ...

www.adafruit.com

 

[ogdento]

Here's some more info on the remote keypads if anybody needs it or feels like making their own. I don't have a schematic but this ought to get you close enough.

first, a look at the keypad traces with the vinyl top torn off...


and here's some info showing the keypad pin to cpu connections, the keypad pins used for each button, and details of how the keypad is wired for the hardware id (is it an ET4, ET8 or PSL/lite)

 

[jerryt]

Used a hot knife to open the case of the Easytouch wireless receiver this time instead of the dremel.

Replaced the the commonly failed switches with a 5way membrane switch

 

[ogdento]

love it @jerryt! i bet you can use that on the IC40/60 cells that get their comms killed as well.

 

[jerryt]

I took a IC40 apart once, the entire circuit board is encapsulated. I could not find anything to remove the coating...

Did the ABS module on my car with the Hot Knife

 

[Mynameisnate]

Thanks for the link @ogdento . You guys are giving me hope that I might be able to work this thing back into function. Now I need to get a new dremel blade!