Programming Pentair ultratemp heat pump with easytouch

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R

rhosch

Well-known member
May 20, 2018
49
Jackson, MS
Pool Size
31000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Hey guys, taking another shot at this issue this spring.

I'd like to program my system so that the heat pump only runs during the day, for increased efficiency. Pentair ultratemp, and easytouch 4. I do not have screenlogic. I'd rather not purchase it just for this purpose unless that's the last resort. I have rs485 connected and have verified communication works. A solar temp sensor is connected.

I've been through the manual and am still scratching my head a year later. The only possibility I've seen is programming the pump to turn off at night so the heat pump shuts off, which seems a kludge. I'd like the pump to run all night or at least well past when I'd like the heater to shut off.

Does anyone know if this can be done without screenlogic and if so how to go about setting that up?
 
If the Heat is turned on, and the pump is running at a sufficient rpm to close the pressure switch on the heater, the heater will run. You cannot schedule it otherwise.
You could set an rpm for Pool Mode that is lower than that needed for the heater to function, and then use a Circuit Function to raise the rpm during the time you wish the heater to function. You will NOT be able to use the Pool Heater Active function if doing this.
 
Thanks, two good suggestions there to consider and play with. I knew I could shut the pump off, didn't think about turning flow rate down low enough. I can play with pump settings and see just how low that needs to be. Guessing too low to keep spills going, which we like to do into the evening for a bit so maybe not ideal but worth exploring.

I had tried to figure out solar heating before but didn't get it working. Probably never quite stumbled into the right page in manual or programming menu. I'll play with that too... from the manual description it sounds like the heat pump would never turn on until it's actually warmer than the set temp? If so that's less than ideal too... kids like the water at 80+, and there are several weeks spring and fall where I'm able to keep temps up just manually turning heater on during the day, but daytime temps barely get to 80. Will have to explore that though to see just how that works. The manual is pretty barebones in explaining just how things work.

Just to be complete, does anyone know if screenlogic gives full control over programming heat pump schedule like I'd like?
 
rhosch said:
Just to be complete, does anyone know if screenlogic gives full control over programming heat pump schedule like I'd like?
Click to expand...
No. Screenlogic just tells the Easytouch what to do, just Easier. Anything you can do with Screenlogic, you can do at the Easytouch panel.
 
Well, maybe there just isn't a way to do this then in the way I'd like. I had thought from Jimrahbe's response to this question a year ago that perhaps screenlogic exposed some additional flexibility. He posted this pic, and suggested different set point temps could be set for different times of the day. I don't see how that could be accomplished in the easytouch menus, so maybe that isn't really possible in screenlogic either?

You'd think this would be a no brainer, built in feature... a single option to enable daytime only operation. Or give a "turn on only when ambient temp above xx degrees" option. Heat pumps are quite a bit more effective when outside temps are higher. When it's 85 in the day, and 55 at night, a few hours running in the day is better than running nonstop all night... unless you want the pool as warm as possible at sunrise! We usually swim in the evenings, so gaining a couple of degrees during the day, and losing them again at night, would be ideal.

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JamesW said:
Use a simple timer to interrupt the low voltage remote wire.

Do you have an extra relay?

Route the low voltage through the relay and set a timer to be on during the day and off at night.

This way, even if the EasyTouch is saying to turn on, the signal never gets to the heater.

Click to expand...
Well that's definitely an interesting approach I hadn't thought of. By low voltage, you mean one of the rs485 communication wires? And by extra relay, you mean in the easytouch? I need to take a close look at my ET4 again. I have pool lights, hardscape lights, and a valve that turns spills on and off that were installed by PB. But I think he used one of the relays to control the valve instead of a built in valve control. I added another valve to change between pulling water from main pool or lower infinity edge catch pool but haven't had success yet in getting the valve controller to automate that.

I probably need screenlogic just to be able to more easily setup and reconfigure things. I've just been avoiding that expense so far.
 
@rhosch

I was not out looking for things that ScreenLogic could do that the main panel cannot. I just needed to be able to control my standalone spa's temperature based on a schedule with a certain setpoint. I had not tried to do this via the main panel. I went out just now and tried it and all I did was mess up what I had. :mrgreen:

Just read that the OP is using the RS-485 to control his heat pump. Obviously, I am only using the heat relay contacts on the EasyTouch's main card to control my standalone hot tub..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Jimrahbe said:
@rhosch

I was not out looking for things that ScreenLogic could do that the main panel cannot. I just needed to be able to control my standalone spa's temperature based on a schedule with a certain setpoint. I had not tried to do this via the main panel. I went out just now and tried it and all I did was mess up what I had. :mrgreen:

Just read that the OP is using the RS-485 to control his heat pump. Obviously, I am only using the heat relay contacts on the EasyTouch's main card to control my standalone hot tub..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
I wonder if there are settings on the pool/spa dual body ET4 that aren't available to me on my single body pool only ET4?
 
Shouldn't be. I can see how Jim did what he did in my ScreenLogic for the Pool. I believe you must be able to do it at the ET panel, but sometimes Pentair does not make that all that intuitive.
 
If you can find a SL protocol adapter, I can PM you a way to use it without the wireless adapter. Cuts your cost. But finding a PA alone is difficult.
 
JamesW said:
Are you sure that they used RS485?

You can use a simple fireman's switch two wire relay instead of RS485.

Run one of the two wires through a timer to prevent operation during the night.
Click to expand...
Oh, well yeah I guess I muddied the waters there. I installed the link. Don't recall the cable I used. I believe it uses rs485 for the communication protocol but may just be two wires connected.
 
mknauss said:
Shouldn't be. I can see how Jim did what he did in my ScreenLogic for the Pool. I believe you must be able to do it at the ET panel, but sometimes Pentair does not make that all that intuitive.
Click to expand...
I'll.... do some digging. I have cat6 from control panel to my network closet inside, so wireless isn't really a big deal to me.
 
OK -- many folks have had issues with using hard wired. One lightning strike can make a bad day for your equipment.
 
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