Aqualink Problems - Lights Don't Work

[jgskid]

Jandy Aqualink RS8. Control box got wet/damp when panel was left off during storm. Dried it off, blew it out with a fan, and everything worked fine except spa light. When activated the relay could be heard chattering on and off and the light would not come on. Pool light fine. Pushed reset button a few times and now neither light will come on. All other devices work fine and GFI is not tripped. Aux 1 - blower gives 32 v when depressed to contacts, A2 pump low speed ok, A3 and A4 - the lights give 0V at all times although the light on the button lights when the button is depressed. A5 which is unused is 32v to relay when OFF. Suggestions for troubleshooting and repair appreciated.

[AquaTechPool]

use your meter and make absolutely certain that the gfi receptacle is getting 120vac and that 120vac is coming out of it. You need to isolate. The problem lies where the power dies.

Paul

[jgskid]

Checked electrical and GFI is getting 120 volts and there is 120 going to the two light relays. The issue seems to be that when the button on the controller is depressed there is no voltage going to the relays.

Thanks for any ideas

[AquaTechPool]

you state this is an rs8 - do you have anything running on your other auxiliaries??? if lights are on aux 3 and 4 - try removing the red pin connector and connect to any other auxiliary not being used such as 4 thru 7. you can even disconnect the blower temporarily just to test the light relay on that socket. You can also use the solar socket to test! if you use the blower socket and it still doesn't work, then you know it is not a problem with the board. The problem lies with the lights, wiring, or the gfi. If it does work on the same aux as the blower, then you know there is a problem with that socket on the main board. You would need to use other sockets if you have them available or replace the board (very expensive) or repair the board.

Let us know how it turns out!

Paul

[jgskid]

Ok - now we're getting somewhere. Thank you so much! I connected the spa light to the blower terminal and it works perfectly. The pool light, which is on a dimmer, however, did not at first. I went to the indoor controller and programmed the blower auxillary as a dimable light and named it the Pool Light. Success, it worked perfectly so at least I have the light back and it's dimmer is ok. I now believe my unit is an RS6 as the 7 and 8 Auxs do not light when depressed. Aux 3 was the pool light and Aux 4 was the spa light. With both of these, the indicators light but there is no voltage. Aux 5 is a little different. It is connected to a blank relay. The indicator light turns on and off but it is always hot at 32v. So, unless there is something I don't know about 5 I'm coming to believe that Aux 3,4,5 are defective. Any suggestions? I see there is a Relay Driver Chip 3814 for $15 what do you think about replacing it?

Now, fully confident, I went back and connected the spa light to the solar relay. When I activate it from the panel or house it too works fine. Now that just leaves the blower. Now that you have trained me I see the 24v Electric Terminal next to the solar one (my heat is gas) and connecting to it runs the blower when I hit the heater button on the panel. However, there is no button for this at the house controller. Any thoughts on that? I do have spa and pool heat buttons at the house but they run the gas heater.

Many many thanks!

Jim

[AquaTechPool]

indeed you have made some progress. what we've done is isolate the problem. the problem is not with your lights or any other items, it is with your main pcb. The lighting relays have failed on the board. I would however caution testing the relays with a meter with the power on to the board. I have seen more people cause damage to the boards in this manner than help their cause. The prongs on the relays are soooo close together, and if you accidentally touch your probes together while connected to the terminals, it will short out the relays on the back of the board which will cause a failed board.

Your options are to replace the board, very expensive, repair the board, requires shipping it out and takes a couple of weeks, but less expensive, or if you have other working relays available on the board, then you can just use them instead. it does sound like you have an rs6, but to make sure, you can look on the back of the board and look at the chip, it will have a date code and state the software revision and the model.

What you need to do now is figure out how many items (auxilliaries) you have and how many working relay slots you have. You also might consider consolidating your pool and spa light together. Also, don't forget, you can use your solar button if it is not already being used for something else.