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For some reason the temperature sensor on my Paddock Aquatouch no longer reads the correct temperature. It thinks my pool water temperature is in the range of 30F despite the fact that it is actually about 85F. As a result, it keeps needlessly turning on my pump filter every 5 minutes! How can I disable this? I've Googled for my control system model but it is pretty old and all the results show newer models which have controls mine doesn't. I assume there's a temp sensor somewhere I can disable it from listening to maybe? How?

By playing around a bit with the buttons in all the combinations I could think of I did find that when I press "Program, Enter" I get the following message:

Press devices to activate for freeze protection - press enter when finished

Unfortunately, just hitting enter informed me that the filter pump was protected. I tried adding and removing a couple other pumps, but while I was able to add them, I wasn't able to remove them! When I hit enter it says:

Devices allocated to freeze protection are:
  Pump
  Aux7
  Pool Htr
  Spa Htr
Freeze protection is enabled

Implying there is a way to disable it. But I haven't been able to find a combination to do that.

Update: Here is a picture of the controller. enter image description here

I found what I think is the temperature sensor attached to the piping. enter image description here

The circuit board (A Jandy Aqua Link 5574C) is shown here. I have circled in red where the temperature sensor wires appear to connect. However, there are 4 wires instead of the expected two: green, yellow, red and black. enter image description here

I have ohmed out these 4 wires with no power:

black and red: 1.2 ohms

black and green: 1.5k ohms

yellow and green: 1.5k ohms

Update: After I closed up the box and turned power back on after taking the bottom picture, the temperature reading went as high as 84F before dropping first to 75F and then 49F.

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  • What is the exact make name and model number? Paddock seems to be an OEM name. Look at the specifications plate.
    – wallyk
    Aug 27, 2016 at 5:09
  • @wallyk I've added a picture to show the controller. I'm not sure what specifications plate you are referring to - this unit is built into the wall so all I can see is the front.
    – Michael
    Aug 27, 2016 at 14:13
  • If you can figure out where the temp sensor is connected, you can replace it with a quarter watt resistor, what I can't tell you is what value by I'd start with about 10k. Bottom line you can also likely replace the thermistor for $20 if you find it and identify it.
    – Tyson
    Aug 27, 2016 at 15:46
  • Also if you can find "sensor calibration" or something like that in the programming menu's you can adjust that to have the sensor effectively lie about the current temp.
    – Tyson
    Aug 27, 2016 at 15:47
  • @Tyson I can't even find any menus...
    – Michael
    Aug 27, 2016 at 16:54

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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I suspect the 30°F reading is what the sensor indicates if it were disconnected. Inspect the wiring between the controller and the sensor which is mechanically connected to the plumbing somewhere. It could be a sensor failure, but is most likely a wiring problem.

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  • I'll check the wiring... if it makes any difference, for some time before this happened it was inaccurately reading in the range of 110F, which of course made no difference to me because it had no effect on pool operation. :)
    – Michael
    Aug 27, 2016 at 18:40
  • The wiring looks fine, I have added a couple of pictures.
    – Michael
    Aug 27, 2016 at 19:40
  • Updated question to include resistances measured on the sensor wires... Maybe I'll see if I can find a suitable resistor and try paralleling it across the yellow/green wires.
    – Michael
    Aug 27, 2016 at 19:48
  • Nope... paralleling 1k across yellow green did nothing.
    – Michael
    Aug 27, 2016 at 20:24
  • Ok, I think with your help I managed to find a workaround. I disconnected the sensor completely from the board and now (after a period of time where it started rising) seems to have stabilized at 113F and so far hasn't budged from that reading. Given that the pool is going to be drained in the winter, I think that is probably acceptable.
    – Michael
    Aug 28, 2016 at 4:32

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