Hayward ColorLogic Lights Not Syncing
Quick Summary
- Sync loss is caused by power outages, brownouts, repeated toggling, voltage drop, or transformer overloading — any of these can shift one light's show position relative to the others.
- First step for all systems: initiate the resync procedure using the appropriate method for your controller type (manual switch, OmniLogic, or CL Light Controller).
- If resync doesn't fix the problem, check that all lights are in the same mode — a UCL-mode light and a CL 4.0-mode light cannot sync with each other.
- When installed with OmniLogic, all lights must be on the same relay bank (all on or all off the relay), not split across mixed relays.
Why ColorLogic Lights Fall Out of Sync
Switched-style ColorLogic lights advance through their color show library by counting power interruptions. When all lights on a circuit receive the same power-off pulses in unison, they stay synchronized — each one is at the same position in its show sequence. Sync breaks whenever one light counts a different number of interruptions than the others.
Common causes include a power outage that cuts power to one area of the circuit while another continues, a brief brownout that registers as an unintentional interruption on a sensitive light, voltage drop that causes one light to reset while others stay active, or an overloaded transformer that delivers inconsistent power to different lights on the same circuit.
Method 1: Manual Resync (Switch, ProLogic, E-Command 4, or OnCommand)
This is the standard resync procedure for any system controlled by a simple switch or legacy automation.
- Turn the lights on and wait a minimum of 60 seconds. This gives all lights time to fully power up and reach a stable state.
- Turn the lights off for exactly 11–13 seconds (time this precisely), then immediately back on.
- Verify that all lights are now running the same color show. If they are not, repeat the 11–13 second off cycle. The timing must be exact — too short or too long and the pulse won't register as a valid resync command.
- Once all lights are synchronized, turn them off for a minimum of 2 minutes. This locks the synced position into memory.
Timing Is Critical
The 11–13 second off window is precise. Use a stopwatch on your phone. An off period shorter than 11 seconds or longer than 13 seconds may not register as a valid command pulse, and you will need to restart the sequence from step 1.
Method 2: OmniLogic Resync
If lights are controlled through an OmniLogic system, use the built-in resync function rather than manual power interruption.
- On the OmniLogic dashboard, locate the appropriate light control. Navigate to the body of water the lights are associated with (pool, spa, or all bodies if applicable).
- Open the light shows panel — you will see shows like Voodoo Lounge, Tranquility, USA, Twilight, Gemstone, and Mardi Gras listed.
- Locate and tap the resync icon, which appears in the lower right corner of the light shows panel. It looks like a circular arrow or sync symbol.
- The resync command will be sent. This may take up to 1 minute to complete.
- Once complete, tap the back arrow to return to the dashboard. Verify all lights are synchronized.
Note: OmniLogic resync can also be conducted manually by entering and toggling relays in service mode. However, the dashboard method is faster and preferred.
Method 3: CL Light Controller Resync
If lights are controlled through a standalone ColorLogic Light Controller unit:
- Push and release the center knob on the CL Light Controller to turn the lights on.
- Wait 2 minutes for the lights to stabilize.
- Press and hold the resync button for no less than 3 seconds.
- During the resync process, the LEDs around the knob will chase several times in a clockwise direction. This indicates the resync signal is being sent.
- Once complete, all lights should be synchronized. If they are not, repeat step 3 — press and hold the resync button again for at least 3 seconds.
If Resync Doesn't Fix the Problem
Check that all lights are in the same mode
A light in UCL mode and a light in CL 4.0 mode will advance through different show libraries. Even if they both respond to the same power interruption timing, they cannot stay synchronized because their position counts map to different colors. Use the mode-check procedure (three timed 11–13 second off cycles) to verify every light is in the same mode. If not, change mismatched lights to the correct mode using the mode-change procedure. See the wrong color / mode guide for full steps.
OmniLogic-specific: verify relay wiring
When ColorLogic lights are installed with an OmniLogic, all lights must be wired to the same relay bank. They must either all be on the relay or all off the relay — never split between mixed relays. If some lights are on one relay and others on a different relay, they will receive power interruption commands at slightly different times and cannot stay synchronized. Check wiring and consolidate all lights to a single relay assignment.
When a single light won't sync after everything else works
If one light consistently falls out of sync while the others hold their position, that light is likely faulty — its internal clock or show counter is drifting. Disconnect and reconnect it to the circuit after completing a successful resync with the other lights. If it still drifts, replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The lights sync perfectly right after the resync procedure but fall out of step again within a few days. Why?
Recurring sync loss after a successful resync points to an ongoing cause: either a daily timer schedule that creates an accidental 11–13 second power interruption, a brownout/power quality issue, or voltage drop that is causing one light to reset inconsistently. Check your automation timer settings for any gap between program end and program start that falls in the 11–13 second window, and adjust the schedule to avoid it.
Do network-style ColorLogic lights need to be resynced?
No. Network-style lights (those with "CUN" in the part number) receive explicit show commands from the ProLogic or OmniLogic controller. They don't use power-interruption counting to track show position. If network lights appear out of sync, the issue is in the automation programming or the relay assignment, not a sync state that needs to be reset.
Can I resync lights that are in different modes?
Resyncing lights that are in different modes will not produce synchronized output — they will all be at the same "show number" position, but the colors produced by UCL mode at show 3 are completely different from CL 4.0 mode at show 3. Bring all lights to the same mode first, then resync.
My lights sync fine in manual mode but lose sync on the automation timer. What is happening?
The automation relay is probably creating an off period in the 11–13 second range during a schedule transition — either when one program ends and another begins, or during a brief communication glitch between the automation panel and the relay. Check the automation schedule and add a buffer to eliminate any gap that falls in the resync timing window.
How long does the resync last?
A successful resync is maintained as long as all lights continue to receive the same power interruption sequence. Lights that are powered off for more than 2 minutes will lose their show position and return to show 1 (their default) on the next power-on. To have all lights start in the same show after extended power-off, always perform a resync after any extended off period.