Intelliflo 2 with Solartouch

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Scott D

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Apr 2, 2016
8
Orlando, FL
Hello all! I'm on a mobile device so I haven't updated my profile yet--in a nutshell, 10k gunite freeform pool; previously controlled by a mechanical timer (now being used only as power disconnect). Pentair chlorine tab offline feeder, and heliocool (sp?) solar panels.
Up til yesterday, the solar was controlled manually with a 3 way Jandy valve.
My local pool store (who I have a long standing maintenance relationship with) sold me a new Intelliflo 2 pump and the Solartouch controller.
The installer was different than the previous one I've dealt with (it's been a few years since they have done Any work at the house). He basically didn't know anything about the solartouch, so I'm saddled with trying to figure it out on my own and the documentation isn't all that good.
Anyway, the controlling of the pump itself by the ST seems to work fine--When the temp of the solar probe is high enough, the pump ramps up, etc as it's supposed to--but I still want the pump to turn on in the morning, even if there isn't heating available. I have the override feature of the ST turned off, so the pump program should still work, correct? I'm at a loss about programming it all. I'm hoping someone here can help me understand it all.

Also, how do I run my pool cleaner?

Thanks, Scott
 
Probably best to preset speed 1 as the speed to run for filtering, skimming and making chlorine if you have SWG. Mine is 1100rpm. Set speed 2 to whatever speed you want for solar, mine is 1950 rpm. Set speed 3 for cleaner speed, mine is 2500 rpm. Set the pump timer to turn on to speed 1 in the morning. Set the solartouch to change to speed 2 when solar is available. It will go back to speed 1 when solar turns off.

Not sure about the cleaner. I only run mine manually. The solartouch has a feature to integrate the cleaner pump. I would probably set a timer to run the cleaner at night so solar isn't a factor.
 
If the programming is the same as mine (Intelliflo 011018), the solar touch is using external program Speed #2. You can still program times and speeds on speeds 1-8. Any time the solar is activated it will override the programmed speed with the ext 2 programmed speed. Anytime there is a conflict in program, the pump will run the higher speed.
 
Ok, so if you set the cleaner to run at a higher speed than solar then when it the time comes for the cleaner it will override the solar speed. So in my case if solar speed 2 was running at 1950 and it was time for the cleaner to run on speed 3 at 2500 then it would override the 1950 and run 2500 for the time set.
 
Thank you very much for the replies! That's about what I thought, but this morning, despite me having programmed it to start on speed 1 at 10:00am, at 11 it still wasn't on. I will mess around with it some more.

Good idea about the late night sweeping program!
One other thing--how do I program the pump with the comm cable attached? Do I just disable the solartouch, program the pump, then re-enable Solar touch?

Thanks again.
Scott
 
Ok I discovered tonight that if you disable the Solartouch (hold enter for 3+ seconds) you can program the pump.
Next Question--how do I determine the best speeds to run the pump at? The External Control speeds were all out of wack (1 was higher RPM's than 2, etc) so I set them back to the defaults: however the external control speeds were also different then the pump's internal speeds (which were also different than the defaults) which leads me to believe that maybe the installer changed them--but why make #1 higher than #2? And why not explain it to me? I really like the manager of the pool store, but I'm starting to regret the install. I guess I'm going to have to pay them a visit.

Scott
 
External speeds are just that, controlled externally through the comm cable. In your case, one of them is used by the solar controller. Speeds 1-8 (at least there are 8 on my pump) are the ones that can be controlled by the pump's onboard timer. Those are the ones you should be programming for filtering, skimming and cleaning daily, not the external ones. If you reset the external speeds you have changed the speed the solar controller uses.
 
I get all that. My point is--why would they be set differently? And both different from the defaults?
More importantly, how do I figure what they should be set to?
The fact that program 1 was set higher than 2 or 3 gives me no confidence that the settings were done appropriately.
 
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That is really a question for the person who changed the settings. Setting the right speeds for your pool is really just trial and error. I started at 900 for basic skimming and making chlorine. I got low flow errors occasionally so I tried 1000 and still got some. I tried 1100 rpm and got no low flow errors on my SWG and it had plenty of flow for good skimming.

Same basic process for setting the solar speed, you want your solar panels to be fairly cool to the touch. The general idea is the faster the water flows through the panels the more heat you are pulling out of the panels. My panels were noticeably cooler to the touch at 1950 rpm than lower speeds and they didn't seem to change at higher rpm. Also, have to make sure that there is enough flow to close the vacuum relief valve and there isn't any air getting in.

Same for your pool cleaner, mine works better at 2500 rpm than it does at 1950 rpm and it doesn't work any better at 2750 rpm than it does at 2500 so I stayed with 2500.

So, basically my theory was to try to find the lowest speed that worked well for each function for maximum energy efficiency.
 
Once you find the lowest effective speed, you should always add a little extra to allow for the loss of flow as the filter gets closer to needing cleaning. For example, my SWG flow switch works dependability at 1200rpm, but I have it set at 1400, just to provide a margin.
 
Thanks again for all the help! I am having another issue. On the pump, I programmed speed 1 to run from 10am to 6pm. All the other speeds are set to manual. It seems to successfully turn on at 10; however the last two evenings I've arrived home after 6 and the pump is still running. The Solartouch turns the heat off, but the pump is still running on program 2.
Anyone know how I get the pump to turn off??
 
Maybe the Solartouch is still controlling the pump at 6 because there is still solar heat available. So, once it passes 6 and the Solartouch shuts off it returns the pump to the last speed. Try moving the shut off time back to 7, or a time after the sun is off the solar panels.
 
I'm a little confused. Did you say it was running program speed 2? You said speed 1 was the one set to run 10am-6pm? So is the solar still running after 6? If so that would be normal as the solar uses Ext speeds and overrides the onboard program.
 
Yes that's the weird thing. It's like it hangs up when the Solar quits. I'm going to try calling Pentair I guess.

The Solartouch shows "solar heat off". Three days now, it's been after dark so solar is definitely not still running.

Also--from page 12 of the Solartouch manual--"when solar override is disabled, the system only runs during the variable speed pump's programmed run schedule".
 
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Go into the pump programming and see how speed 2 is programmed. If it is set to manual only then it shouldn't be running. My guess is you have somehow programmed it wrong.
 
I got out the Solartouch manual and did some reading. I agree with what you say.

You have speed 1 set to turn on at 10 and off at 6
All other speeds are manual
Solar override is disabled
Pump is in run program mode and turns on at 10 as scheduled
The pump should be off at 6 no matter what

I can't find anything in the manual that says otherwise. I'll go mess with mine tomorrow, I need to figure it out too because I am installing a heat pump and I need to use more timer functions for heater vs solar when I install my heat pump in a couple of weeks.


chiefwej said:
Go into the pump programming and see how speed 2 is programmed. If it is set to manual only then it shouldn't be running. My guess is you have somehow programmed it wrong.
Click to expand...

Yeah, maybe so. Be sure to check Speed 2 and Ext Speed 2, although I don't think you can set a timer for the Ext speed 2
 
If the programming is anything like the Intelliflo 011018 pump, Ext speeds can only be turned on and off via the comm cable.
 

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