Hook up pump, heater and Intellicom Communication Center

[Floris]

Hi everybody,

Just relocated my pool equipment and have a question about the wiring.
I do have a sta-rite variable pump and two heaters, one electric for maintaining the temperature and a propane heater for quick warm up. I'll operate the propane heater manually, probably.
The electric heater needs to switch on the pump before running. Before I had a simple one speed pump hooked up to a timer. Now I do have the variable speed pump.
So I bought the Intellicom Communication center. Can I hook up both heaters to that? And will I lose my internal program on the pump when I hook up the RS-485 cable to the pump?
My intention was to hook up the electric heater to terminal 3-4 and set program 1 to 1500 or 2000 rpm.
Will my normal programming still be functional? And do I need to hook up the gas heater as well or just keep that one manual, like I'm using it for a 2 or 3 hour heat up, to make it simple.
Your input is highly appreciated, thanks in advance!

Caesar

 

[Pool Clown]

Take a look at this...

Installation Guide

Page 8 shows the hook up that would pertain to heater integration. If not using the Sta-rite/Pentair heater shown, you would need to make sure that the safety circuit wiring was >15V. And then hook the second heater to the appropriate program number. Voltage applied to the higher number program will take priority over the lower.

Is the Intellicom also connected to automation? The intention of the Intellicom is to compliment existing automation that otherwise cannot control a variable speed pump (other than on and off), by giving it the ability to change speeds. What the Intellicom does is, it has the ability to switch your pump from one pre-programmed speed to the next by way of applied voltage to 1 of 4 paired connections in the Intellicom panel. IOW, either a high voltage relay, or low voltage from a heaters safety circuit that would prove once there was water pressure, or flow, would activate that numbers speed setting. Voltage applied to the number 1 buss in the box would activate speed 1 to the pump via the RS485 connection, connection 2 activates speed 2, and so on.

You mentioned that you were going to operate the second heater manually, then, you hinted at connecting both to the Intellicom. I would hook the elec heater to the intellicom, and run the propane manually as needed.

Does all that make ANY sense?

 

[Floris]

Thanks for the info. What I don't understand is "you would need to make sure that the safety circuit wiring was >15V." I just want to put the 240 VAC coming from the heater to terminal 1-2 and the return 240 VAC to terminal 3-4. So if the heater wants to switch on, the RS485 will give a signal to the pump to start program 1.
Is that the way to go?

Caesar

 

[Floris]

Hi, I did reply but I don't see it. I'll do it again. What do you mean by "you would need to make sure that the safety circuit wiring was >15V"
I just want to hook up the heater's power 240V going in to terminal 1-2 and going back from terminal 3-4 running program 1 when the heater needs to run the pump. Of course data cable connected to 11-12.
is that going to work?

 

[Pool Clown]

The Intellicom works very simply...

When voltage, 15-240 VAC OR 15-100 VDC is applied to the "program" connection 1,2,3, or 4 (on the Intellicom), the Intellicom will switch the pump (through the comm wire) to that corresponding speed (1-4) on the pump. That's all it does!

IOW, You apply voltage to the terminals, the terminals do not supply voltage for components.

Heater would need to be on (ready to go, but not actually firing), and have thermostat set to desired temp. Then when pump is on and when water temp drops below desired, or set temp, heater will come on, energizing program X through the (> 15v) safety circuit, and the Intellicom will send a signal to the pump switching it to X (preset pump speed). That will cause the pump to ramp to program Xs' preset speed.

The Intellicom is only a control of pumps' 1,2,3, or 4 speed, it does not do any high voltage switching (on/off) of components. Although it can be used in a standalone configuration, it is somewhat limited in what it can do on it's own. Or i should say, what it can do compared to today's automation.

As stated before, it's original design is to be used with, or controlled by, an existing automation controller (specifically Compool 3XXX series).

 

[Floris]

Thanks, that clarifies a lot for me, I'm going to try that! I'll keep you posted! Thanks again!

 

[Floris]

Yippy, everything works like it should, hooked the heater to terminal 7-8 and it runs speed #3 if needed, perfect! And my normal programming still exists during the day, thank you!