How many Control Circuits do I need?

[Nightmare]

I'm trying to lock down all the pool equipment next week. Right now I have a Jandy PDA 6 on my back porch. I want to make sure I don't immediately fill up all the available channels in my brand new system. I've never had a Pool Remote, so I don't really know how many things I will need/want to control. At the minimum I want:

All Pool controls: Pump Speed (its a Jandy Variable), Sweep, Heater, Timers for the equipment, etc
All Spa Controls: Pump, Heat, Jets. It sounds like the venturi is just a tube that sucks more air the faster the pump runs. At the very least I'm going to install a ball valve to control the air flow a little
LED Lights: We are going to have 4 Jandy Lights (2 Pool, 1 Spa on the Reef Step, 1 Spa in the Spa. I'd like the option to control all lights individually or at the same time (sounds like that might be 4 channels)
Landscape Lights: I don't have a system picked out yet, but it will have a couple dozen lights

Options:
Remote Control for the Gas Tikis. This may be too expensive.
Stereo
Laminar Water Jets
Sprinklers ? - This seems unnecessary

So, how many channels do you guys/gals have?

What do you control with your pool remote? Might as well list the brand you have too.

Thanks

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Not 100% sure but I think that even though the E-Pump doesn't use the 1st relay, it gets counted as used anyway, just as a Pentair controller would do. So that's one of six.

Four lights, individually controllable is 4 relays. That makes 5 used total. Might make more sense to simply separate the pool and spa so only two are used.

If you have a booster for the sweep, that either takes the last one or the 4th.

Lets assume the pool lights are tied to one relay so you can get the additional features.

Laminars on their own pump- #5

Landscape lights on #6 or fed buy a power strip with a light sensor and timer like Christmas lights.

Separate spa jet booster or blower for #6

Gas powered Tiki torches are more likely to attract bugs. Real Tikis work and aren't a big hassle to refill. I get about 6-8 hours per fill.

I wouldn't waste a relay on a radio.

Sprinklers can go on their own timer control.

The heater doesn't go on a High Voltage Relay. It can be connected to the same breaker as the pump and gets a control cable from the Jandy to allow it to fire and shuts off when the temp set is reached.

I don't think that if use the existing controller, you have a choice of wireless remote brands. The Jandy works fine and give you full programming capability. I would also put a 4 button spa side controller to turn on the spa, light, heat and a blower if used or the pool lights if not.

Scott

 

[JasonLion]

Keep in mind that most people eventually end up wanting more relays than they have. Also, it is possible to get by with very few relays if you have to. If you have the money, get a system with more relays, if you don't have the money, I'm sure you can fit things into what you have one way or another.