Wiring a Pool Pilot Total Control with an Intellitouch

[dBeau]

My current setup includes a Pool Pilot Total Control and an Intellitouch. The way things are wired right now, the intellitouch controls the pump (Intelliflow) and the valves. Independently, the pool pilot controls the chlorine generator and the acid pump. It all works great. However, due to space constraints, the pool pilot manifold sits before the pool/spa diverter valve. When I switch over to the spa function, the pool pilot senses a rise in pH (due to the hotter water?) and wants to start pumping acid. Often, this is unnecessary.

What I'd like to do is shut down the pool pilot when in spa mode. I have an extra relay in the intellitouch but am wondering how to make the best use of it. On the one hand, I could use it to cut power to the pool pilot when the spa is on. Or, I could use it between the pool pilot and the acid pump. With the former, I lose the pool pilot display while the spa is on. Are there other problems? With the later, the pool pilot still thinks it is pumping acid into the pool when it is not. The ideal solution would be one that simply disabled the pool pilot while keeping it powered up. Is there a low voltage contact that I could make or break (using the relay in the intellitouch) that would achive this? Assuming that changing the plumbing is not going to happen, what's the recommended way to achieve this goal?

Thanks!

 

[JasonLion]

With the Total Control system you shouldn't have to do anything. It will sense the PH and ORP and adjust operation as needed. The spa jets will raise the PH and the acid pump will come on, but so what. The PH really is going up and you are going to need to add acid at some point to compensate, why not do it then?

You could patch the relay into one of the flow sensor lines, so that the AutoPilot thinks that the pump is off when you are in spa mode. It isn't designed for this, there isn't an obvious place to connect to, but it is possible to find a place to splice into the wire.

 

[dBeau]

With the Total Control system you shouldn't have to do anything. It will sense the PH and ORP and adjust operation as needed. The spa jets will raise the PH and the acid pump will come on, but so what. The PH really is going up and you are going to need to add acid at some point to compensate, why not do it then?

You could patch the relay into one of the flow sensor lines, so that the AutoPilot thinks that the pump is off when you are in spa mode. It isn't designed for this, there isn't an obvious place to connect to, but it is possible to find a place to splice into the wire.

I like the answer! Anytime I can feel good about not changing something is just fine. Early in the season I seem to have trouble with the pH being too low. So when I hear the acid pump kick in I guess it just bothers me knowing that water in the spa is going to make it's way back into the pool as soon as I switch the spa off. This, I assume, will result in lowering the pool pH even more. ...but I am happy to be convinced not to worry about it.

Thanks!

 

[Aquaman95]

I suspect Jason's correct that it's adding acid because the pH is increasing. I would verify that before doing anything else.

But, if you do decide that you want to turn off the Autopilot when switching over to the spa, you could use a pressure switch on the spa line. You can get one that can be configured for NC/NO operation and just have it break power to the acid pump whenever there is pressure in the spa return line.