Intellichem return Flow Location Question

[samendolaro]

I purchased an Intellichem last March but was not able to install it until this December. I hooked the unit up using the mixing chamber as the acid injection point, tapped the Intake just after the filter and the return/acid injection point just before the Salt cell.

My kit was missing the inline checkvalve so I contacted Pentair and they sent me the latest revision which is no longer "In-line" since they no longer recommend using the mixing chamber for acid injection and want it directly injected into the return pipe.

This is where my question comes in.. The people who built my pool placed all of their valves back to back even with the salt cell. So Ideally I'd like to leave my acid injection point just before the cell and my return flow line after it . There is no room to actually place the line after the salt cell before it splits 3 ways. So I was thinking of placing the return into the return for the Spa Jets. This return is either fully open or fully closed and it is closed 99% of the time.

I was thinking that this should give me a maximum differential in pressure allowing me to run my intelliflow much lower then 2200RPM it requires in its current configuration to keep the flow switch open.

I included a diagram of what I want to do but was not sure of any potential downsides of connecting the return flow to a return with is closed.

Thanks

 

[pwrstrk]

Welcome to TFP !

Sorry, I'm not able to answer your question, but somebody should be along to help you out.

 

[aussieta]

i believe the acid injection needs to go in the suction line just before the pump
i was looking at this manual yesterday
http://www.poolcontrols.com.au/data/SaltiGem_Manual_3_final.pdf

 

[JasonLion]

There are a lot of different ways to set things up that will work, but I don't think your proposal is one of them. Having the outlet from the flow cell go to the spa jets line means the IntelliChem can only work when the spa jets are turned on, which is sure to cause problems.

Do you have a heater? If so you can connect the flow cell outlet after the heater but before the acid injection point.

It is often possible to install the return connection on the salt cell side of the three way valve, in the sleeve of the pipe connection just after the salt cell. That requires a little more care and you should double check that the strap that holds the injection fitting in place is long enough to wrap around there before drilling.

If you don't have a heater, you will probably be better off switching things around completely, and placing the flow cell inlet after the filter and the outlet before the filter. Of, to really maximize the pressure differential, you can plumb the return line to before the pump, which gives you by far the highest pressure differential, but can cause slight additional difficulty in priming the pump.

 

[drunkwithpower]

There are a lot of different ways to set things up that will work, but I don't think your proposal is one of them. Having the outlet from the flow cell go to the spa jets line means the IntelliChem can only work when the spa jets are turned on, which is sure to cause problems.

Do you have a heater? If so you can connect the flow cell outlet after the heater but before the acid injection point.

It is often possible to install the return connection on the salt cell side of the three way valve, in the sleeve of the pipe connection just after the salt cell. That requires a little more care and you should double check that the strap that holds the injection fitting in place is long enough to wrap around there before drilling.

If you don't have a heater, you will probably be better off switching things around completely, and placing the flow cell inlet after the filter and the outlet before the filter. Of, to really maximize the pressure differential, you can plumb the return line to before the pump, which gives you by far the highest pressure differential, but can cause slight additional difficulty in priming the pump.

I have a Pentair system with variable speed pump, intellichem, and intellichlor, and my acid injection point / flow cell outlet is plumbed on the inlet side of the pump and my inlet for the flow cell is right after the pump. This was done because I couldn't get enought pressure differential to keep the flow cell floater floating (say that 3 times fast). Anyway, I started having issues with my intellichlor and the service guy pulled it off to find out the coating on all the fins had been eaten away. Could this be the result of injecting acid before all the equipment? Do you think this could have a negative impact on my pump and OPR/PH sensors as well? Pentair technicians suggested we go this route so do you think they have actually contributed to my equipment wearing down quicker?

Thanks!