Pentair SWG IC40 PB & Install or DIY??? Before I get cement shoes for PB!!

[TeamNelson]

Not wanting to void my PB warranties on multiple pieces of equipment is why I had the PB come out & quote me today installed IC40 is $2600...PLUS salt cost

The bottom line - can I DIY install??? I'm not a plumber but I'm pretty handy & very mechanically inclined.

I called Pentair prior to PB visit & they did recommend the IC40 for longer cell life w/my 16K. They asked do you have the ?4pin socket coming out of the bottom of your Easy Touch wall panel? It's not where they said it should be - I need the control box per Pentair not just the cell. Guess the EasyTouch Panel comes spec'd with or without the 4pin socket "prewired" internally to the Easy Touch panel. Why would the PB NOT put that in? I'm guessing - so he doesn't get cut out of the chemicals he's selling at his local pool store PP&Spa's! $$$? lost sales once this goes in?

The PB went on & on about we don't recommend any SWG, Pentair hasn't worked out all the bugs yet; they are nothing but trouble, you cannot leave them a day without testing, its much harder to take care of, a fad of days gone by, you will need tons & tons of MA, the PH will never be controllable without an acid feeder - this is the biggest complaint about this system, your cement deck will deteriorate & crumble apart at the nose "overhang", "we recommend an acrylic decking as some concrete decks may deteriorate with normal salt levels & tend to deteriorate with high salt levels"... He suggested we should get a Rainbow Chlorinator & just add tabs (mind you I had a Frog (now TFP just "bleach") & SWG is replacing that due to my travel schedule).

SO I felt compelled to ask the PB:
Does Pentair know you feel this way about SWG & being a distributor of theirs? response Yes
Does my Easy Touch have the "4pin port plug in" anyplace to plug & play the cell or do I need the Power Center?or where did it go? Response, I don't know I will have to research it
Do you monitor the test levels of the "problem SWG's installed" or does the customer? response usually we do
How long have you been doing renovations & estimates? response 15years & prior I was the Tucson City Pool Manager
Will the owner or your boss agree with your recommendations NOT to install this system? response: I know the Operations Manager w/PB Silas will agree - he's not a fan of SWG...

All that being said (thank you kindly for reading) My question: Do I just do DIY? or ??? any suggestions from anybody with one of these? Anybody local have any suggestions of who might be a better person to install then my PB if it's not DIY (voids Pentair warranty per Leslie Pools if not installed by a professional) and an online retailer SunPlay said the same thing about warranty.

Too dark now to post pictures of my equipment configuration if needed - advise

 

[tgreen]

I have a Hayward SWCG that I installed myself. It was an easy DIY project. I looked up the installation manual for the IC40 and it looked like it was just as easy. Plus you will save a lot of $$$. I'm sure someone who owns an IC40 will be along shortly.

 

[multifuel]

I too am looking at going with a Pentair swg with the controller and pool builder wants over a grand more than I can buy the parts for ( this includes a vs intelliflo pump). I am probably going to go with a 2 speed Pentair whisper flo, this seems the most cost effective. But yes, any other DIY'ers do this themselves, please tell us what your opinion is!

 

[JasonLion]

TeamNelson, none of what you quote your builder as saying is true.

EasyTouch sometimes comes with the SWG power supply pre-installed, sometimes not. It certainly includes the 4 wire data connection so the EasyTouch can control the SWG.

I have done a DIY SWG install. It took a little longer than I anticipated, but nothing was especially difficult. The plumbing can get a little tricky if the existing plumbing tightly constrains the space you have. More space means more flex in the pipes which means a more forgiving install. But most DIY types can handle even a tight install, or figure out a way to make more room.

The install requires some very simple AC wiring, physically mount the power supply (unless you have it already), and plumb the cell into the plumbing in the correct spot. Now and again finding the correct spot to put the cell is tricky, if so post a photo and we can advise. Or search around and read the discussion where others asked for install location advice.

$2600 for an IC40 is way too high. My builder will install things I get off the Internet for $200, and occasionally he can beat the Internet price on the device as well. Many builders will insist you buy through them, which is reasonable in my mind as long as they can keep the price in range. $2600 is is crazy high, probably as a way of trying to talk you out of it, or really because they don't want to deal with it.

 

[36racin]

Just look on Ebay. You can buy a brand new intellitouch control panel and IC-40 for around $1500 or less. Have you taken your cover off your Easytouch panel to see if the power supply and wiring are there for the SWG? They may be there but not visible. If not I would not be hesitant to do a DIY install. These pro's here will help you out or walk you thru the process of getting it up and running.

 

[neverclearone]

I found it for $929 : ) here https://www.yourpoolhq.com/pentair-..._d_45_d_0555&gclid=CJ_w4LTG0b8CFUYA7AodoB8Anw

 

[TeamNelson]

Attached 3 photo's of pool equipment. Where the "Frog" (being a green & white cap item) is that needs to come out (no longer wanted or used). Could the SWG go there? If it's in proper order in my chain of equipment to the flow of pool equipment & plumbing... I will re-read the print out I made of the install manual. Will confirm its order need there.

I'm going to open the Easy Touch Control panel cover to see if I can find the 4pin plug Pentair spoke of next & confirm I need the Pentair Power Center or not - do I need that regardless? No sense buy more than I need - but If I understand correctly "Pentair control center" takes AC and converts to DC to run the SWG/cell... & the Easy Touch allows automation of input/output of settings & schedule.

 

[JasonLion]

I can't tell for sure, but that location looks plausible.

You seem to have four separate returns to the pool. They appear to be labeled, but I can't read the labels in the photos. Could you tell us what each of them is labeled?

 

[TeamNelson]

Yeah - sorry seen that was blurry once "bigger" than phone picture

Going Left to Right Return 1-4
1) Floor Cleaner/Turbo infloor jets, Middle 2) WaterFeature/Slide, Middle 3) SpaSuction 4) Pool Suction.

Interior of control panel electrical Easy Touch8:


I'm not seeing a 4pin plug "into" port inside according to the Pentair wiring it should be bottom of interior left side floor of the control panel box.

 

[JasonLion]

From the EasyTouch photo it is clear you do not have the SWG power supply option. You will need to buy the separate power supply.

If I followed your labels correctly, the pool frog location is a great place for the SWG.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Question - does all the water coming out of your filter go into the pool frog thingy?

It's hard to tell but it looks like you have valves and piping there that allows you to bypass or split the flow around the pool frog.

Also, as for the Pentair panel, if you had an SWG power cell, one of those little black circuit breakers in the upper right if the EasyTouch would be a 12A resettable fuse for a salt cell.

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[TeamNelson]

Yes the water comes from the filter to the Frog & is on a valve which allows partial flow or full thru it or OFF depending on manual Jandy valve position. The valve position in photo is at 50% a setting we've not changed since install... as The Frog is empty of the mineral & Tab cartridge now & basically just water flows thru it.

Good to know about the 12Amp fuse/salt cell Awaiting a call back from Mr.Bonemma & see what that PB says or his contractor for install & if it's silly money - then game on DIY!

Next forum search will be Ozone w/SWG - do I want/need the Ozone Ultra Pure system w/SWG? or would that be a conflict? Don't care either way to keep or go as it's been on since day one & I don't know what if its doing anything or good. Somebody did mention that it can help with keeping the CC down or at zero?

 

[TeamNelson]

Maybe better photo of that Frog w/valve.

(The water is from me dripping not the Frog unit "Ribbett"):splash:

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Well having the bypass there is a really nice option for when you want to clean an SWG cell. But just remember to adjust the valve properly so you get good flow through the cell. You could send all the water flow through but I'm not sure what your max flow rate is on the pump and there is an upper limit of flow through the cell as per Pentair so you might have a little bit of experimentation to do.

As for ozone, I hope there are some experts here for that because I'd be interested in reading about it. My understand is ozone works best when you can bubble it up from the bottom of the pool using an in-floor system.

But I've also heard that ozone is waste of money because it truly only works when water is treated in small volumes in a holding tank and then transferred to a larger reservoir like a pool.

So I'd be interested in the TFP judgement on ozone.


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[JasonLion]

I don't recommend ozone for residential pools (unless you frequently host large pool parties on consecutive days). Ozone is great for commercial pools, but not so much for residential.

Slightly technical aside: Ozone is an oxidizer. Chlorine is both an oxidizer and a sanitizer. Chlorine alone does plenty of oxidizing, leaving nothing for the ozone system to do. The exception is when lots of people are swimming, chlorine alone can't quite keep up and the pool might get a little cloudy for 24 hours after a major pool party. Normally that is no big deal, but if you have another party the very next day then something like an ozone system (or adding MPS) can help catch up more quickly.