Help deciding on Easytouch vs. Intellitouch replacement?

[jr219]

Hello,

The pool lady left our easy touch enclosure opened prior to it raining and the inside got all wet and blew out the board. The board is turning on relays and valves, but the communication with the pump and the inside panel is not working. So I think the rs485/serial port was damaged.

I have Intelliflo pump, IC40, spa light, pool light, blower, and non-pool fountain all controlled via this system. Solar Heat and Mastertemp 400 heater are also installed.

So, I have a decision to make:

1) Just purchase replacement easy touch board for ~$600. (8 circuit pool/spa shared equipment)

2) Purchase entire new Easytouch 8 kit for ~$1600 and get a spare IC40 and 2 valve actuators, relays, enclosure, etc. Seems like this would be less than the cost of all the components separately. Salt cell is about 3 years old.. Really don't need enclosure or relays, but spares never hurt.

3) Purchase new Intellitouch system w/ wired interior panel to replace easy touch panel. Most expensive option since need to replace inside control panel.

My questions is what do I get with Intellitouch that I don't get with the Easytouch? I know that we had the Easytouch to turn on another Auxs port during the day to ramp up the RPM To run the cleaner, and also had the solar ramp up the pump when it was active.

I've always heard that the Intellitouch has these macros which make it easier to do these things? Is this true? Worth it?

Also -- Is it possible to install an intellitouch personality board into an easytouch enclosure? They seem to be the same, but don't know for sure..

thanks,

-jr

 

[JasonLion]

The IntelliTouch has much more flexible programing, but unless you have been really disappointed in what the EasyTouch lets you do, you are unlikely to notice the difference. IntelliTouch is good at changing several device with a single button push, for example turn on waterfall, set light program to a specific color cycle, and turn off the pool cleaner all in one press. IntelliTouch is also more expandable.

Personally, I would just replace the board, but it isn't hard to imagine wanting one of the other options depending on what is important to you.

 

[dtlight]

I would expect your pool contractor to replace the board since they left it open. Have you tried pushing the reset button and checking that the easy touch didn't loose it's programming for those two devices?

 

[peterl1365]

I am usually an advocate of spending a few more bucks to gain some spares, but I'm not sure the additional cost warrants it in this case.

The salt cell will probably need to be replaced in the next year or two, but that's only about 500-600 or so. Do you really want $400 dollars worth of relays and valves that may never be needed?

I would suggest you take that extra $1000 and set aside $500 for an IC40. Then take the remaining $500 and purchase the EasyTouch wireless control module (SKU 520547). They're about $450-500 on ebay. Then, you won't have to worry about the enclosure being left open again.

 

[jr219]

Thanks. I think your right.. Just going to replace the board and see what happens. I only hope that it is just the board and that the pump controls or the salt cell interface aren't also damaged.

I'm going to ask the pool lady to cover some of it.. Really ****** me off.

-jr