IntelliTouch or EasyTouch?

[Mario P]

I have a PB do a Viking FG inground pool.
PB is a great guy, but steers away from automation.
He's allowing me to get a controller and integrate valves, etc. into the equipment he's otherwise providing.
He's getting valve bodies that will accept the 263045 Pentair Compool Valve Actuator.
I will have Pentair VS pump, filter and heater.

All I have in the pool:
On the supply (drain) side:
1. we talked about the vacuum/suction cleaner being a manual diverter valve (that I might still want to automate, depending on where I store the hose, and how often we use the cleaner).
2. Skimmer and main drain valve.
Do you think I should automate this? How often would I want to lower or drain the pool?

On the return side, we’re going to have 3 valves:
1. Waterslide
2. Diving board (water weir)
3. Water shooters (x3, tied together)
I understand that those water features will either not be diverting water 100% into the device(s) or I will modulate the water pump’s speed, in order to control the volume.
The layout, if I understand correctly would be this:
Water pump --> Filter --> Heater --> 3 way split (manifold) to above items (1 or 2 or 3) 3 way combiner(manifold) --> pool returns

There is no spa, or anything else water related.
Besides those valves, I will have some pool lights and automatic pool cover.


With the simple pool setup like this, is there any reason to pick IntelliTouch vs. EasyTouch?
If I understand correctly, EasyTouch has LCD display for control at the equipment where as IntelliTouch does not.

 

[JasonLion]

That is a very simple setup. EasyTouch should be more than enough.

Both EasyTouch and IntelliTouch give you full control from the main control panel where the circuit breakers and relays are located.

 

[Mario P]

After talking to tech support I was educated that EasyTouch is limited to 2 valves, where as IntelliTouch can support 5.
Since I'm planning on having 4 valves from the get go, and possibly adding 5th for the vacuum cleaner, that made that decision a no brainer.

The only question now is do I need to also get the Pentair 520285 Valve Module Replacement IntelliTouch Pool and Spa or does the LoadCenter have built in capacity for the 5 valves onboard?
If it makes any difference, I'm looking at 1x Pentair IntelliTouch Load Center Sub Panel 521215 & 1x Pentair IntelliTouch Pool / Spa Control Personality Kit - Single Body of Water i9 + 3s 521224

 

[JasonLion]

EasyTouch supports up to four valves, two for pool/spa and two assignable. IntelliTouch supports up to seven, two for pool/spa, two assignable, and three more with an add-on module (module P/N 520285) that are also assignable.

The load center doesn't do anything with valves. The personality module is the one that supports valves.

 

[Mario P]

EasyTouch supports up to four valves, two for pool/spa and two assignable. IntelliTouch supports up to seven, two for pool/spa, two assignable, and three more with an add-on module (module P/N 520285) that are also assignable.

The load center doesn't do anything with valves. The personality module is the one that supports valves.

Thanks Jason,
So if I get the 521215 load center & 521224 - I9+3s Personality kit I'll be set for up to 4 valves, right?
BTW, none of those parts, kits, etc come with the 263045 actuators, right?

And I'll only need the 520285 Valve module and additional actuators if I need to expand beyond the 4.

 

[Mario P]

Can someone explain how the actuator is tied into the intellitouch system?

I'm hoping that it's not just a contact closer (AKA relay) as those are either on or off.
I know in industrial and RC controllers we use stop pins, and flags to limit rotational movement.

My goal is to be able to set valves at different positions so that I can divert certain percentage of water to water-slide vs. weir, etc.

 

[JasonLion]

The following may just confuse things, but there are many more options than you have been talking about and then Pentair appears to have explained to you.

You don't have a spa, and the pool/spa valves are limited in what they can do, so you may not really want to use those two valve connections. This is why Pentair was telling you the other numbers (2 valves for EasyTouch and 5 valves for IntelliTouch). They figured you wouldn't be able to use the pool/spa valve control slots. However, I have frequently seen people make use of the pool/spa slots for other purposes, though it can get confusing (and you need the pool/spa version of the personality module). So there are choices other than what Pentair was telling you.

You started out talking about three valves, which EasyTouch can do with no problem (one uses one of the spa connections and the pool&spa version of the EasyTouch). EasyTouch can do four, but it gets confusing and there are some limitations on the combination of positions of two of the vales. IntelliTouch is the same as EasyTouch, but you can add three additional valves compared to the EasyTouch numbers using the valve module, and then another 5 to 7 valves for each expansion cabinet. Further, with some non-Pentair add on hardware, either system can control additional valves with aux relays.

So you have many more choices than Pentair was explaining, though each of these additional choices come with some limitations which may or may not bother you.

 

[Mario P]

Jason, I met with PB yesterday and he explained that on the return side, he is providing 4 valves: Return, Diving Board, Slide, Shooters.
We talked about the supply side where we'll have Main Drain, Skimmer, Cleaner suction inlet. He said that he's installing valves on those as well, but that I will never need to automate it. I'm thinking that I might want to automate the vacuum cleaner, but will start with manual per his direction.

So, with that clarification, and with me being OK with purchase of more expensive IntelliTouch, if I get the 521215 load center & 521224 - I9+3s Personality kit I'll be set for up to 4 valves, right?

BTW, none of those parts, kits, etc come with the 263045 actuators, right?

And I'll only need the 520285 Valve module and additional actuators if I need to expand beyond the 4.

 

[JasonLion]

If getting the IntelliTouch doesn't bother you, I would go ahead and get the 520285 valve module. That will result in much simpler programming and eliminate the strange limitations the pool/spa valve ports have.

Correct, no valve actuators are included.

 

[racket]

The pool/spa shared equipment set up come with actuators, the single body systems do not.

The valve operators are on/off the intellitouch cannot place a valve in an intermediate position.

I don't think you will want a valve on pool returns. If so I would us a 3 way not a 2 way valve.

Is the " diving board" valve for a diving board water feature?


Mods: should this post get moved to everything else instead of chemical automation?

 

[Mario P]

Is the " diving board" valve for a diving board water feature?

Yes, I got http://www.interfab.com/pool-diving-boards/T-7-Diving-System.aspx

 

[Mario P]

Here is what I ended up with:

Activity Quantity Rate Amount
521223 Pentair IntelliTouch i5+3S 1 455.95 455.95
Pool or Spa Controls (Replaces
520506)
521213 Pentair IntelliTouch Load 1 585.95 585.95
Center w/ Built-in IntelliChlor
Transformer
263045 - Compool, 3-Port Valve 4 124.00 496.00
Actuator, 180 Degree Valve, 24v.
____________________________________________________________________________
Total: $1,537.90


Stuff should be here tomorrow and will be waiting on PB to install next week. That is if I can make up my fricken mind on which pump to get. Based on Jason's recommendation I'm leaning towards VS.

 

[hhuang2620]

I assume if I plan on having a pool service manage my pool I should stick to easy touch as it has a control panel at the equipment pad compared to intellitouch which does not...I live overseas and the pool I am building will be at a second home in Florida where I will not be at for months at a time...

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Mario P]

Unless you get a keypad that they can control things from.
My decision for the intellitouch had to do with number of valves I wanted to control.
Easytouch was not big enough for what I wanted.

 

[Kinglangon63]

I have an Intelitouch i10 and it works great. I work everything off of my iPhone or mobile controller. I have my pool lights, patio lights and I am building a cabana as we speak and will have exterior pot lights work off of this as well, plus both pumps work off of it. You would need to download screen logos interface on your desktop and down load the Pentair app on your iPhone. i can control my pump speeds for the pool and for my sheer descents

 

[WorldChampSpurs]

Hi Lion,
I'm getting ready to buy an EasyTouch. I've been reading the manual today. It references a 2 speed pump. I plan on installing a variable speed pump. Is this an issue?

Thanks a bunch!

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