Dual IC-40 on Nixie NodeJS Standalone + Intellichlor power center

[thestooge1]

Howdy all!
I've posted previously about replacing my compool control with the Nixie Nodejs Stand Alone running on a Raspberrypi, as well as where to place my chlorine generator.
I'm happy to say that I've completed the Nixie installation and could not be more pleased... I wish I would have done this ions ago! I'm waiting on the Calimar 3hp VSP which is due to arrive any day.

As my pool is ~38k gallons, I've purchased two new IC40 SWG. I know I could have purchased the IC60, but I got two new IC40s for very cheap. I also got a new Interllichlor power center.
My plan is to split off after the heater and run to both SWGs, and then converge back.

3 Questions-
1. Can I power both SWG on 1 powercenter? I know that the output from the IC powercenter is 22-39VDC@6amp, but I can not seem to find what the SWGs are actually going to draw. If not, I will likely need to purchase another EDR-120-24v DC ps (or the 240-24) as mine is a 5amp and used by relays.

2. If I split the plumbing after the heater into 2 SWGs and then converge afterward, my flow rate will be cut in half for each and the safety flow switch may not activate at the lower flow. I could decrease the diameter of the PVC, but wanted to float this out here to get some wisdom on the matter first.

3. Is there an alternative that is better/easier/cheap-ish that I'm not seeing? The IC60 are not used as much, so they are not as readily available to find "deals" on.

I have attached a diagram and some pics.
Here is my setup now:
Shared Body-38000 gal total, 9ft pool with attached spa with waterfall
Controller- Nixie Standalone NodeJS-PoolController with BAS and Relay hats
Enclosure- Pentair Easytouch 8 housing (NO Pentair Controls) with 10 high power relays (3 available),
AC Power- Pentair internal 24V AC Power Supply (for raspberry pi)
DC Power- EDR-120-24 (relays)
Power BUS- 60 amp subpanel utilizing Pentair breaker bus with (3)240V/20amp GFI breakers, (1) 120V 15amp GFI (Pool lights and internal 24v AC transformer for raspbery pi), (2) 120/20amp breakers, (1) 240V surge protector.
Filter- 72sf DE filter
Main Pump 3hp Calimar VSP pump (Coming soon)
Booster Pump Polaris
SWG and Power- (1) Interllichlor Powercenter (1) Pentair IC40, (1) Saltwater pool IC40 clone (Will be installed with VSP Pump)
Heater- MaxETherm 400 gas heater (using firemans switch)
Cleaner- Polaris Quatro P40
Lights- 120v pool, 120v spa
Spa Blower

For anyone wanting to move to the PIXIE Standalone setup, I would highly recommend it. I rebuilt the software packages 6 or 7 times in a row to make sure I fully understood how it worked, and now I can fully build and load a complete system in 40 mins or so.
Thank you for all the incredible effort on this site to support normal folk just wanting to work on their own pool!

 

[ajw22]

You need two Power Centers. One for each cell.

Put the two IC40's in series.

 

[thestooge1]

You need two Power Centers. One for each cell.

Put the two IC40's in series.

Thanks for the reply awj22.
Would putting them in series cause the 2nd unit to read the elevated salt content from the first unit and not come on? It would certainly be easier to fit than parallel and would alleviate the flow rate issue I would have from splitting them.
As for the power centers, I take it that it’s not JUST DC power it is needing for the second unit, is that accurate?
Thanks again for the reply. It he help I’ve found on this site is fantastic and appreciated.

 

[ajw22]

Would putting them in series cause the 2nd unit to read the elevated salt content from the first unit and not come on?

The cell does not "elevate" the salt level.

Both cells will see the same salinity.

Pentair has the COMSYS system that puts together multiple cells for large pools. SWG Multiple Cells - Further Reading

As for the power centers, I take it that it’s not JUST DC power it is needing for the second unit, is that accurate?

You need the Power Center electronics to control the cell. Each cell needs a Power Center.

 

[thestooge1]

The cell does not "elevate" the salt level.

Both cells will see the same salinity.

Pentair has the COMSYS system that puts together multiple cells for large pools. SWG Multiple Cells - Further Reading



You need the Power Center electronics to control the cell. Each cell needs a Power Center.

The link has excellent information. I searched but had not seen that before, much appreciated.
I will adjust to place these in series and will get a second power center.
Any idea how the nixie standalone handles multiple swgs as far as control is concerned.
I understand that I will be connecting the power centers to the pump relay so they are only powered when the pump is on.
Thanks.

 

[ajw22]

Any idea how the nixie standalone handles multiple swgs as far as control is concerned.

Never got involved with that to know.

I understand that I will be connecting the power centers to the pump relay so they are only powered when the pump is on.

Correct.

 

[TopJimmy]

I can’t speak for Nixie proper, but Intellicenter sends and receives all Intellichlors as 1 if they’re on the same RS-485. You could try connecting them and I’ll bet Nixie will control them as 1, meaning if you set 10% they will both be 10%, for example.
In contrast to yours, I have a dual body setup and I learned Intellicenter can only control multiple Intellichlors in concert. So for my setup I had to have 3 RS-485 busses with njs-pc/nixie: 1 for intellicenter, 1 for pool IC40, 1 for spa IC20.

 

[ajw22]

I think the best strategy with two IC40's is to set one to generate at 70%- 90% and leave the output alone. Maybe don't even connect it to the Nixie if it insists on setting the same % on both.

Then you adjust the other % as needed for the pools FC needs across the seasons.

Trying to dial in the FC demands with the variables of two cells can become very confusing. Make one a fixed output and vary the other as needed.