Equipment Guidance, VSP, Heater, Salt system

[ps851112]

This is my first pool; I have a rectangle pool, about 18,000 gallons, including the spa. From what I can tell, it's an older system, and the heater is disconnected from the plumbing.
18,000 Gallons, Pool (32' x 14', depth 6' & 4'), Spa (8' x 5', depth 3') is where I came up with the Gallons. I rounded up the up depth and rounded up gallons.
Pentair MinMax Plus 400
JMS150T
JDE60 filter
Jandy Never Lube valve x5

I use HomeAssistant for home automation and would like to integrate it somehow (I've made a bunch of esp stuff and played with relays); I've been looking at RaspiPool, starting with just controlling the pump and gathering chemistry data, temp, and later implementing valve control and dosing. I'm about to have 42 425w panels and 20KW of backup batteries installed, and the solar tech talked about a soft start on the pump.

I received a quote for hardware and labor from a local Pool guy in Dallas, TX, to install a VSP, a used 400k Heater, and convert to a salt system. I'm trying to see if this is a decent deal. I'm not opposed to doing the labor and sourcing parts elsewhere except for the heater. I am budget-minded on this project.
$2500 Raypac 400k (Used) 120-day warranty. If I only get the heater installed, $2850.
$2298.32 Pentair IC-20
$1887.36 Hawks electronics 2.7hp
After-tax, I'm looking at $7,226.42

The current system has a JMS150T pump (1.5 HP from my search); why would he bump up to 2.7HP? I was looking at the B&D 2 or 3 HP VSP with the control relay control box as an alternative and installing my self.
I am also looking at Blueworks BLH40, I read somewhere to double the size of the salt system especially for southern climates.

What direction would you go, considering I want to do some automation but do NOT want to buy a Pool controller?

Can the heater be called "remote" using relays?
Can the BLH40 or alternative similar-priced chlorine generator be called with relays?
My research shows that the B&D VSP can be called using relays/contactors with the Automation adapter, please correct me if I am mistaken.
What valve controllers would be ideal?

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

An IC20 in a 18K pool is about half the size it needs to be.. A salt cell needs to be at least 2 x the volume of the pool.

I am a big Pentair kind of guy, but would not recommend a standalone Pentair SWCG.. I'd go with a T15 Hayward unit or a Large CircuPool SWCG, if stand alone.

In my mind you never, ever want to buy a small VS pump. You can always turn a large VS pump down, you can't turn a small VS up, especially if you have a Spa.

No one in his right mind would buy a used heater...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ps851112]

PS,

An IC20 in a 18K pool is about half the size it needs to be.. A salt cell needs to be at least 2 x the volume of the pool.

I am a big Pentair kind of guy, but would not recommend a standalone Pentair SWCG.. I'd go with a T15 Hayward unit or a Large CircuPool SWCG, if stand alone.

In my mind you never, ever want to buy a small VS pump. You can always turn a large VS pump down, you can't turn a small VS up, especially if you have a Spa.

No one in his right mind would buy a used heater...

Thanks,

Jim R.

The IC20 had me very concerned as I read that you should double the size of the salt cells, his quoted numbers jumped from his verbal numbers. The guy has me concerned.

The pump makes a lot of sense. Would you go for a 2hp or 3hp? If I start it low and ramp up, do you think that would avoid the need for a "soft starter" for the solar system?

I'm only saving about $1,000 to have him install a used one as opposed to if I try to install a new one. Do you consider this DIY if the gas line is already beside the pad? (I'm familiar with home plumbing and electrical). If he offered a longer warranty and sent me pictures of the heat exchanger, I would probably go forward with his used heater.

 

[Jimrahbe]

PS,

I believe that all VS pumps start at a low RPM and then ramp up to the speed you requested.

It is easy to spend your money, but I'd go with a 3 HP pump.. Here is why...

I have three pools and they all have 3 HP IntelliFlo pumps. Two of the pools have 1.5" plumbing and the pumps all work great. The basic concept is that a large pump will move more water at a lower RPM.. The slower you can run the pump the less it costs. The slower you can run the pump, the quieter that pump will be. I run my pumps 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM and it costs me less than $20 bucks a month.. And.. my pumps are over 10 years old.. The newer pumps are even more energy efficient, if I had one of them it would only cost me $10 bucks a month. When the pump on my pool was new, I actually had to touch it a few times, just to make sure it was still running..

If you bought an IntelliFlo3, you could control the pump via an app and it also have two internal relays that can turn other things on and off.

Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0HP with Relay Board

Thanks,

Jim R.