Pentair Automation Suggestions Needed

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LapPoolMike

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Bronze Supporter
May 13, 2017
157
Saint Petersburg, FL
Hi All,
This is the first pool I have owned and I know nothing about automation and am looking for suggestions on what I want to do. I'm an electrical engineer and very handy and I'm sure I could install it myself (might reconsider that if impacts warranty), just looking for suggestions to get me started on what Pentair automation equipment I should look into. I don't need top of the line, just want the simplest solution that gets the job done.

My Pentair equipment that I want to control:

IntelliFlo 2 VST pump
IntelliChlor IC40 salt chlorine generator
MasterTemp 400 natural gas heater
"Pentair Water Pool and Spa" valves

This is what I would like an automation solution to do when I select "Spa" mode:

Rotate Spa Main Drain valve 90 degrees CCW (to shut off pool main drain/skimmer/vac port, and pull water from spa only)
Rotate Spa Jets valve 90 degrees CW (to shut off spa/pool returns, and return water through 6 spa jets only)
Increase the pump speed to what I like for the spa jets
Turn off the IC40 salt chlorine generator (it is plumbed in before all of the spa jets/returns, so don't want to super-chlorinate while in spa)
Turn on the heater to my "SPA ON" temperature setting

I would also like a "Spillover" mode so I could rotate the Spa Jet valve as above but not turn on the heater, maybe not the IC40 either?, so I can circulate the spa water over the spillover once per day for 30-60 minutes or so.

Also, I guess a remote control would be nice so that I don't have to open an automation control box everytime I want to activate anything.

And being able to control my IC40 output in finer than 20% increments would be a bonus.

What Pentair automation solution would you suggest I look at? Thanks!
 
EasyTouch 8 - 8 relays (7 in reality) with built in IC power supply. Call Pentair, they’ll give you the p/n

Yes, you want an 8 relay system because no one ever says, “Darn! I wish I had fewer relays..”
 
JoyfulNoise said:
EasyTouch 8 - 8 relays (7 in reality) with built in IC power supply. Call Pentair, they’ll give you the p/n

Yes, you want an 8 relay system because no one ever says, “Darn! I wish I had fewer relays..”
Click to expand...

Thanks Matt! Is there a reason why I would want the built in IC power supply? (I already have the one that came with my unit). Maybe the built in unit can be controlled but my standalone unit can't? I'll have to look into that.....
 
lpm,

As Matt has pointed out, the EasyTouch 8 with built-in SWCG power supply and ScreenLogic will do all the things you want to do...

Here is a primer on what the EasyTouch can do...

*****

Many people have pools without automation and they work just fine. I do, however, think it is important to know the advantages and the disadvantages of having an automation system.

1. Automation will help you with pool maintenance, but it will not replace the need for you to test your water, understand what you are looking at, and then making sure your water is balanced. (Another reason you need the accuracy of the TF100 test kit.)

2. The main downside to automation is cost. So before going too far down this path, you might ask your PB what it's going to cost. That said, the best time to install automation is when the pool is being built, because all the connections to the system can be made without having to figure out how you are to get power across 50' of new deck. Also, the additional cost, when compared to the cost of the pool, will be miniscule.

3. Automation systems work best when the same brand is used because then the pieces can "talk" to together. So, in your case I would recommend the EasyTouch 4 (or 8) that has a built in power supply for the SWG and generally comes with the SWG and two valves. ScreenLogic2 is an absolute requirement if you want to be able to control things from your PC or Phone.

Here is a list of what I think the advantages are:

1. Appearance. Instead of having a bunch of different boxes hanging on your wall you have one, professional looking enclosure.

2. Circuit Breaker Panel. The bottom half of the enclosure is a circuit-breaker panel where the breakers for your pool equipment (Pumps, Heater, etc.) are located. This panel is also an excellent place to add surge protector, which is an absolute must if you have the Intelliflo pump. Even if you do not get the automation, make sure your PB includes a surge protector for the pump.

3. SWG Control. Without automation, your SWG will have to have a timer, synced to the pump timer so that it does not run when the pump is off. This function is built into the EasyTouch.

4. Spa mode and SWG output. Normally all the water flows through the SWG, so when in the Spa mode, the EasyTouch reduces the amount of chlorine the SWG produces, so that the Spa users are not subjected to high levels of chlorine.

5. Pool Lighting. The EasyTouch allows you to control your pool lighting from your PC and/or from a schedule. This is another reason to add the EasyTouch now. Once your pool light is wired to switches inside your house, it might be very difficult to get the wiring to any automation system.

6. Control of Spill-over and bubblers. Right now I'm sure you are thinking I want that spillover running 24-hours a day because it is so beautiful.. Well, after a few weeks of having your pH go through the roof, you'll appreciate the ability to only turn it on, when you want it on. The same with the bubblers. With the Easytouch, you can program them to run on a schedule for a few minutes a day to keep the everything properly chlorinated or when you want to "show off" to your guests..

7. Relay Control. The EasyTouch 4 has four (really three) relays that can be used to control other things, such as landscape lights. (The EasyTouch has 8 (really 7) relays.

8. Built in Valve controls. The EasyTouch has the ability to control 4 valves. Two work for switching between the Pool and Spa modes, while two others can be programmed to do whatever you might want, like bubbler control. I would note that a lot of bubblers are controlled by manual valves that cannot be automated. You need to be sure to tell your PB that you want Jandy style valves for your bubbler control.

9. Heater Control. The EasyTouch can control your heater.. So, you can be inside and tell your PC what temperature you want the Spa to be and it will tell you when it is ready.

10. ScreenLogic. ScreenLogic allows you to program the EasyTouch with various schedules. It lets you see most all of the inputs and output to the EasyTouch and lets you decide what you want on/off and in the case of your SWG, lets you adjust the % of output on the fly.

11. Pool pump speed... The EasyTouch can be programmed to adjust your pumps speed. So when running just the pool, it can run slow, but when running your waterfall, it will automatically increase the speed to make your waterfall or other water features look exactly how you want them to look.

Just let us know if you have any more questions about the Easytouch..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

- - - Updated - - -

I just noticed that you have a 30K pool.. if so, an IC40 is way too small for your pool... you will need to go with the IC60..
 
I would call up Pentair and find out about the the external IC power center. I’m not sure if the ET panel communicates with it or not. Normally people get automation systems with the SWG power supply built in.

As Jim said, an IC40 is a bit undersized for 30k gallons. TFP recommends always oversizing your SWG to 1.5-2X the pool volume. The industry follows industry guidelines on FC which are bogus and so their SWGs are undersized in terms of output.
 
Thanks guys! Yes, I found out the hard way that IC40 is too small this summer, had to run it at 100% for 10 hours/day even with CYA at 80ppm, luckily I knew enough to ask PB to install the VS pump which I can run at only 1700-1800rpm to satisfy the IC40 flow switch! The PB specified and installed the IC40 for my pool, before I found this site and knew better! Oh well, will get the IC60 when this one dies.

I'll give Pentair a call on the automation. Thanks.
 
It looks like the "Pentair SunTouch Pool and Spa Control System 520820" they sell over at sunplay might work for what I want to do? It comes with two valve actuators. Although I've read it might be a pain in the rear to program/use? It's tempting though at $470.
 
Not really applicable. Suntouch is to control a solar panel system. Not to automate a SPA, SWCG, etc.

Take care.
 

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I'm real close on pulling the trigger on an EasyTouch 8 package with the IC60 cell, looking at Sunplay at product# 521150 for $1800. Do these packages ever go on "sale", or is this price about as good as I'm going to do on this package? Looks like free shipping from Sunplay so that helps. Thanks.
 
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