Pentair IntelliPH Installation & Acid Injection Point

[aaronleahy]

Hello All,
I finally bit the bullet and since I had to replace my iChlor30 this week, figured I'd finally go ahead and add the Pentair IntelliPH system as well. Now that it's arriving tomorrow, I figured I'd finalize some details and I discovered 2 potential issues with installation which I'm hoping some of you all could provide some advice for.

First off, my heater is unfortunately plumbed inline with my spa returns (and it happens after it leaves the pad at that...) So that only leaves me 2 options:
1- Add the acid injection to the pool side after my valve that separates the pool / spa return lines. This means the acid would only flow to the 2 pool returns and the 3 sheer descents if they are operating. The only issue with this plan is if the valve is set to spa mode or spillover mode all of the water will be going to the spa returns only and the flow switch in the iChlor will still be activated even though water will not be flowing past the injection point any longer. So that seems like it won't work.
2- Add the acid injection before the pool / spa return valve but that does mean that the acid will be able to enter the heater. My pool is very small (only about 7000 gal) so my acid injection is expected to be less than 10% (0.213oz per hour) and I'm going to dilute in the IntelliPH tank already to 1/1 water to acid. So the relative concentration should be extremely small but will still be there none-the-less. This seems like the best option but open to thoughts.

Secondly, there is not enough space to add the saddle prior to my iChlor since I have a FlowVis right before it. Without totally redoing the less than year old plumbing there, I'll have to add the acid injection point right after the SWG if I go with option 2 above. Other than not providing the cell cleaning benefit, is there any issue with this? If its really super crucial to have it before the SWG I can redo the plumbing, but I'll need new quick connect fittings and those aren't cheap...

Pictures for reference. The rendering has all the labels regarding what goes where but the minor plumbing details ended up a little different so that's why there's no room before the SWG as seen in the actual photo.

The blue dots show the 2 possible injection points before the pool / spa return valve (no difference other than 1 is horizontal and 1 is vertical), the yellow dot would be the injection point on the pool side only, and the red area is the pre SWG space that would have to be re-worked to install in that location.


Thanks for the help!
-Aaron

 

[Ahultin]

If I understand , you are replacing the ichlor at the same time? If so, cut at the flowviz and go vertical immediately out of the filter. Put the injection point after the flowviz (I used a 2" tee with an fip reducer bushing instead of the saddle) 90 from there into the horizontal ichlor (leaving room for the more reliable intellichlor ) then back down and into your 3 way. In a perfect world you could rotate your 3 way to horizontal which would take one less elbow . You could Set the output of ichlor so it is zero while in spa mode and ideally add a heater bypass which would allow chlorination and injection in spillway mode

 

[aaronleahy]

Ahultin,
I just replaced the iChlor yesterday. It went in the same spot as the existing one. I can't flip up the existing elbow since then the Flowvis would be pointing right at the wall.
I could do essentially what you suggest and purchase a new quick coupler out of the filter, flip it up, put the acid injection point on the new vertical portion of pipe, and then move the Flowvis and iChlor higher so they would essentially be in the same spot with an elbow pointing down on each end. But the only thing this would accomplish is getting the acid injection before the SWG. If that's necessary, I can do it, but its a lot of trouble if it doesn't really make a difference before or after.

I'm assuming I'd have to set the iChlor to 5% or less in spa mode so that the acid wont dispense while in the spa, but there's no way I can get a heater bypass installed without some major underground demo as much as I'd love to!

 

[Ahultin]

Qualifier* i am very good at expanding scope of work
It may be anechdotal but my swg is going on 1yr and the Intelliph ahead of the swg has the added benefit of keeping scale off of the cell.

I can't flip up the existing elbow since then the Flowvis would be pointing right at the wall.

Can't quite tell, is there enough pipe coming out of the elbow after the filter to cut flush with the flowviz and add a coupler? The flowviz will support a 2.5 coupler on the outside with a 2.5*2 bushing so you do not lose it.

but there's no way I can get a heater bypass installed

There does look to be sufficient room for a vertical heater bypass at the heater. The challange would be could you get an actuator wire under the pavers from the easytouch across to the heater.

 

[aaronleahy]

But is there any detriment to putting it behind the SWG? In 3+ years with the last iChlor I never had any scale on the plates, so hence my hesitation to replumb if that's the only benefit. Again, I'll do what's right if there's a reason not to put it behind the SWG but if it's just for scale reduction it's simply not worth it to me.

Also, good point on the heater bypass. I never thought about putting it over there. It's about 20' from the pad but only 10' from the Easytouch and I have a conduit that goes between the ET and heater so I could get the actuator over there...

When would that heater bypass enable? Anytime it's not actively heating?

 

[Ahultin]

When would that heater bypass enable? Anytime it's not actively heating?

Correct, heater is in bypass anytime there is not a call for heat

But is there any detriment to putting it behind the SWG?

I have not read anything saying it cannot be placed after the swg