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SoCalDIYWannabe · Mar 15, 2025

1poolman1 said:
Label on your pump says it is a 1.5hp (2.25 total horsepower) pump, not 3. Even at that, a pump that large running a single speed is not recommended on 2" plumbing. You could install a Nidec Neptune NPTQ225 ($600 - $650) variable-speed motor that has its own control for speeds, times, etc., then use your existing time clock to control the SWG. A GO KIT 32 will have the seal and O rings, etc. needed to complete the job.
Unless you absolutely want a new pump, doing it that way would eliminate having to replumb the front of the pump. Right now it looks like there is not enough pipe in front of the pump (you should have about 8"-10" straight), but that won't matter much with low-speed water with a VSP.
You don't have a lot of room on that pad between the plumbing and the house to make many changes.

Yeah, the room is an issue. I thought about moving the pump rotated (clockwise) back and toward the house, but that doesn't really solve the problem. It means a long straight toward the house, and would still be a 90 right at the pump intake. Unless I want to do rotate the pump counterclockwise (so the intake is on the right) and run some weird disneyland-queue pvc rerouting just to get the longer straight.. That seems just silly though.

Just for grits and shiggles, I tried to draw that out. How silly is it really? How worth it for the extra room in front? Does the extra 90's right at the intake make much difference? (90'diverter+90toward house+90 toward right, then 2 90's for the u-turn back to the pump) I didn't adjust my drawing for the pump out to the filter, but that's not relevant to this.

SoCalDIYWannabe · Mar 15, 2025

SoCalDIYWannabe · Mar 15, 2025

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

OOF!!!

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

jubjub said:
Thanks, I actually am familiar with the aeration strategy. We have a fountain and 2 bubblers, so I'm able to raise pH fairly quickly. So you don't seen any concerns on the CH front?

Not at 300 CH.

jubjub · Mar 15, 2025

PoolStored said:
That TA and CH make more sense.

Your Taylor test is the gold standard. Trust it. Fine to use Guru for monitoring, but use the Taylor for any adjustments. As you can see CH is higher, pH is higher, and TA is lower, Taylor v. Guru.

Test your fill water for TA and CH, and report those. My guess is your TA is high and CH is also.

Given the Taylor results, and new CSI, I would work your TA down.

Here is my link to the method...

Lowering Total Alkalinity (TA) Quickly with the Acid Aeration Method

Thought I'd make a post that might help others. We've had quite a few members this year with high TA, and I've been typing the same information over and over. I'm going to post this so I can link it to help others. High TA can cause rapid pH rise. High TA is typically caused by high TA fill...

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks, I actually am familiar with the aeration strategy. We have a fountain and 2 bubblers, so I'm able to raise pH fairly quickly. So you don't seen any concerns on the CH front?

JamesW · Mar 15, 2025

The valve actuator sends 24 VAC to Black and Red or Black and White depending on the actuator position.

The relay coil will be powered when the actuator is moving the Solar valve to Solar Position.

Just measure if the voltage is Black and Red or Black and White when the Solar Valve is actuated.

Valve A or Valve B actuators are for general purpose use (solar, water-feature, in-floor cleaner, etc.).

Use Valve A for Solar/Heat Pump.

proavia · Mar 15, 2025

What Taylor test kit is that?
Add it to your signature.

https://www.troublefreepool.com/account/signature

As @PoolStored suggested, work the TA down. Will also be interesting to know your fill water ph, TA and CH.
When you add your SWG, you'll want to keep CSI slightly negative to minimize scaling in the SWG.
We recommend a CSI in the 0.00 to -0.30 (negative 0.30) range - especially with a SWG.

JamesW · Mar 15, 2025

You can also use the Solar valve output by connecting a 24 VAC Relay to the Solar Valve socket and that will activate the remote function.

Two of the standard valve outputs are dedicated to the pool/spa INTAKE and RETURN valves.

Valve A or Valve B actuators are for general purpose use (solar, water-feature, in-floor cleaner, etc.).

Use Valve A for Solar/Heat Pump.

You have to figure out the correct wires to use.

You need to configure the Heater in the Settings.

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/nam/pentair-pool/residential/automation/intellicenter/manuals---user-docs/intellicenter-users-guide.pdf

DR'sPool · Mar 15, 2025

I am going to upgrade to a new Intellicenter controller for my pool/spa. Had an old Compool LX3800 system. Can anyone give me insight on how to wire a heat exchanger, supplied by a domestic boiler, into the Intellicenter? Here is my set up.
I have a pool/spa (one body of water.) 32000 gal inground.
The pool plumbing has a heat exchanger plumbed into the system. It was used with an on old doemestic boiler and Compool LX3800. I replaced the boiler with a NTI 340K BTU unit.
The domestic boiler controller has the thermostat wires run to the pool control room. The heat exchanger is two 130K BTU plumbed in parallel ( so total of 260K BTU).
Can I just run the boiler thermostat wires in series to the Intellliceter heater dry contacts and then through the pressure (flow) switch which is installed near the heat exchanger? The old system had a temp setpoint monitor which I don't think I need any more because of the new stlye boiler and Intellicenter.

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

That TA and CH make more sense.

Your Taylor test is the gold standard. Trust it. Fine to use Guru for monitoring, but use the Taylor for any adjustments. As you can see CH is higher, pH is higher, and TA is lower, Taylor v. Guru.

Test your fill water for TA and CH, and report those. My guess is your TA is high and CH is also.

Given the Taylor results, and new CSI, I would work your TA down.

Here is my link to the method...

Lowering Total Alkalinity (TA) Quickly with the Acid Aeration Method

Thought I'd make a post that might help others. We've had quite a few members this year with high TA, and I've been typing the same information over and over. I'm going to post this so I can link it to help others. High TA can cause rapid pH rise. High TA is typically caused by high TA fill...

www.troublefreepool.com

Budfudder · Mar 15, 2025

We just got a new filter installed - a Waterway Crystal Water 525. It seems that there might be a leak somewhere:

the pressure gauge on the filter never gets off zero.
when I activate the air bleeder valve, it always has air to bleed - it'll push air for up to several minutes before it starts spewing water. Once it does spew water and I close it...in half an hour it will have air in it to bleed again.
when I opened it up to clean the filters, they were all filthy (as expected) but only from about half way down. The top half of all of them was almost pristine. It was as if the filter had never been more than half way full, so only the submerged part of the filters had actually been doing any filtering.

I contacted the bloke who installed it for us - and he told me that all of the above was perfectly normal (obviously, he doesn't want to say there's something wrong with anything he did). But he suggested that there could be a leak somewhere in the pipes on the suction (rather than the filter) side.

I would have thought that once it was up and going, the filter would always be full of water - but in our case, at least, that doesn't appear so.

So is this normal? Or is it something I need to address? And if so, how?

HermanTX · Mar 15, 2025

Have you used the Taylor K1766 salinity test kit to confirm your actual salt level?
most salt systems use an amp reading or some similar method to calculate a salt level but it is rarely that accurate.
However it is important to keep the salt cell happy so it turns on.
So having the actual salt level helps determine the next steps.
Have you cleaned the sensor that reads the salt level for the cell?

JamesW · Mar 15, 2025

You can set the heat pump like solar.

Do you want to run gas and heat pump at the same time always or heat pump preferred or what?

jubjub · Mar 15, 2025

PoolStored said:
Are they from the Guru? Can't get 6.7 FC on a Taylor kit, for example, would have to be in .2 or .5 increments. We'd like to see your results from your test kit.

You really want to use 250 CH as the floor for a plaster pool. Can you test your fill water for CH? You might be ok, if you have high CH fill. If not, adjust to 250.
We also recommend you round your CYA up to the next 10. Here's why...see #7:

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

Your FC is reasonable for your CYA of 60. Always follow this...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Your TA is very high. If that number is from the Guru, I would encourage you to test again with your Taylor and report that. Would you also test your fill water for TA?
When the water warms up, your CSI will rise slightly. You may find that you need to lower your TA to keep CSI in check.

You didn't mention how you are chlorinating???

Thanks, CH was one of my concerns. I have plenty of Calcium on hand to add, but hesitated when the CSI was in acceptable range.

Here are the Taylor results from tonight (yes, I use the WaterGuru automatic tester daily and weekly compare to Taylor):
FC: 6
CC: 0.5
pH: 7.6
TA: 220
CH: 300
CYA: 60
CSI: 0.24

For the time being, we're using liquid chlorine. The pool did not come with a SWG, but I had one in my last pool, and I MUCH prefer SWG, so I'm going to add one as soon as I can get a pool company out.

Thoughts?

JamesW · Mar 15, 2025

The Solar Booster Pump relay or Electric Heater relay should work.

https://hayward.com/media/akeneo_connector/asset_files/5/1/51300056501_RevG_7a0e.pdf

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/nam/pentair-pool/residential/automation/intellicenter/manuals---user-docs/intellicenter-installation-guide.pdf

HermanTX · Mar 15, 2025

It is best to remove those top tiles and completely redo that spillover section . Those cracks look rather large in the picture.
It is best to have a tile mason help you if you are not familiar with the process.

HermanTX · Mar 15, 2025

SoCalDIYWannabe said:
Sorry, me again. If I'm doing some replumbing, it appears that I can disconnect stuff from the heater. This is a coupling, I guess. But is the black part touching the white PVC likely glued to it? Will I need to replace that black piece? If so, what's it called?

View attachment 632528

I would NOT cut where the white pipe meets the black pipe. That black half union has special threads on it that matches to the mating half on the heater. Cut the white pipe where it meets the white elbow - see my BLUE line -. This way you can add a standard PVC coupling on to that white short pipe.

HermanTX · Mar 15, 2025

Gatorade · Mar 15, 2025

Are best way and index pool hose connectors interchangeable

hilmiorta · Mar 15, 2025

Folks -

I upgraded my IntelliCenter to 3.004 today and was not able to turn on the heater for either the Spa or Pool.

After I figured out how to switch back to 1.064 it started to work again.

My setup is all Pentair - so I've a MasterTemp.

The heater showed configured on both the latest Pentair App and on the IntelliCenter. When you turn on the Pool or Spa, it shows that's heating up but the heater never got engergized. Rebooted it a couple of times and restarted the Pentair a couple of times and that made no difference.

Once it was back on 1.064 it worked right away.

Has anybody else seen this before ?

Thanks

Hilmi

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

That is a very old valve and filter.

I think this is the correct valve...came in 1.5 and 2" versions. I'd contact INYO ( @InyoRich any help?) and confirm before buying anything. 2" o-rings are listed.

Sta-Rite / SwimQuip Bronze Slide Valve 14821 & 14826 Parts - INYOPools.com

Sta-Rite / SwimQuip Bronze Slide Valve 14821 & 14826 - INYOpools.com has the largest selection of swimming pool and spa replacement parts with over 70,000 parts in stock. Order today and save!

www.inyopools.com

If you have a 2", this is the correct replacement:
Sta-Rite Pool/Spa Sand and D.E. Filter 2" Push Pull Valve, 263053

Based on the diagrams, should be 2", with 7.8" Center on Center spacing. Again, might contact inyo and see what they have for your HRPB24 filter.

https://patiopoolsaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/StariteHRPBSandFilter1.pdf

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

HermanTX · Mar 15, 2025

Common_Guy_123839 said:
Tough to hear that tearing it down makes the most sense. We have that big ol' deck just for the pool. Ahhh! Timing sucks big time. Appreciate the feedback all.

Ask your realtor to get creative on how to sell it - you can put a list price and then offer $10K (or whatever $) to repair the pool or note that seller will remove the pool if desired. Developers in new construction come up with all types of incentives so your realtor should be able to come up with some ideas. This way there is no direct out of pocket money now and you attract both pool lovers and non pool lovers

Ideally a reduction of selling price at closing or credit at closing avoids direct out pocket $ now.

PoolStored · Mar 15, 2025

jubjub said:
They’re not.

Are they from the Guru? Can't get 6.7 FC on a Taylor kit, for example, would have to be in .2 or .5 increments. We'd like to see your results from your test kit.

jubjub said:
I guess I didn’t word my question where it could be understood easily. I’m aware of the recommended levels which is why I’m asking the question in the first place. The CSI seems fine, but other levels are not in the recommended range.

You really want to use 250 CH as the floor for a plaster pool. Can you test your fill water for CH? You might be ok, if you have high CH fill. If not, adjust to 250.
We also recommend you round your CYA up to the next 10. Here's why...see #7:

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

Your FC is reasonable for your CYA of 60. Always follow this...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Your TA is very high. If that number is from the Guru, I would encourage you to test again with your Taylor and report that. Would you also test your fill water for TA?
When the water warms up, your CSI will rise slightly. You may find that you need to lower your TA to keep CSI in check.

You didn't mention how you are chlorinating???

JamesW · Mar 15, 2025

ChrisABS · Mar 15, 2025

You have to put the heater into BO mode for it to get a call for heat from the automation. Is it the round heat cool model? If so there might be an RS-485 com connection you can use. Newer models came out with that after people complained about not having full functionality of the heat/cool with only 1 remote connection. I found that out the hard way.

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