Pentair IntelliCenter Review and Information

[MyAZPool]

R- you detail your procedures and document your conversion so nicely! The information you provide here is top notch and second to none. Thank you.
PS- the new IntelliCenter panels do the same thing. They paste the new wiring diagram over an existing EasyTouch load center panel and still have bubbles. ?

chemillion
Thank you sir.. I guess Pentair is still using IntelliTouch Load Centers for IntelliCenter, since they probably have an over stock of them left over. And since they have bubbles too, I guess I'm no better or worse.

Hope you are keeping your gunite wet. You'll be swimming in your new automated pool before you know it.
r.

 

[MyAZPool]

IntelliCenter Web-Client Update
Pentair has publicly released an update to the IntelliCenter Web-Client ONLY (1.037 b4) dated Jun 24, 2019.
I have scanned it and the following changes have been noted.

1. These changes pertain to the "Special Circuits List" on the Web-Client.​

Special Circuits Added:​

Bubbler Light​

FireBowls​

House Light​

Spa Lights​

Special Circuits Removed:​

AUX Extra​

​

Special Circuits Changed:​

BBQ LIGHT changed to Barbecue Light​

CHEM. FEEDER changed to Chemfeeder​

​

2. The missing IntelliFlo Speed/Flow Circuits have been added.​

​

There are no other changes regarding functionality and/or color/design improvements to the Web-Client that I can ascertain at this time.

The publicly released IntelliCenter Control System Firmware Version remains at version 1.023 and the iOS App at version 1.5.107, although there are rumors (I hate that word ) that there are some new control system firmware updates forthcoming in the very near future. I hope to post something when those updates are publicly released.
r.

 

[chemillion]

chemillion
Thank you sir.. I guess Pentair is still using IntelliTouch Load Centers for IntelliCenter, since they probably have an over stock of them left over. And since they have bubbles too, I guess I'm no better or worse.

Hope you are keeping your gunite wet. You'll be swimming in your new automated pool before you know it.
r.

Ohh yeah....the suspense.. can’t wait. Like Christmas when you were a kid.

 

[MyAZPool]

Pentair IntelliCenter Color Hold/Recall feature....
For those IntelliCenter users who wish to utilize the Pentair - Color Hold/Recall / J&J Electronics - Color Lock/Return feature, I have noted the procedural steps necessary to take advantage of this feature in Post #16 of the following thread: Pentair - Color Hold/Recall / J&J Electronics - Color Lock/Return.
r.

 

[Spdif48]

Thank you for writing an epic in depth review. I hope you are "busy" enjoying your hard work. Now that you have had the system for a few months do you still feel it is the best available automation system for your pool? If the Pentair cloud, aka intellicenter.com, went down tomorrow and never came back up could you still do everything you needed from the panel? Except of course the valve automation you are waiting on.

 

[MyAZPool]

Hi Spdif48
Thanks very much for your positive comments.

To answer your questions. I do feel that in my opinion, the Pentair IntelliCenter is the best overall "commercially available" pool automation system. The reason that I make that caveat, is due to the fact, that there are a few very talented folks out there, who have gone down the "home-brew" road and if I did not make that distinction, they would beat up on me. Some of them have some very impressive systems and I'm a bit jealous of them.

Now then, for some who already have earlier versions of Pentair automation systems, it may or may not make much sense to upgrade, especially if their pools are not too complex (water features, extreme lighting etc.). In these situations, it just wouldn't be worth the expense and trouble I feel.

I would recommend the IntelliCenter to anyone that is building a new pool, is looking to automate and prefers to use Pentair pool equipment. Especially those, who are planning on pool/spa combos, complex water features, and lots of cool lighting features.

If the Pentair servers hiccuped (I don't see that lasting for long however), the only restrictions that I would run in to, is that I could not use my computer, iPhone or Amazon Alexa, to make configuration changes or command the system to do something. The IntelliCenter automation would continue to run all Schedules, Feature Circuits, Lighting etc. I can do anything at the touchscreen panel (and a bit more) that I can do remotely.

I hope I have been able to address your questions and please feel free to contact me if you have any others.

Thanks for the good questions.
Take care.
r.

 

[Spdif48]

I tried to read the manual but I think you know how that turned out. Thanks for confirming everything can be done locally. https://xkcd.com/908/

I am also contemplating the build your own automation route and am very excited by the work you and mcqwerty are doing in your other thread that spawned out of this one. Since I'm new to owning a pool I think I'll let Pentair do the hard work for now. Thanks again for living on the cutting edge so the rest of us can learn from you.

 

[MyAZPool]

Hi Spdif48,
I know what you are talking about when referring to the IntelliCenter Installation and User's guides. Those documents usually have three very different effects on me.
If I'm just reading to do some knowledge "catch-up", I'm "gone" in ten minutes. If I'm looking for something in particular, I'm usually frustrated for not being able to find it. And when I do possibly find what I'm looking for, then I'm kinda like "who wrote this junk?"

I certainly would like to do some improvements to the "base" IntelliCenter system. the problem is that I am not nearly as gifted/talented as guys like mcqwerty, kyleaa and jonpcar

Those guys are amazing and anything I do to make my base system better, it will probably be because I was riding on their "coattails".

Please let me know if I can help with anything.
Take care and all the best...
r..

 

[John_and_Val]

Trying to confirm if the Android App got an update today. When I hit the app icon, I had to hit an "accept" button for a user agreement. Then the "Pentair" Login Screen is a different color, as is some screens. Other than that I do not see any noticeable changes...…..
Has anyone else seen this - or have any information as to what version app they have now.
My app info as of now:
App version is 24
Build version is 2.4
Date built 2019-07-23 05:03:02 PM
IC: 1.036, ICWEB:2019-05-06 0.90.01

 

[MyAZPool]

Trying to confirm if the Android App got an update today. When I hit the app icon, I had to hit an "accept" button for a user agreement. Then the "Pentair" Login Screen is a different color, as is some screens. Other than that I do not see any noticeable changes...…..
Has anyone else seen this - or have any information as to what version app they have now.
My app info as of now:
App version is 24
Build version is 2.4
Date built 2019-07-23 05:03:02 PM
IC: 1.036, ICWEB:2019-05-06 0.90.01

John_and_Val
Thanks very much for the information regarding the Android App update. I'm kind of expecting some publicly released system updates to drop anytime now.
Thanks again and take care...
R...
p.s. If you have time there, can you post what changes/differences that you see?
Thanks John...

 

[John_and_Val]

Also, another glitch I noticed is if you tell the intellicenter to send alerts via email..........a alert email will be sent but no message has been attached. I This the case for everyone?
Sure would be nice to know what the alert is for!!!!!

 

[MyAZPool]

Also, another glitch I noticed is if you tell the intellicenter to send alerts via email..........a alert email will be sent but no message has been attached. I This the case for everyone?
Sure would be nice to know what the alert is for!!!!!

Hi John
Yep, I get those "blank" email alerts as well. But not on a consistent basis. My last blank email alert was yesterday at the start up of my morning clean schedule, but like I said, there is just no consistent reason on why or when I get them.

Of course I get the IntelliChlor email alerts on a consistent basis just like many others here do as well.
I get the IntelliChlor 1: Cold Water Cutoff, IntelliChlor 1: Low Salt, IntelliChlor 1: Clean & Inspect Cell, IntelliChlor 1: Very Low Salt

These are all inaccurate alerts in my case. I have attempted to research the reasoning behind the alerts, time, start-up, etc etc, but there is absolutely no consistency or reasoning to the alert emails. Pentair is aware of this issue and has been for six months but still no fix yet. You are right, it is a "GLITCH".

Six months ago, I just setup a email rule in my outlook client, so the alert emails get moved automatically from my inbox to a "IntelliCenter Alerts" folder that I created. I could have a "rule" to just delete them, but I want to save them so I can show them to Pentair for troubleshooting purposes in the future possibly.

Maybe, I'll just setup an email rule that forwards each bogus IntelliChlor alert to a couple of Pentair Pool execs. Wonder how they would like that? lol... They would probably remove me from their Christmas card list.

Thanks much!
r.

 

[mrweber]

My system has stopped reporting the salt level. The chlorinator working fine and all the lights indicate levels are fine but the IntelliCenter itself is reporting 0 on the panel, in the iphone app, and web app. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[bdavis466]

My system has stopped reporting the salt level. The chlorinator working fine and all the lights indicate levels are fine but the IntelliCenter itself is reporting 0 on the panel, in the iphone app, and web app. Anyone else have this issue?

That's from the flow switch on the iIntelliChlor. I would start a warranty claim for it. This is a very common problem

 

[MyAZPool]

Hi mrweber
Yep, I just recently had the same exact problem. See my thread IntelliChlor Zero Salt Reading
Like Brian said, very common problem apparently. Replacing the flow/temp sensor will probably restore it. I'm still under warranty so I had it done and it corrected (and that's another story). But, I'm still having issues with the IntelliChlor reporting 1000 to 1200 PPM over the actual "real" salt content of of the pool.
r.

 

[mrweber]

Thank you @bdavis and @MyAZPool ! Will give Pentair a call later today.

 

[mrweber]

Thank you @bdavis and @MyAZPool ! Will give Pentair a call later today.

Pentair came out and replaced my entire unit. I got to keep the old one so I have a replacement when I need it in a few years!

 

[MyAZPool]

Pentair came out and replaced my entire unit. I got to keep the old one so I have a replacement when I need it in a few years!

mrweber
Cool. I like it! Please let us know if your salt readings on the IntelliChlor are plus or minus 500ppm of your actual salt leve (as tested with K1766 etc).
My salt readings remain at 1000-1200 PPM higher and maybe I will call and get my IntelliChlor replaced.
Thanks much and glad that worked out good for you...
Take care...
r..

 

[mrweber]

mrweber
Cool. I like it! Please let us know if your salt readings on the IntelliChlor are plus or minus 500ppm of your actual salt leve (as tested with K1766 etc).
My salt readings remain at 1000-1200 PPM higher and maybe I will call and get my IntelliChlor replaced.
Thanks much and glad that worked out good for you...
Take care...
r..

Yup, IntelliChlor is currently reading 3000ppm and K1766 is telling me 3400ppm.

 

[MyAZPool]

Yup, IntelliChlor is currently reading 3000ppm and K1766 is telling me 3400ppm.

mrweber
PERFECT!! I'm calling Pentair and I'm just going to get them to replace the entire unit. Maybe then, I will get a unit with a properly functioning conductivity sensor installed.
Or maybe not. But at least I will have a new IntelliChlor.
Thanks much for sharing!
Please take care.
r.