Reviving out of service pool: FG & deck Refresh

My method of adding dry stabilizer...
I used the same sock & string setup except I tied 3 socks (4 lb tot) to a pole and set them inside an old pool net in front of the skimmer.

Not going to do this again. Much too hard for me to get down & squeeze socks. Ended up getting a bucket with some water and squeezing each sock for a bit, pouring slurry into skimmer, refilling water and repeat. Took 2 hours. For me, it's going to be worth the extra $ for the liquid.

Only got a portion of the needed stabilizer added and didn't have the energy to do the salt. Tasks for tomorrow. Annoying to get a reminder that I have quite a few miles on the odometer. :LOL:
 
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I wish the water was warm enough for you to get in the water when you add the salt. We call it "diamond day" as it is so pretty as the ice floats through the water. Then everyone gets to help mix it in by swimming and enjoy the water!

LOL miles on the odometer! That is me for sure on some days where I push it too hard!
 
pH last night was 7.8. Added 1/2 gal of muriatic acid. This morning, 18 hr later, pH is still 7.8. :unsure: Checked pH both times by meter & drops. Huh?

Chlorine a little low, so going to add 1 lb of Chlorbrite which should also up CYA (needed), lower pH a tiny bit (needed) and raise salt a little (needed) according to PoolMath. From what I've read, will be ok to use this granular form + more muriatic acid + cyanuric acid + more salt at the same time. Am I right on this?

The liquid stabilizer has separated badly. Can't get it remixed by just shaking so far. Any thoughts other than pouring out some of the liquid, shake, pour out new remix, readd some liquid & repeat? Might end up being as much trouble as the dry stuff. :hammer::ROFLMAO:
 
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Yes, it is the stabilizer... its an emulsion, you just have to shake it up🤝 real good!
Nope, not these 2 jugs. Must be really old and settled out. Didn't have this problem with the jugs I used when I did the SLAM prep & looks like the one I received yesterday mixes ok too.

Finally got all of the CYA out of one the problem jugs by pour-a-little, add water, shake, stir with long screw driver, shake, repeat. Had to net a few clumps too. :rolleyes:
 

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Looks like all of my chems are in range now except TA. Target is 80 for that and last test was 220. Not getting pH reduction as prediced by PoolMath, but probably because of high TA. Example: yesterday pH=7.8, 5 cups of MA for pH=7.4, today pH=7.7. Plan to keep trying for pH=7.4 until TA comes down some.

Good thing I stopped with the CYA when I did. That last dose was strong and popped the value quite a bit more than expected - but still within ideal range. Guess my dancing is going to have to wait. :giggle:

FC=4.5. So looks like I'm ready to start the SWG balance-wise. Guess I should plug the IntelliFlow into the IntelliCenter first? :LOL: Been running it standalone with the wall mount extension.
 
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@MyAZPool and other IntelliCenter users: am I missing anything with my plan to hook up my pump & swg to the IntelliCenter for the first time? AFAIK, I've got all of the wiring set. I've really only used the IntelliCenter so far as a load center and to manually control relays for lights, blower, etc. WIFI doesn't reach unit yet, so I'll be doing everything from the panel.

Turn off IntelliCenter
Plug in control wires for pump & swg
Turn on IntelliCenter
Define Pump VSF 1
..use defaults of min speed=450, max speed=3450, min flow=20
Define IntelliChlor
..use defaults of pool/spa, pool output=50, spa output=20

Next I'll want to schedule pump/swg run times. I've been running 24/7 at 1500 & skimmer cleanup is ok. AFAIK, the goal with the SWG should be to find the lowest speed where it will work and up it just a little. Right now I'm just looking at running a single speed 24/7.

Here I'm not sure: do I set the pump speed in the Pool/Spa sections for the minimums or actually have a pool and a spa pump/swg schedule and tie those schedules to Pool/Spa?
 
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How are you bringing down your TA,,, are you using the aeration method? If so drive it down to a pH of 7 ish and then aerate to raise the pH... it really works.. Plus its a nice excuse to run my waterfall. I don't think you need to take it all the way down to 80. You will find a place where it stabilizes with your pH. Mine has been hovering around 110 all summer.

You can plug in the SWG anytime.. just don't turn it on until you are at your target salinity and its mixed. Have you added salt yet? You should be able to tell when your flow is fast enough to enable the SWG flow switch.. it will work.. if its too slow you will get a flow indicator.
 
How are you bringing down your TA,,, are you using the aeration method? ... Have you added salt yet?
Plan to bring down TA just by lowering pH from 7.7 to something like 7.4 or a little lower and then running the jets in the pool during the day - with or without blower (TBD) and length of time (TBD). Have proper CYA (80) and salinity (3680) levels for the SWG.
 
Next I'll want to schedule pump/swg run times. I've been running 24/7 at 1500 & skimmer cleanup is ok. AFAIK, the goal with the SWG should be to find the lowest speed where it will work and up it just a little. Right now I'm just looking at running a single speed 24/7.

Here I'm not sure: do I set the pump speed in the Pool/Spa sections for the minimums or actually have a pool and a spa pump/swg schedule and tie those schedules to Pool/Spa?

1. Create a Feature Circuit for each pump speed that you require. At the panel, this is accomplished by navigating to Advanced System Configuration > Installation Setup > Circuits > Feature Circuits. Feature Circuits are used for low voltage equipment like valve actuators and pump speeds. For example, you can name a feature circuit "speed1500".

2. When done creating the feature circuits, navigate to Advanced System Configuration > Installation Setup > Circuits > Pumps > Add Circuit. This is where you will associate the Feature Circuit that you created with an actual pump speed. Setup your pump configurations for each pump speed that you associated with the Feature Circuits.

3. To schedule those pump speeds, from the home screen, navigate to Schedules > Add Program. Tap Weekly to display available Feature Circuits (Pump Speeds), that you created. Configure the schedule.

Once you do a couple of these from the panel, you will realize that they get progressively easier and also that you need to put forth more effort to get Internet connectivity with your IntelliCenter OCP. ;) Coz, configurations and setup is a lot more user friendly from the webClient rather than at the OCP. (y)

Once you get your connectivity, check out the following link and it may assist you with configurations setup when it comes to pump speeds and valve actuator associations to Feature Circuits.
r.
 
Thanks, @MyAZPool. I'd read that link when you first posted it, but had forgotten it. And you'd walked me though the same routine when I set up my relays & actuators. :hammer:

Think my biggest hang up with the Pentair way is remembering that Feature Circuits are nothing but labels and that the configuration is done by going to the device, adding a reference to the label and then doing the configuration there. Sure seems bass ackwards. :rolleyes: IMHO, just stating that would make what you're doing in the video much clearer.

Wasn't there also some oddity about scheduling for 24/7? I've read so many articles over the last 6 or 7 months... :sneaky:

Many, many thanks for all of the time you've spent trailblazing and documenting the IntelliCenter. 👏
 
You will get a bigger drop in the TA by dropping the pH more precipitously. The article I linked to recommends dropping it to 7.0 and then areating to bring the pH back up. dropping it only .2 or .3 is not going to give you much of a TA change.
I'd originally planned to go for 7.0, but having trouble getting lower. Like one day I'd put in the PoolMath recommended amount of MA to go down .5 ... and the next day the pH was UP by .1 :hammer: :giggle:.

How long did you run your waterfall before you noted a pH/TA difference?
 
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