Greetings. I’m a new member who has been reading your website to learn about swimming pools. What a valuable resource. I have lots of questions, so thanks in advance for any help you are able to give.
We’re in our 60’s, retired, and have never owned a swimming pool. Am planning to install one next spring (2022) for pool aerobic exercising and grandchildren visits. We live on acreage in a rural area surrounded by farm fields & trees. We also have a Labrador dog that will probably get in the water.
Looking at a 12,500 gallon (14’ x 33’) (3’6”x 5’4”) rectangular fiberglass Lantham pool. Pool dealer uses Pentair equipment.
It will be a simple pool with lights, pump, filter, heat pump , salt water generator, & pool cover. Would open pool cover each day (May thru Sept) if weather permits and close each night.
Dealer has recommended Intelliconnect automation at $800. His price for Easy Touch is $5,000 / Intellicenter $8,000. We are supposed to supply the electrician for all pool electrical needs. Due to cost, we can start with Intelliconnect, but would like equipment to be compatible with Easy Touch and/or Intellicenter if we wanted to convert later.
Will Intelliconnect work for my equipment? Pros / cons? Is EasyTouch worth the extra money?
Can buy a 240 or 420 Cartridge Filter (Dealer suggests the 240 and doesn’t use the 320). Which would be best? Read somewhere that bigger is better and you should match filter size to pump size.
Was thinking of the Intelliflow VS Pump 011028 due to good reviews and ability to work with Easy Touch. Would 3HP pump be too big and cause any problems in this size pool? Any advantage to having 2” piping that comes with this pump vs 1.5” piping that comes with Super Flo VS Pump?
Dealer thinks 110 heat pump would be enough for our pool. I did the online calculation (pool surface area x degrees needed x 12) and came up with 160,000 BTU to get water temp to 85 degrees in IN swimming May- Sept. Any problem using the 140, other than higher upfront cost?
Also are the dual function pumps (heat & cool) good or a problem? Cooling feature needed in central IN?
Heat pump / gas pump combo? Since gas pumps have shorter life spans than heat pumps, is it best to separate these two pieces of equipment, if both are desired?
At this time, probably more interested in plain heat pump or heat / cool pump if needed, due to higher cost of running a gas pump.
I was looking at Intelliflow Generator IC40
as that seemed to be what most people are using. Dealer says I need the IC20. Even at lowest % output on the IC40, he feels I’ll have too much salt / chlorine in water. IC20 is supposed to handle 20,000 gallons, so is that size best for my pool? All size models have the same reported switch problem?
Package comes with 2 color LED Microbrite lights. Online, it seemed people were unhappy with these leaking water & needing costly replacement within a short time period. They have a proprietary niche and there was also some thought that these could be discontinued due to new Microbrite lights. Since white is fine with us, was thinking of 3 microbrite warm white lights. Read that 1 bulb has 500 lumen. Thoughts?
Cover is Coverstar auto cover with Eclipse motor, deck undermount.
Like the looks of flagstone stamped concrete. Does it need to be sealed? Would it be too slick?
Is 100 amp breaker in house electric box needed and adequate? Which pieces of equipment should have surge protection?
Dealer puts Zn Anode ball in pool which they say works and is what they do. Read that it should be tied to electrical equipment to do any good?
Do we need anything else?
Can you please share your expertise to help us make good decisions? Don’t want to needlessly spend money, but do want to right size equipment and do it right the first time. If this was your pool and you lived in central IN, what would you do?Greatly appreciate your time and help.
Thanks,
Bonnie
We’re in our 60’s, retired, and have never owned a swimming pool. Am planning to install one next spring (2022) for pool aerobic exercising and grandchildren visits. We live on acreage in a rural area surrounded by farm fields & trees. We also have a Labrador dog that will probably get in the water.
Looking at a 12,500 gallon (14’ x 33’) (3’6”x 5’4”) rectangular fiberglass Lantham pool. Pool dealer uses Pentair equipment.
It will be a simple pool with lights, pump, filter, heat pump , salt water generator, & pool cover. Would open pool cover each day (May thru Sept) if weather permits and close each night.
Dealer has recommended Intelliconnect automation at $800. His price for Easy Touch is $5,000 / Intellicenter $8,000. We are supposed to supply the electrician for all pool electrical needs. Due to cost, we can start with Intelliconnect, but would like equipment to be compatible with Easy Touch and/or Intellicenter if we wanted to convert later.
Will Intelliconnect work for my equipment? Pros / cons? Is EasyTouch worth the extra money?
Can buy a 240 or 420 Cartridge Filter (Dealer suggests the 240 and doesn’t use the 320). Which would be best? Read somewhere that bigger is better and you should match filter size to pump size.
Was thinking of the Intelliflow VS Pump 011028 due to good reviews and ability to work with Easy Touch. Would 3HP pump be too big and cause any problems in this size pool? Any advantage to having 2” piping that comes with this pump vs 1.5” piping that comes with Super Flo VS Pump?
Dealer thinks 110 heat pump would be enough for our pool. I did the online calculation (pool surface area x degrees needed x 12) and came up with 160,000 BTU to get water temp to 85 degrees in IN swimming May- Sept. Any problem using the 140, other than higher upfront cost?
Also are the dual function pumps (heat & cool) good or a problem? Cooling feature needed in central IN?
Heat pump / gas pump combo? Since gas pumps have shorter life spans than heat pumps, is it best to separate these two pieces of equipment, if both are desired?
At this time, probably more interested in plain heat pump or heat / cool pump if needed, due to higher cost of running a gas pump.
I was looking at Intelliflow Generator IC40
as that seemed to be what most people are using. Dealer says I need the IC20. Even at lowest % output on the IC40, he feels I’ll have too much salt / chlorine in water. IC20 is supposed to handle 20,000 gallons, so is that size best for my pool? All size models have the same reported switch problem?
Package comes with 2 color LED Microbrite lights. Online, it seemed people were unhappy with these leaking water & needing costly replacement within a short time period. They have a proprietary niche and there was also some thought that these could be discontinued due to new Microbrite lights. Since white is fine with us, was thinking of 3 microbrite warm white lights. Read that 1 bulb has 500 lumen. Thoughts?
Cover is Coverstar auto cover with Eclipse motor, deck undermount.
Like the looks of flagstone stamped concrete. Does it need to be sealed? Would it be too slick?
Is 100 amp breaker in house electric box needed and adequate? Which pieces of equipment should have surge protection?
Dealer puts Zn Anode ball in pool which they say works and is what they do. Read that it should be tied to electrical equipment to do any good?
Do we need anything else?
Can you please share your expertise to help us make good decisions? Don’t want to needlessly spend money, but do want to right size equipment and do it right the first time. If this was your pool and you lived in central IN, what would you do?Greatly appreciate your time and help.
Thanks,
Bonnie