INEXPERIENCED OB Steel wall vinyl liner inground pool under construction in north texas

[Caro325]

First things first….after all this weeks and questions I finally started my installation …… I am sure I am going to have millions of questions, but my main ones right now are 2…….
1- foam on the walls….. if I remember correctly, I made a conscious decision not to order it when I order my kit a couple of months ago, but 1 guy that might be helping me out mentioned it (and also some kind of tape to seal the joints of the wall???)….. so, should I order it now????
2.- I have decided to switch out my inline chlorinator for an swg (as I realize that I didn’t get a pool equipment panel, and the 2 seem to go hand on hands…), so now which one do I get???? Of course I heard about the pentair and the Hayward (and their price tags ), but are there any others that you guys would recommend???

 

[Newdude]

CONGRATS Caro

1- foam on the walls

I am a fan. I have a 100ft roll you can have if you want to come pick it up.

so now which one do I get???? Of course I heard about the pentair and the Hayward (and their price tags ), but are there any others that you guys would recommend???

In TX I would personally not want anything under 60k for your pool. You have looooooooong hoooooooooot seasons.

60k leaves pentair and circupool.

 

[Caro325]

CONGRATS Caro

I am a fan. I have a 100ft roll you can have if you want to come pick it up.

In TX I would personally not want anything under 60k for your pool. You have looooooooong hoooooooooot seasons.

60k leaves pentair and circupool.

Thank you...... since I am basically doing all the work myself thing are going kind of slow (during the week I can only do about 2 hours because I work all day, but I will eventually finish..... I am still working on the excavation.
I REALLY need to get the SWG and pool control panel situation figured out..... and am soooooo confused. What exactly does automation mean/encompasses???? I know that I need a pool equipment control panel, so I found something called "Pentair 521215 IntelliTouch Load Center" that is not too expensive.... is putting that considered "automation"???

 

[Newdude]

is putting that considered "automation"???

Yes. But do you need it ? With no spa / water features / etc to control, an electric sub panel is all that's needed.

You can always go above and beyond and be able to shut the pump/swg/heater off remotely, but most use the funds elsewhere.

 

[Mdragger88]

You don’t need an equipment control panel unless you want one. You do need power for the pump, power for the swg (they should be on the same breaker), & a separate circuit for an auxiliary outlet if you can for maintenance purposes/robot etc. These need to be gfci protected either by a gfci breaker or gfci outlets. A regular sub panel will do this or you may not even need a sub panel depending upon how far away your main panel is & your local requirements.
The swg should then be run on a simple timer that is in sync with the timer for the pump ensuring it comes on at least 30 minutes after the pump comes on & goes off at least 30 minutes before the pump shuts off.
The swg has its own control box where you select the % of chlorine output, & it has display info for things like temp, salinity etc.

 

[Caro325]

You don’t need an equipment control panel unless you want one. You do need power for the pump, power for the swg (they should be on the same breaker), & a separate circuit for an auxiliary outlet if you can for maintenance purposes/robot etc. These need to be gfci protected either by a gfci breaker or gfci outlets. A regular sub panel will do this or you may not even need a sub panel depending upon how far away your main panel is & your local requirements.
The swg should then be run on a simple timer that is in sync with the timer for the pump ensuring it comes on at least 30 minutes after the pump comes on & goes off at least 30 minutes before the pump shuts off.
The swg has its own control box where you select the % of chlorine output, & it has display info for things like temp, salinity etc.

OK, THANK YOU FOR THE INFO........ what does the load center do????? just bring power closer to pool equipment??????(or does it also help control the different equipment?????....... As this is the first time ever that I am going to own a pool and I am a single mom that works 6 day per week, I think automation is my best choice...... I am just trying to figure out exactly how it works and what would be a good set up that I can afford...... any advice is appreciated.....

 

[Mdragger88]

It does both those things but it’s an expensive & over complicated route to take when a fairly inexpensive timer for the swg could perform the same task. Your pump will also have its own control panel built in that you can program to run as you wish. Without a spa, water features, or a heater there’s really no need for an automation panel.

If this is the pump you have here’s the manual to explain further

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/Hayward-XE-Series-Pumps-Owners-Manual-IS3200XE-REV-A.pdf

 

[Caro325]

It does both those things but it’s an expensive & over complicated route to take when a fairly inexpensive timer for the swg could perform the same task. Your pump will also have its own control panel built in that you can program to run as you wish. Without a spa, water features, or a heater there’s really no need for an automation panel.
View attachment 482419
If this is the pump you have here’s the manual to explain further

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/Hayward-XE-Series-Pumps-Owners-Manual-IS3200XE-REV-A.pdf

Ok. I understand, and can definitely can do without expending extra money. Thank you. The heat pump also has its own interface right???

 

[Caro325]

does anyone have any expirience with the "Pentair IntelliPh Control System 521377" is it worth it???

 

[Newdude]

The heat pump also has its own interface right???

Correct. It has buttons and a LCD screen.

Pentair IntelliPh Control System 521377" is it worth it???

Most of us think it's not worth it. You still have to buy and lug jugs of MA, and pour them into the tank. You might as well pour then into the pool at that point. One big pour or several small ones, you still poured a gallon.

If your pool is having a stretch of consistent PH rise, you can set it to match and it will do pretty well, but you still need to monitor and ensure nothing changed.

 

[Mdragger88]

Ok. I understand, and can definitely can do without expending extra money. Thank you. The heat pump also has its own interface right???

My mind might be playing tricks on me but I don’t think you had that in your signature earlier…

 

[Caro325]

My mind might be playing tricks on me but I don’t think you had that in your signature earlier…

On the cellphone I can see my signature, so I can see if it has the info of the heat pump there, but if it is, it has been there since the beginning…… I haven’t made any changes

 

[Newdude]

On the cellphone I cant see my signature

Turn it sideways and they all appear.

 

[Mdragger88]

I must have missed it! Double check that your pump has the programmable settings. Same with the heater. Good choice going with titanium btw
With with a vsp most like to run them at low rpms around the clock & the swg at a lower percentage around the clock so you’re always skimming & making chlorine with a few hours of increased rpms a day to ramp up skimming if necessary or run a suction side cleaner.
The pump just needs to run at a high enough rpm to engage the flow switch on the swg & so the heater has enough flow.
Speaking of pool cleaners- are you planning on a suction side, pressure side, or robotic cleaner?
Depending upon your choice there are some provisions that can be made now, during your build, to accommodate your choice better.

 

[Caro325]

I must have missed it! Double check that your pump has the programmable settings. Same with the heater. Good choice going with titanium btw
With with a vsp most like to run them at low rpms around the clock & the swg at a lower percentage around the clock so you’re always skimming & making chlorine with a few hours of increased rpms a day to ramp up skimming if necessary or run a suction side cleaner.
The pump just needs to run at a high enough rpm to engage the flow switch on the swg & so the heater has enough flow.
Speaking of pool cleaners- are you planning on a suction side, pressure side, or robotic cleaner?
Depending upon your choice there are some provisions that can be made now, during your build, to accommodate your choice better.

Hopefully I will eventually understand the pump run time, speed, etc..... . I will definitely use a robot for the pool (however it is going to have to wait a bit as I need to get the money for it together)...... with a robot I don't have to do anything additional correct??

 

[Caro325]

Hopefully someone can help me understand something with the excavation......... I am installing a 42" steel wall pool. It says that I need to overdig by 2" (because we need to put the cement/vermulite mix in the bottom and in the sides.......... I understand that..... what I don't get, is that they say that I am supposed to overdig the "shell"....... but the panels sit on the dirt...... you don't put anything under them...... so we overdig theshell????

 

[Caro325]

OK, so as you can see in my signature I am building an inground pool. I have a VS pump, a sand Filter, a Heat Pump, a light, and I have made the decision to ditch the inline chlorinator and buy a SWG. I do not have ANY previous experience owning a pool. I want to buy a device that is going to
1.- connect power to ALL the devices in one place.... That should make it an easier and less messy job for the electrician (just pulling 1 connection from my main panel)
2.- control all the devices in 1 place..... instead of having to go to each machine....
3.- be able to bypass the heat pump if it is not needed (I think the one I bough might be able to do that itself????)....
4.- control when the light is on?????
5.- being able to check the status of the pool remotely would be a plus as I work 6 days per week....
6.- Buy this "equipment" without having to take another mortgage.

Any idea of what I could get???? from another thread I found this : Pentair IntelliCenter 5PIC40 Kit - Pool only with Load Center and IC40 that I though could work but I am not sure....

Any help would be appreciated it

 

[mknauss]

The Pentair Automation would work, but will not control the VS pump you have.
With that pump, you would be better off with a Hayward automation.

 

[Caro325]

The Pentair Automation would work, but will not control the VS pump you have.
With that pump, you would be better off with a Hayward automation.

any model you would suggest???? they have so many different things that for the life of me I can't figure what is what. :-(

 

[mknauss]

Go to their website and see what they have that will do what you want it to do. Be sure to confirm it would control the pump you have.