IntelliCenter Wire Questions

[rlvoaproperties]

Hello TFP family,

Been a lurker for a bit trying to get info during the build out of my new pool. Purchased the Pentair Intellicenter i8ps and want to get it wired up to my new pool equipment. Read as much as I can digest for related articles here and thought I would post my setup to get some help in getting it going.

Here is what is being connected to it:

DESC	AMPS
Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0 Hp 208-230V | 011075	12.4
Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0 Hp 208-230V | 011075	12.4
IC40	2
Pentair 300W Transformer 619963 (4 Pentair Microbrite Color 150' | 620426 will be attached)	3
GFCI Outlet	15
Pentair UltraTemp ETi Hybrid Heater 460969	42
Total	86.8

I was thinking of running a 100amp breaker at my main panel and using #2 cooper wire for ~ 200 ft run. That would effectively be 600 linear feet of #2 wire (pretty expensive at roughly $2.00 ft) plus #8 ground wire.

Any thoughts of possibly running #3 or #4 cooper wire or another way to do the main run? I also read that the Intelliflo pumps should be connected to a Pentair PA220GF GFCI double-pole circuit breaker(s) instead of the similar Siemens QF220 GFCI breaker in an article dated Feb 17, 2020 by @MyAZPool . Is that still the case?

Any additional info/articles you point out would be much appreciated.

 

[MyAZPool]

Hello TFP family,

Been a lurker for a bit trying to get info during the build out of my new pool. Purchased the Pentair Intellicenter i8ps and want to get it wired up to my new pool equipment. Read as much as I can digest for related articles here and thought I would post my setup to get some help in getting it going.

Here is what is being connected to it:

DESC	AMPS
Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0 Hp 208-230V | 011075	12.4
Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0 Hp 208-230V | 011075	12.4
IC40	2
Pentair 300W Transformer 619963 (4 Pentair Microbrite Color 150' | 620426 will be attached)	3
GFCI Outlet	15
Pentair UltraTemp ETi Hybrid Heater 460969	42
Total	86.8

I was thinking of running a 100amp breaker at my main panel and using #2 cooper wire for ~ 200 ft run. That would effectively be 600 linear feet of #2 wire (pretty expensive at roughly $2.00 ft) plus #8 ground wire.

Any thoughts of possibly running #3 or #4 cooper wire or another way to do the main run? I also read that the Intelliflo pumps should be connected to a Pentair PA220GF GFCI double-pole circuit breaker(s) instead of the similar Siemens QF220 GFCI breaker in an article dated Feb 17, 2020 by @MyAZPool . Is that still the case?

Any additional info/articles you point out would be much appreciated.

@rlvoaproperties
Regarding the pump breakers. As far as I am aware, that is still the case. It is suspected that the PA220GF breakers may have a slightly higher quality control standard than the QF220 breakers. And which may provide a very slight advantage in preventing unwarranted breaker tripping. I'll refer you to a convincing post by @Jimrahbe .

Pentair VSF Wiring GFCI

I have a Pentair VSF and just purchased a PA220GF GFCI. The Pentair pump has two hots and a ground. The GFCI has three lugs for Load / Load/ Neutral. I hooked the white wire attached to the GFCI to the neutral Bus in the panel and I hooked the green from the pump ground to the ground in the...

www.troublefreepool.com

Is it worth the cost difference? Only you can decide that. Many folks are using the QF220 and have never had a problem.

As far as the size of copper wire for your run to your pool pad. There are amperage/distance calculation charts all over the internet that determine the size of wire.
Let's check with @ajw22 for some further advice.
r.

 

[Jimrahbe]

R,

Personally, I'd run two feeds..

I'd run one for just the heater with its own small sub panel and breaker.. next to the heater.

Then I'd run another one for the IntelliCenter, to power everything else.

I'd use the Pentair breakers.. Then there is no excuse if they pop. After 10 years you will never even think about the extra few bucks.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Pep3az]

Hello TFP family,

Been a lurker for a bit trying to get info during the build out of my new pool. Purchased the Pentair Intellicenter i8ps and want to get it wired up to my new pool equipment. Read as much as I can digest for related articles here and thought I would post my setup to get some help in getting it going.

Here is what is being connected to it:

DESC	AMPS
Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0 Hp 208-230V | 011075	12.4
Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF 3.0 Hp 208-230V | 011075	12.4
IC40	2
Pentair 300W Transformer 619963 (4 Pentair Microbrite Color 150' | 620426 will be attached)	3
GFCI Outlet	15
Pentair UltraTemp ETi Hybrid Heater 460969	42
Total	86.8

I was thinking of running a 100amp breaker at my main panel and using #2 cooper wire for ~ 200 ft run. That would effectively be 600 linear feet of #2 wire (pretty expensive at roughly $2.00 ft) plus #8 ground wire.

Any thoughts of possibly running #3 or #4 cooper wire or another way to do the main run? I also read that the Intelliflo pumps should be connected to a Pentair PA220GF GFCI double-pole circuit breaker(s) instead of the similar Siemens QF220 GFCI breaker in an article dated Feb 17, 2020 by @MyAZPool . Is that still the case?

Any additional info/articles you point out would be much appreciated

How often do you plan on running everything together at max amperage?

It looks like you could breaker and wire size at 80 amps, your 3 big loads are 67 amps at max.

Also, you could run a smaller neutral wire as 67 amps of your 87 amps are 240V

 

[ajw22]

It looks like you could breaker and wire size at 80 amps, your 3 big loads are 67 amps at max.

NEC requires CB load to be max 80% of CB rating. For an 80 amp CB load should not be more than 66 amps. I would not cut it that close.

 

[ajw22]

I also used Pentair PA220GF CBs for 2 pumps in my IntelliCenter.

I agree with @Jimrahbe Run a separate line to power the Ultratemp and a 60 amp line to the IntelliCenter Load Center. There is no benefit to powering the UltraTemp through the IntelliCenter. The IntelliCenter will still control the UltraTemp through low voltage lines.

The UltraTemp power circuit does not need a subpanel. It can be wired like an outside AC condenser from the main CB panel to a Service Disconnect by the unit.

 

[rlvoaproperties]

Thank you very much for your responses. Seems like going two runs is the better option.

For the Intellicenter I will run: 60amp CB on #4 copper wire
and
Heater says minimum circuit ampacity is 42 with recommended fuse of 50 so will run: 50amp CB using #6 copper wire along with service disconnect

Both are based on the southwire voltage drop calculator with 20% max voltage drop and 200 foot run.

I have read some conflicting info that suggests I should up size to #4 copper for the 50amp CB of the heater since the run is beyond 160 feet when using the NEC recommended 3% max voltage drop.

Thoughts?

 

[ajw22]

I would run #4 for the HP.