Pentair IntelliChem & EasyTouch - Both Needed?

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J

joesc230

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LifeTime Supporter
Aug 3, 2015
175
Central, NJ
Pool Size
34000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Hi all,

I'm looking into getting a Pentair SWG and IntelliPH, to automate chemical maintenance as much as possible. The installer I spoke with says that to accomplish this I should also get an IntelliChem, as he's saying that without it I won't be able to have the other Pentair products automated. He's also saying that the IntelliChem isn't compatible with my Jandy AquaLink, and that that having the IntelliChem not linked to the Jandy shouldn't be a big deal though, as he's saying it's always powered on anyway.

My questions are:
- Is he right about all of the above?
- If I had a EasyTouch would I still need a IntelliChem if I wanted the salt and acid automated?

Thanks!
 
A couple thoughts.
1. The Pentair SWG is limited to 20% output increments when not hooked to Pentair automation. That can be a bit of a hassle.
2. We do not typically recommend the use of ORP sensors to attempt to control the FC level, as such I would not suggest the IntelliChem
3. It does look like the IntellipH is meant to hook up to either Pentair Automation or the power center for the Intellichlor. There are other standalone pH controllers that either just run on a timer (you jandy could control that) or that have sensors.

If you had the EasyTouch, you would still need the SWG cell, and the IntellipH, but again I would skip the ORP in the IntelliChem.
 
jblizzle said:
A couple thoughts.
1. The Pentair SWG is limited to 20% output increments when not hooked to Pentair automation. That can be a bit of a hassle.
2. We do not typically recommend the use of ORP sensors to attempt to control the FC level, as such I would not suggest the IntelliChem
3. It does look like the IntellipH is meant to hook up to either Pentair Automation or the power center for the Intellichlor. There are other standalone pH controllers that either just run on a timer (you jandy could control that) or that have sensors.

If you had the EasyTouch, you would still need the SWG cell, and the IntellipH, but again I would skip the ORP in the IntelliChem.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your thoughts. That's really good info regarding the SWG limitations - the person that quoted me didn't mention that at all. He acted like the SWG would have no limitations if we also got the IntelliChem.

If I had the EasyTouch, the Pentair SWG, and the IntellipH, do you know if everything would be automated? That same guy made it out like the dosing couldn't be automated without the IntelliChem.

As far as keeping the Jandy unit and just getting a standalone pH controller - I'll look into that...the only negative I think I see there is that I definitely want to get rid of the Nature2 I currently have and get a higher capacity SWG, and it looks like the Pentair is one of the few options in the capacity range I'm looking for (unless I get two smaller capacity units). As far as I can tell, the Pentair SWG isn't compatible with the Jandy power center.
 
If you had an ET panel with an IC and an iPH, everything would be automated from a timer-based/duty-cycle perspective. You would be controlling the ON/OFF times. There would be no positive-feedback based control. The only additional probe you'd get is a pH probe with the iPH that would read back pH to the ET panel.

However, for a residential low bather load pool, that is all you need. Positive feedback control is an added complexity and mostly just an annoyance.
 
Pentair IntelliChem & EasyTouch - Both Needed?

Oh, and just so you are aware, the iPH peristaltic pumps for acid dosing corrode very rapidly and usually only last about 18 months before they need to be changed. Pentair specifically excludes them from warranty because they are considered "consumable". They cost ~$50 or so to replace. It's mainly an issue because the design of the unit is poor - the pump sits mounted to the top of the container that holds the acid and, as such, is constantly exposed to acid vapors. The pump and container should be separated to avoid this but I guess Pentair thinks having the setup all as one unit looks better.
 
Re: Pentair IntelliChem & EasyTouch - Both Needed?

The IpH has no pH probe and does not monitor pH levels. That option is only available from the IntelliChem in Pentair products. I wish that was an option though since ORP is so unreliable and is a significant expense for something that is not going to be used.

There is nothing intelligent about the IntelliPH. It's actually pretty dumb how it operates. I like mine but it really has its limitations.
 
Re: Pentair IntelliChem & EasyTouch - Both Needed?

bdavis466 said:
The IpH has no pH probe and does not monitor pH levels. That option is only available from the IntelliChem in Pentair products. I wish that was an option though since ORP is so reliable and I'd a significant expense for spending that is not going to be used.

There is nothing intelligent about the IntelliPH. It's actually pretty dumb how it operates. I like mine but it really has its limitations.
Click to expand...

Oh. Ok. Last time I read the manual was about a year ago and I thought it had a probe for readout. Makes sense that it doesn't though, otherwise I would expect it to cost more than it does.

Honestly, I think it would be cheaper and better to simply build your own acid dosing system from a Stenner pump and tank. That way, you can move the pump far away from the acid tank. Once pH becomes stable in a pool, a pool owner can mostly get away with one small acid dose (a few ounces) each day or a slightly larger dose a few times per week. There's no practical need to have any kind of continuous acid feed into a pool and there's way more danger in accidentally dumping too much acid into a pool than too little.
 
You are completely correct. I went with the IPH without fully knowing how it worked but figured it would be very programable and customizable. This not the case.

It has way too many safety features and is built almost identical to the way the SWGs operate. The acid dose is adjusted in % per hour; the unit doses once per hour at a maximum dose of 2 oz. The only way to get more acid in the pool is longer pool pump and ultimately SWG run times.

The unit will not dose if the SWG is off or in the middle of taking a reading, salt level is over 4200, or senses the ET is in spa mode...A lot of things need to be inline for the unit to dose, and even then, the dose is small.

I run mine at 100% . While the SWG has no issue producing chlorine for the allotted time, the IPH can not keep up with the acid demand of my pool...all it really does is buy me some time between manual acid additions.

I've spoke with Pentair about changing from a percentage based dose to an actual volume per hour dose but all I got was one of these :roll:

I'm probably going to cut the controller out of the system and run the acid pump off an AUX circuit for a one time daily dose. Pretty sad that all I'm doing is building a Stenner out of an "intelligent" product.
 
I also have an easy touch control panel with and intelichlor IC60. I am looking into ph automation for my ph drift. My pool readings are within normal limits. However the return runs through the pool spa and spill over into the main pool. I was leaning towards the intelliph to work in sync with the intelichlor. I read about the stenner option but I'm not sure if that is a better option. From your experience what would you recommend.
 
How big is your pool and how much and how often do you add acid? What pH and TA are you trying to maintain?

The IPH integrates nicely with the ET and IC but a Stenner has a little more flexibility with dosing.

I have a large pool that requires about 20 oz/ day to maintain a 7.8 and a 60-70 TA with 80 ppm of borates.
 

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12K pool size with TA 70-80, borates 30, PH 7.5 Use about 28-32 oz of MA to maintain per week. Since my pool return is plumb through my in floor cleaning system, I have six station with one being into the spa in which the water spills over into the main pool. No way I can bypass. This additional pool water aeration I believe leads to the rise in my PH.
 
I'm sorry. There is a valve between the spa and the main pool return. However there is no valve between the main line and the in floor cleaning system allowing the water to only traveling into the pool through the main line into the Infloor cleaning system which goes through the different zones throughout the 5 zones in the pool and 1 zone in the spa
 
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