Pool Automation Recommendations Please.

[kcautodoc]

I'm looking to make some changes and increase the automation of my pool. We are currently getting the 25,000gal plaster pool resurfaced. It has a spillover spa with a small fountain. Suction 'PoolCleaner'. 2-speed Pentair main pump, sand filter, Nirvana heat pump, Stenner based chlorinating system, and Pentair LED lights. The wife wants a saltwater system & I would like to add an acid dosing system and possibly automation to the valves. I also need to repair/replace the air injection spa pump.

I was initially looking at the Simpool Acid dosing system but now that I am looking at Hayward for the Salt system I'm now thinking about going with the OmniLogic to run everything. If I do this what acid system would be best to use? Also, how does the heat pump and pool pump hook into this system. Is it a basic on/off relay for each and the heater just stays on/off vs selecting spa/pool on the pool heater meaning I will now just leave the pool heater on "spa mode" at 102 and the Omni will cycle it on and off?

Am I forgetting anything? Any recommendations?

Lastly, different subject, what can I expect in regards to chemical needs after the resurfacing? Just a ton of acid loss?

Thanks,
Richard

 

[dradam]

I have liked the pentair automation system and interface. Since you have a pentair pump it may make sense. I wrote an article about the install. link is attached. hope it helps.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/downloads/DIYautomationInstall.pdf

 

[jblizzle]

Any automation system will control a 2 speed pump regardless of the brand.

The Hayward automation systems have high voltage relays, you would use 2 of these for the 2 speed pump and then can program it to change speeds for various things.

I think the heat pump would just hook up through some control wires and you would leave the heater temp set very high and the automation would monitor the water temp to turn it on and off through the control wires.

I think the Omni will control 4 valves, 2 slaved together for pool/spa mode.

If you want to control the lights, that would use another high voltage relay, The lower end Prologics only have 4 relays so if you have other things you want to control, you might need a unit with more relays.

I am not sure about the acid dosing system, you probably would not want to pay for the Hayward Sense & Dispense because you would not want to use the ORP side of that setup. The Automation could be setup to turn an acid dosing system on and off in an open loop fashion (like the Stenner setups) with a pH sensor. Or you could just run a completely separate automated acid system that gets its power from the Omni.