Is it possible to install an Intelliph without an Intellichlor system? I have a Intellitouch i9+3 control panel with a standard chlorine pool (chlorine puck in-line feeder) and I'm having to add roughly a quart of acid a week to keep my ph in the 7.6ish range and I'm wanting to try and automate the acid adding so it's easier to manage. Appreciate any feedback you may have, from my reading everyone I see with the Intelliph system also has a SWG pool with an Intellichlor so I'm not sure it's even possible to do what I want to do.
Intelliph without Intellichlor
- Thread starter K.F
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,382
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Short answer is YES you can install an IntelliPH without an SWG ..... BUT .... It has no automated feedback and so all you're doing is just dosing acid on whatever schedule you set it to. You'll have to monitor pH closely to make sure you're not adding too much acid.
The IntelliChem system has a pH probe that adds additional feedback to the control loop. It also includes an ORP probe but you wouldn't be using that aspect of it.
Deeper question - how are you testing your water and have you tried adjusting your chemistry to reduce acid demand?
The IntelliChem system has a pH probe that adds additional feedback to the control loop. It also includes an ORP probe but you wouldn't be using that aspect of it.
Deeper question - how are you testing your water and have you tried adjusting your chemistry to reduce acid demand?
Yes. I researched this with my easytouch. The only catch with intelliph is that there is no ph probe, meaning the ph is managed by a time/percent equation. I felt this was too risky to dial it in. I personally went with the solaxx ph tek which has a probe and I love it. It measures ph exactly and adds acid as necessary. The only issue with it I found is that the safety will trigger with my new plaster pool because it's adding acid at a high rate. What I do is schedule it to shut off every hour to force it a reset.
I'm still using the "dropper" style kit that my pool builder gave me, it tests for chlorine, PH, and Total Alkalinity. My chlorine and TA are almost always spot on but I have to add acid each time, most of the time if I test weekly I have a ph around 7.8 so I add acid to get it back down to around 7.5-7.6. I have a roughly 15,000 gallon pool with a waterfall over limestone boulders and a hot tub spillway that falls about 5 feet to the pool level. I have a lot of rock on my pool so SWG is not an option.
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Forgot to mention I live out in the country and am on well water (untreated) so I think the natural minerals in the water have something to do with the basic nature of my fill water.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,382
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I see you're new here so, Welcome!
So, in order to practice the methods we teach, the cornerstone of our philosophy is accurate water testing that you do yourself. We believe that there are only two test kits on the market that can test water properly and they are the Taylor K-2006 or the TF-100. Both can be found on Amazon or, the TF-100 can also be directly purchased from TFTestkits.net. The test kit you describe sounds like a standard issue PoolMaster 5-Way kit or one of the HTH 6-Way test kits. They are completely inadequate for the task of properly managing your pool water.
My guess is this - your Total Alkalinity is probably near what the pool industry says is correct, 80-100ppm. Am I close? If so, then your alkalinity is way too high and your excessive acid demand is a chemistry problem, not an equipment problem. In my pool (and many folks from Texas on the forum do the same), I need to keep my alkalinity near 50ppm and definitely always below 70ppm, in order to keep my acid demand at a reasonable level. With my TA below 70ppm (and the fact that I have 50ppm borates in my pool water), I only have to add acid once every 14 days or so and I only add about 12-16oz each time. That keeps my pH between 7.6-7.8 and, for the most part, my pH will just hang at 7.7
Here's what you can do -
1. Read through Pool School and about our philosophy - TFPC Method.
2. If you agree that we can teach you how to be completely self-reliant and have the greatest looking pool, you should purchase one of the test kits we recommend
3. Test your water and post up test results and the experts and mods here will be more than happy to help you.
Before you go sinking lots of money into automated pool equipment that might be totally unnecessary, I would suggest you really consider making the most important investment in your pool, a high quality test kit. Once you can test and understand your water chemistry better, your pool will become a lot easier and cheaper to manage.
Good luck,
Matt
Matt - Appreciate the advice, I have a K-2006 on the way and I'll let you guys know the results. You're definitely correct about my TA levels, my pool builder told me a TA level around 100 was where I wanted it, so I've been going by that metric (first time pool owner/operator). I'll read through the Pool School on here and adjust my knowledge base accordingly. Again thanks for the tips.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,382
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Yup, that's standard pool industry boiler plate recommendations that have no grounding in the working reality of pools. Most pool builders are good at building pools, few understand water chemistry at all.
Let us know what your test results are when you get your kit.
Let us know what your test results are when you get your kit.