Pentair IntelliCenter

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bdavis466

bdavis466

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Aug 4, 2014
5,615
San Clemente, CA
I met with a Pentair rep today really for no other reason than to get some info about the new automation system Pentair is supposed to release this year. He told me there is no projected release planned anytime in the near future and that there may be some internal turmoil over its development...too bad since the ET and IT really haven't received any updates since they were released a decade ago and are horribly behind the technology curve.
 
Interesting. Are there other pool Mfr automation systems already that offer more flexibility than Pentair's ET? Am new to pool automation, but not home automation.


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It does not surprise me at all that there is huge roadblocks to technical development and internal division on a new controller. I worked in tech for 15 years and I can tell you that once "the old guard" settles on a product, there are lots of internal road blocks put up to keep the younger engineers from "messing up what works." It's hugely demotivating when you come into a tech company as a young engineer on the premise that you'll be working on the latest and greatest only to have the "old guard" types controlling their little fiefdoms and telling you to "not make waves".

Been there. Done that. Got the tee shirt. And it's the reason why companies like Google come into existence, thrive and beat the pants off of old school players, mainly because young kids with ideas don't tolerate being boxed in.

So, Brian, your only option is to start your own pool automation company and "build the better mouse trap".


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Interesting to at least hear their next generation product is possibly nearing a release - will be interesting to see what it can do and if they opened it up or left it closed. The world is changing - I'm still not convinced it's for the better, but it seems those that stay "closed" get left behind - everyone wants "Cloud" and open, etc, but that then leaves others to take your business and all of that business gets run into nothing with a value add.

Will be fun to see how this plays out.
 
JoyfulNoise said:
It does not surprise me at all that there is huge roadblocks to technical development and internal division on a new controller. I worked in tech for 15 years and I can tell you that once "the old guard" settles on a product, there are lots of internal road blocks put up to keep the younger engineers from "messing up what works." It's hugely demotivating when you come into a tech company as a young engineer on the premise that you'll be working on the latest and greatest only to have the "old guard" types controlling their little fiefdoms and telling you to "not make waves".

Been there. Done that. Got the tee shirt. And it's the reason why companies like Google come into existence, thrive and beat the pants off of old school players, mainly because young kids with ideas don't tolerate being boxed in.

So, Brian, your only option is to start your own pool automation company and "build the better mouse trap".


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Click to expand...
I was an EE at General Dynamics for a few years and all I can say is Amen!! When old engineers are busy telling you what can't be done, the government is throwing you money to sit in freaking stupid meetings all day with 30 engineers to do a project that could have been done in half the time with 10 engineers!! I used to average at least 3 30-60 minute meetings PER DAY!! I got out of there as quick as I could but holy cow it's amazing how google/apple/facebook has changed the world in the last 10-15 years but we still have tech companies with engineers saying "but this is how we've ALWAYS done it"
 
bdavis466 said:
It's in the works...I need an engineer though. Care to come out of retirement?

Odd that a lot of your descriptors above could also describe you and your relationship with your RF remote :scratch:
Click to expand...

You'll have to provide me with a room for nursing the baby (quiet with muted earth-tone decorations), a 90 min lunch break, three 15min breaks each day, 5 weeks of vacation per year, unlimited sick days/PTO, a car allowance and Cadillac health benefits...oh, and fully vested defined benefits pension plan.

As for the remote, I keep it around because I know it annoys you and Jim...like a little itch that you just can't reach...

:laughblue:


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benm2010 said:
... with engineers saying "but this is how we've ALWAYS done it"
Click to expand...

We used to call that the "not invented here" mentality. "True believers" inside the company could never fathom that anyone else but them could come up with a solution. Worse, if they had their own little sandbox they controlled, they would bully anyone bringing in ideas from other groups - "that's not how WE do it!" they would sniff...the engineering world is chock full of these.

Hopefully Pentair figures out that their gear is a bit dated and don't wait too long before a nimble competitor leaves them in the dust.


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Whatever it is I hope it has a reliable FC probe, is backward compatible with the expenxsive equiptment I already have and can have its firmware automatically updated-- or at least with a flash drive. Oh, yes and a beter singular mobile app.
 
dradam said:
Whatever it is I hope it has a reliable FC probe, is backward compatible with the expenxsive equiptment I already have and can have its firmware automatically updated-- or at least with a flash drive. Oh, yes and a beter singular mobile app.
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What is it about the app you don't like? You have iOS or Android? I've got an iPhone and iPad mini, love the app, seems to work well every time. I could understand one app I guess vs two - but honestly I think there are a good majority of people (those not on this forum) that might have Screenlogic that all they do is "Operate" their pool, turn it on and off, etc., they probably don't do anything with configuration once their PB set it up - it's just like it is day 1. Having separate apps keeps those people from messing something up they don't understand. I also rarely use the config app because I prefer the PC software to do any configuration.
 
dradam said:
Whatever it is I hope it has a reliable FC probe, is backward compatible with the expenxsive equiptment I already have and can have its firmware automatically updated-- or at least with a flash drive. Oh, yes and a beter singular mobile app.
Click to expand...

I doubt your wish for an FC probe will be a part of it. A true chlorine sensor ( hypochlorous acid) would be a couple thousand dollars itself not to mention the hardware and programming to operate it.
 
I wish the app included more of the screen logic info, such as ph and orp history. I wish it allowed orp and ph adjustment. I wish I could adjust the pump speed without having to use the other app. I wish it displayed the filter pressure.

BTW while I have your attention-- I have never had the screenlogic filter status bar work. It always says 0% . Do those colored indicators light up? Do you have it working ? I have tried resetting at the pump but no luck.

And yes I suspect an FC probe that is affordable is too much to ask for.
 
I'm in the middle of picking an automation system. While in the middle of searching for the current status of IntelliCenter, I came across this. Its just for the IntelliCenter control panel, and is likely a pre-release version, but it may give an indication to the capabilities of the new-up-and-coming system.


(i tried to upload the file directly but its too large. Shared on Google Drive instead)
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByTxW6MD6AHsSl9idG9OU2I0eFE
 
Any update on this? I don't have my pool tied into my home automation system - which is Control4. My pool stuff is pretty much all Jandy - at least heater, which controls the pump, and SWCG.

Whenever I have looked into the automation interfaces it was stupidly expensive and limited in functionality - in that you could control the pool heater, pump timing and lights, but you couldn't control the SWCG. Why not? Everything should have a REST API and be on an IP network - that can't add too much to the cost as a Raspberry Pi W can do all of that and way more and sells for $10. Or at least a serial interface like RS-232.
 
All of the current offerings can control the SWG and have for some time now. They are limited to brand though meaning a Jandy panel can't communicate with a Pentair SWG - at least not without some serious workarounds.

I agree though that pool automation is horribly outdated and limited.
 
Brian - After the startup assistance you provided me, I guess I can offer up some engineering assistance for the next killer pool automation & app! Ideally it would be manufacturer agnostic. I suspect the proprietary interfaces could be a bit challenging (but certainly not impossible) to crack. Given where these automation systems are on the technology curve, I might have to recall 1990 technology.

Benm2010/Joyful - The way to beat the "old guard" is to file for a patent on your ideas............... This will get Product Management's attention.
 
peirek said:
Brian - After the startup assistance you provided me, I guess I can offer up some engineering assistance for the next killer pool automation & app! Ideally it would be manufacturer agnostic. I suspect the proprietary interfaces could be a bit challenging (but certainly not impossible) to crack. Given where these automation systems are on the technology curve, I might have to recall 1990 technology.

Benm2010/Joyful - The way to beat the "old guard" is to file for a patent on your ideas............... This will get Product Management's attention.
Click to expand...

I suspect that if you built something to control other manufacturer's proprietary interfaces, that not much would be said.. On the other hand, if a company was to manufacture and sell something that would do the same thing without prior approval, I'm pretty sure there would be plenty of work for the Lawyers...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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