Upgrading Cell and Add Automation

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noshame

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Jun 12, 2016
11
Sarasota, FL
Hey Everyone,

What a great resource this is! I've had my pool for 2 years now and have literally learned everything through this site and you helpful contributors. Thank you all for sharing this knowledge as the things you are told from pool builders, pool stores, and pool cleaners tends to be less than helpful.

I would like some guidance on a few things that I can't totally figure out:

Levels:
Salt- 3200
FC- 2.5
CC- 0
PH- 7.2
CYA- 70
Calcium- 700
Pump runs 4 times a day for 3 hrs each time mostly for skimming purposes since theres no screen.

I know it is recommended to at least have a cell thats double the size but I didn't know that when building. My builder installed a Hayward Blue Essence t-5. Last summer in the SW FL sunshine it provided chlorine just ok. This summer its really struggling (ran for 24 hrs at 100% and only got up to 2.5 fc). I do clean it every 3-5 months (with acid only as needed). The last cleaning was about 2 weeks ago and i forgot to turn the power off when i dumped what was probably too strong of a mixture. More like 2:1 instead of 4:1. Could I have fried it by doing this with the power on? It had no flow so should've been off I would assume. In the middle of a slam right now to be sure there isn't an unnoticed bloom occurring. My question is; Can I/should I install a t-15 and if so, is all I need to do is change the setting on the control panel from t-5 to t-15?

What I think the diagnostics are for the cell. I only know what the 3200 and t-5 are:
3200
88
32.8
0.0
100p
- 0
AL-0
R 1.59
T-5

The next question might need to be in the pump section of the forum so please let me know if I should repost...

I would like to control things with my smartphone. I'm not sure where to start on this. Is it as easy as just switching to the Easy Touch or is this a can of worms I don't want to open or pay for? I was thinking of installing a wifi switch prior to my pool light control so that I can at least control my pool lights but it would be nice to control everything.

Thanks for everything!
 
The first thing to check when people think their SWG isn't keeping up with FC demand is if there is algae growing in the pool consuming the FC as fast as the SWG is making it. Perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to check for algae.

Yes, you can add an Easytouch and Screenlogic to control your pool. More here, Pentair - EasyTouch Control Systems
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I forgot to mention that I did an OCLT a couple nights ago. I added some liquid chlorine during the day to keep the fc around 4-5. The oclt went from 4 to 2 but we did have a good rain overnight so not sure if that played into it. That's when I decided to slam it. Performing another oclt tonight.

As far as the easytouch I was just wondering if people thought it was worth it and how much work it is to implement.

Pooldv, I see you have SONOS in your signature. How do you have that set up? I have a handful of their speakers and love them. I have a play 1 poolside under a little makeshift roof that I built. Looking for some other ideas.
 
We've been building our Sonos system for a few years now and we're a little out of control. :) We have a playbar and sub in the living room, Ones in master bedroom and bathroom, kitchen, hall bath and the kids' rooms. Outside we have a Three on the screen porch, a Three in the pool hut and a One on the shop porch. These three speakers all face the pool and fill the backyard with music. Sonos is great!
 
noshame said:
As far as the easytouch I was just wondering if people thought it was worth it and how much work it is to implement.
Click to expand...

I love my EasyTouch and Screenlogic control, after having it, I'd never have a pool without it. If you are going to go with an ET panel, you must add Screenlogic to get phone control, but I"d never have one without the other anyway. You don't list a spa and that is where you really get the nice control - being able to go in to spa mode and control the heat without ever setting foot out near the equipment, but it can still be worth it.

Even if you don't have a spa, you'll still get full pump control with scheduling, full remote Intellibrite light control and you can add an actuator to the bubblers as long as you have a Jandy style valve plumbed to shut them off, that will allow you to turn them on and off by program or remotely.

As long as your current pool, light and pump controls are all in one place the ET should not be a big deal to install. Pentairs documentation leaves a bit to be desired according to those that have installed on their own. Mine was put in by the PB. I've had two years to decipher it and learn how it works and fix the mistakes the PB made when he put it in.

I don't know if it will control the Hayward SWG or not. Pentair has an upgraded model of the panel with the power supply built in to control their own SWG, I don't know about control of other models. If the SWG you have isn't powerful enough maybe this is where you update it to a bigger one - Pentair to likely get full integration with the ET control.
 
Just an update. It did fail the oclt last night. The fc dropped 3.5 so I guess it makes the most sense to see how the cell recovers after the slam. Hoping that the cell can produce once all the algae is out of the way and it can save me some money.... for now at least.

GDN thanks for the info on the ET. It sounds like a great worthwhile upgrade. May be time to start saving for that.....

I would still like to know, when the day comes to get a new cell can I just throw a t-15 in there and change the setting on the control panel? No other changes or calibration needed?

Thanks
 
Scroll through the diagnostics to look up the software version, 1.5 or higher you can use a T-15 cell. You will have to adjust the cell size in the diagnostics to match the T-15 cell. The T-15 cell will last longer.

^^^ stolen from Ping. :)
 
Thanks pooldv, I did see that post from ping. Still slamming but it's been tough to keep it steady with the rain and work.
I've been researching the cell diagnostics and it seems my amps are at 0. At least it was when I checked and posted my original post. Any thoughts?
 
An SWG works in cycles. On for a bit, off for a bit, then back on with reversed polarity, repeat. So, depending on when you check it could be positive, negative or 0. If you are at 60% then the cell will be off 40% of the time.
 

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Awesome thank you! i did check it again this morning and the amps were registering. I had to turn on the cell (duh) since I'm slamming i had the cell off. Lost 1.5 on the oclt last night with heavy rain. So, continuing slam. Hopefully tonight is the last night then I can really see if my cell is keeping up with demand. CC at 0 and water is clear.

yangcha1 thanks for the link. I'll be looking into that.
 
noshame said:
Awesome thank you! i did check it again this morning and the amps were registering. I had to turn on the cell (duh) since I'm slamming i had the cell off. Lost 1.5 on the oclt last night with heavy rain. So, continuing slam. Hopefully tonight is the last night then I can really see if my cell is keeping up with demand. CC at 0 and water is clear.

yangcha1 thanks for the link. I'll be looking into that.
Click to expand...


Links for how to connect a 240 VAC Variable-Speed Pump intelliflo to the control system.
How To Set Up the Intermatic Pool-Spa Control System for VSpeed Pump - INYOPools.com
How To Set Up the Intermatic PE653RC Pool-Spa Control System -Overview - INYOPools.com

Link for how to control it thought smartthings hub:
GitHub - KeithR26/Intermatic-PE653: Z-Wave Device Type for the Intermatic PE653 Pool Controller
 
So it seems I'm back to my original problem. After passing the oclt the fc remained between 5-7 on 50% cell power for approximately 4 days (not much sun those days though). But now I'm back to 2-2.5 after raising the cell to 90% for 24 hrs a day. Last night fc was at 2. Ran the pump all night at 90% and this morning was at 2.5. Any ideas? I'm thinking my cell is not able to handle the load.
I ordered a Taylor salt test since I can't find the chems for my k 2006 so that I can confirm my cell is reading salt level correctly.
 
Yes, 2 weeks ago after my last slam. Which is what started all this. To see if my cell is not functioning properly. After passing oclt the fc hovered around 6 for a cloudy week while I slowly lowered my cell output. Then after a couple very sunny days it dropped to 2 and I can't get it back up. I'll do another oclt.
 
Slammed for 4 more days and took the drain cover off where I found some debris and possible algae. I've been running the pump 24/7 ever since and am able to maintain a fc of 5 at 60% cell setting. However my salt cell is constantly reading low. Per the Taylor salt test my pool has a 3800 salt level. I recalibrate the cell every couple of days but it always returns to reading the salt at 2600. I've read that this is a sign that the cell is on its last leg. Can anyone confirm? Also will the cell continue to produce chlorine when it's reading a low salt level?
 
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