Adding Pentair Intellichlor ?

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iain42

iain42

0
Oct 16, 2016
367
Little Rock AR
I am at the end of our first season of pool ownership. I never had to shock or had any outbreaks of water funk. My only misstep was using some outdoor bleach but it wasn't a big deal.

I do not like dosing the pool with bleach every day.
There isn't always 10% bleach available at the stores.
The bleach isn't always fresh as I just bought some with datecode 2017 now I know to check that.

The intellichlor seems like a no brainer and minimizes hassel. I like the idea of a level steady supply of chlorine being generated instead of spikes and luls. My PB said all my equipment is compatible. He would install it for a small fee. I understand the intellichlor needs to be cleaned etc.

My pool is somewhere between 17k-20k gallons so a Intellichlor IC40 should work?

Zinc Anodes attached to skimmer baskets? Strange but I get it.

Are there any pitfalls I should be made aware?

Any issues?

Next year will be even better...
 
Anode should not be needed.

How long are you currently running your pool pump?
IC40 would work, IC60 would not need to run as much and should last longer.

No real issues. The IC happens to be one of the most expensive cells due to the built-in electronics, but since you already have the ET PS4, that would be the easiest to integrate.
SWG do tend to have the pH rise a little faster, so you may need to increase acid additions.
If you keep your pool balance (slightly negative CSI), then you should not need to clean the cell. Acid cleaning shortens the life of the cell.
 
i,

Make sure your pool builder runs the cell power through the Pump/Filter relay and you are good to go.

Might also think about ScreenLogc2 so you can have control via your PC, phone or tablet...

dbtgallery.php


Thanks,

Jim R.
 
jblizzle said:
Anode should not be needed.

How long are you currently running your pool pump?
IC40 would work, IC60 would not need to run as much and should last longer.

No real issues. The IC happens to be one of the most expensive cells due to the built-in electronics, but since you already have the ET PS4, that would be the easiest to integrate.
SWG do tend to have the pH rise a little faster, so you may need to increase acid additions.
If you keep your pool balance (slightly negative CSI), then you should not need to clean the cell. Acid cleaning shortens the life of the cell.
Click to expand...

I run on low 22 hours a day. I don't mind paying for quality and simplicity. I did not realize that about the cells. Thank you!

- - - Updated - - -

Jimrahbe said:
i,

Make sure your pool builder runs the cell power through the Pump/Filter relay and you are good to go.

Might also think about ScreenLogc2 so you can have control via your PC, phone or tablet...

dbtgallery.php


Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

PB did mention that is how it would be setup.

That is really cool. Screenlogic is on my list but I think intellichlor is next.

My upgrade list:
1. Intellichlor
2. Screenlogic
3. Pool robot
 
i,

Not that it matters, but ScreenLogic is not WiFi... It has its own transceivers... Kind of like an old portable phone link...

ScreenLogic talks to your house network... You could then use your "superb" WiFi and use a tablet to talk with your network. You can also use your phone in the WiFi mode, or just use the cellphone mode...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
i,

Not that it matters, but ScreenLogic is not WiFi... It has its own transceivers... Kind of like an old portable phone link...

ScreenLogic talks to your house network... You could then use your "superb" WiFi and use a tablet to talk with your network. You can also use your phone in the WiFi mode, or just use the cellphone mode...

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Excellent!!

As I understand it the wireless transceiver connects to PS4 panel. Inside the house the transceiver connects to the screen logic router then to the internal home router. If it is on the network in my home I can write firewall rules to make it accessable to the outside world. Please correct me if I am wrong or delusional.
 
i,

Not sure what rules you will need to write, but ScreenLogic can be used from your backyard or from the other side of the world, just using your standard cell phone. ScreenLogic provides a place to add a remote password, so that no one else can access it. Basically the Protocol adapter, which connects to your home network, has its own IP address, so it works like any device that has an IP address.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
i,

Not sure what rules you will need to write, but ScreenLogic can be used from your backyard or from the other side of the world, just using your standard cell phone. ScreenLogic provides a place to add a remote password, so that no one else can access it. Basically the Protocol adapter, which connects to your home network, has its own IP address, so it works like any device that has an IP address.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...


Ahhh brilliant then that is one less step for me. Thanks for the clarification.
 

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It's my understanding that ScreenLogic, through the interface adapter, communicates with Pentair servers, probably every time you access the interface. It's how you're able to use the ScreenLogic app remotely, without having to do a bunch of router or app setup. So if you do some firewall stuff, and can't connect remotely, that'd be why. Just set its password and let it do its thing.

The IC works best with a good run of straight pipe in front of it. Try to see to it that the installer honors that, and doesn't jam it right up next to an elbow or check valve, etc. From the manual:

Note: For best flowsensing, provide at least 12"-18" of straight pipe infront of the cell inlet.
Click to expand...

The IC requires a minimum amount of flow. It'll "tell" you (via a display LED) if you have enough or not. Just be aware that you may or may not get to keep your RPMs where they are now.
 
Dirk said:
It's my understanding that ScreenLogic, through the interface adapter, communicates with Pentair servers, probably every time you access the interface. It's how you're able to use the ScreenLogic app remotely, without having to do a bunch of router or app setup.
Click to expand...

Dirk...

You may be correct, I have no idea, but where did you get this info???

I get the feeling when using my phone to talk with my ScreenLogic remotely, that the phone is talking directly to the protocol adapter, just the same as my computer can talk directly to your computer, if allowed. Not saying you are wrong, just that I don't get that impression when using ScreenLogic.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Dirk...

You may be correct, I have no idea, but where did you get this info???

I get the feeling when using my phone to talk with my ScreenLogic remotely, that the phone is talking directly to the protocol adapter, just the same as my computer can talk directly to your computer, if allowed. Not saying you are wrong, just that I don't get that impression when using ScreenLogic.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Deduction. It's similar to other systems I have running on my LAN and WAN. Most folks' modem/router setups communicate with their ISP (Internet Service Provider) via a dynamic IP address. Typically you have to pay more for a static (permanent) IP address. You can check your external IP address in various ways with software on your computer, and if you did, over time you'd notice that your IP address will change every once is a while for some reason (power failure, new modem, whatever). So how does your mobile app know what IP address to connect to? You didn't have to configure that in your app, remember? It just started working, after you gave your app your six-digit adapter code. So for that to be possible, some "third party" needs to be involved. Your ScreenLogic adapter can determine what your external IP address is, and then it puts it somewhere that your mobile app can find it, to use it. Somewhere where your mobile app knows to look (and, remember, it doesn't know your IP address). So I assume that is somewhere at Pentair. Same for when you call in to Pentair for tech support, and they can dial in to your ScreenLogic, they ask you for your code, not your IP address. How can they see your ScreenLogic interface remotely without your IP address? They can't. How do they get it?

So what I believe is happening, is that the Adaptor reports your IP address to Pentair servers on some regular basis (I can only guess at the frequency) and Pentair stores that IP address in a database along side your Adaptor's code. So the mobile app (or Pentair support's software) pings Pentair servers, with the Adaptor code, which then looks up your current IP address and returns it to the app. Then the app can make the connection. And that connection might very well be directly with your router after that, which would explain why it "feels" like it's talking directly to the adapter. That part I don't know, whether the connection is direct after that, or if everything is going through Pentair servers.

I don't actually know all the details, I just know it has to be done in that or some similar fashion. And your router has to allow the adapter to "talk" to Pentair, which a firewall would prevent if configured to do so. It's pretty scary for us non-techies, because this sort of two-way communication happens all the time without us even aware of it (every time you use a browser, for example)!

By the way, I got my hands on the same software your installer has. I think I just downloaded it from Pentair's site. It allows pool maintenance companies to remotely access all of their customers' equipment (those that have ScreenLogic) in one place. So they, too, just need your adapter code to "see" what you see in ScreenLogic, which they get (with or without you knowing about this), from the back of your adapter when they install it. I got clued in to this when my installer left my ScreenLogic password blank. I asked him about that and he basically said that they like to keep an eye on customer pools via ScreenLogic, but don't like to hassle keeping track of everyone's password!! I guess they figure not too many hackers are going after pool owners with ScreenLogic. Point being, if your installer was like mine, your ScreenLogic might be configured without a password.

I can't now remember if Pentair asked for my password when they wanted to dial in to my ScreenLogic. If they didn't, that means their "master software" might have a backdoor into the adapter, bypassing the password, so that they, too, don't have to mess with customer passwords. And for all I know, because this can all be hacked, and your adapter is connected directly to your router, maybe that means they could get at your other computer data, too? Paranoid, but possible no doubt. Make sure your ScreenLogic has a password...
 
I would suspect Pentair has a managed DNS system for the customers with ScreenLogic. I use a commercial service for managed DNS to be able to log into my system to look at video cameras and access a data server.
 
mknauss said:
I would suspect Pentair has a managed DNS system for the customers with ScreenLogic. I use a commercial service for managed DNS to be able to log into my system to look at video cameras and access a data server.
Click to expand...

Right. I think we're saying the same thing. Since your home's IP address can change at any time, you need that third party commercial service to keep track of the current address, so that your remote software can find your cams, etc. Did you have to install software on your computer that the commercial service gave you? That software is running in the background, periodically reporting your current IP address back to the service's servers. Just as ScreenLogic does to Pentair's servers.
 
OK, I can't speak to how your service works. But we didn't need to do anything to our routers to get ScreenLogic to work, which means the adapter is communicating with Pentair in some fashion, to report the current external IP address so that the mobile app can find it. Pretty sure of that...

Would you mind sharing the name of your service, I have a need for what you're describing. PM, maybe? Thx.
 

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