4 x 160 with autopilot total system with p/H

[eastsider]

PoolSean,
I called customer service at AutoPilot prior to purchasing my equipment as I did the other manufactors to make sure everything was compatible and I could use the AutoPilot as my timer until a much later date I may automate my system. I purchased the total Control system with everything salt p/H sc60(75001) (75003) (94113) (75005) acid pump relay box(75008) . I have Jandy C/L 580 filter, Jandy AE3000 heat pump, Pentair vs-3050 Intelliflo pump and Polaris 380 with halcyon pump. The electrician told me I could not use the pump because the AutoPilot cannot be used with anything rated 3 hp. I called AutoPilot who advised it is not the hp but gpms nothing over 100. Now my electrician advised I can not use the variable speed pump through the AutoPilot. The person at AutoPilot said I could use it as a 2 speed not variable. The electrician told me it cannot be done with the Acid Pump. What is your advise

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

How you set things up depends on what you are trying to do. There are several different ways to wire it up and part of the confusion is coming from that. All of those components can be gotten to work together fairly easily in some modes but not in others. Because they are made by different companies the manuals don't spell out exactly what all the options are.

The Total Control system can control a pump in one of two ways. Either the pump goes on/off based on the timer in the Total Control unit, or the pump goes fast/slow based on the timer in the Total Control unit. There is not support for configuring fast and slow and off at different times in the Total Control. This is true with or without the acid pump, which is not a factor.

The relay in the Total Control unit is rated for 30 amps / 2.5 HP. The pump is rated for 16 amps / 3 HP. I am not completely clear if that means the Total Control can handle it, because the amps are fine, or it can't handle it, because the HP are not. Normally with electricity the amps matter, but with pumps there is a higher startup surge and I am not sure how the IntelliFlo compares in that area. Perhaps Poolsean can answer this part.

However, if you want the two speed control you have to get an IntelliComm unit to allow any non-Pentair controller to select the speed. The IntelliComm would also solve the HP issue (if that is actually a problem) even for on/off control. When using the IntelliComm the pump is controlled by low current relays and the actual load switching is done by the controller in the pump, so the rating of the Total Control relay does not matter.

All of which is unrelated to the max flow rate. The Total Control system requires some fairly simple extra user supplied plumbing to support flow rates above 100 GPM. Adding the bypass to support higher flow rates is easy, and a good idea with a pump like the IntelliFlo that can easily go above 100 GPM, even if you don't intend to run it at that rate.

 

[Poolsean]

Jason is on the right track. GPM is only important when we're talking about the minimum flow (15 - 20 gpm) and the maximum flow through the manifold (100 gpm).
It's the amperage rating of the relay that will matter most. The HP is variable from manufacturer to manufacturer.
I believe the variable flow pump must be wired directly to a circuit breaker.
The heat pump as well, should be wired to its own dedicated circuit breaker and should have a quick disconnect box adjacent to it.
The Polaris booster pump should be on a timer that is interfaced with the pump's high speed (or at least the variable speeds should be set to run at sufficient flow rates for the booster pump to draw from).
So what does that leave?

You've got quite a few configurations you can wire this system.

Option 1, I recommend wiring the Total Control to the same breaker as the Variable speed pump. I would also program the Total Control for ONE SPEED PUMP and set the pump program 1 on/off to operate when the pump is running. This way you're not relying just on the flow switch protection in the manifold. Then, wire a time clock for the booster pump to operate during the pump run timeframe.

Option 2, UNLESS you have an external time clock to program the variable speed pump? If so, I would recommend going with a time clock capable of operating two pumps, the variflow and the booster. The Total Control will not control either pump, and can then control the acid pump internally. 75008 not needed then.

Option 3, single pump time clock. Connect the variflow pump and the Total Control to the LOAD side of the time clock. THEN connect the booster pump to the Total Control and set it for TWO SPEED PUMP. This way, the unit will always generate chlorine as long as the main pump is powered and there is sufficient flow. The booster pump should be wired as per the wiring diagram, where the HIGH speed mode is wired. Then, program the HIGH speed on the Total Control whenever you want the booster pump to come on every day.
The 75008 will be used in this configuration.

Option 4, use relays and contactors to make sure everything is interfaced with one another....easier said than done.

Don't worry about the Heat Pump. This is operated off a pressure switch and will not cycle on unless there is sufficient water pressure in the system. You should be careful though, that you provide enough flow when the heater needs to be running. Too low and you will get high pressure warnings on the heat pump, where it will cycle off and on and not heat your pool properly.