SWG install- completed

[patf11]

Re: SWCG install?

Bypass serves two functions:
1. When pump is running at high speed the flow rate exceeds recommended rate in IC40 manual.
2. Allows SWG to be removed in winter, see this thread for plug info.

Pipe is painted schedule 40 PVC.

I did purchase the power supply for the SWG.

I did all electrical and plumbing work. Took about 3 hours.

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWCG install?

Okay. I think I am gonna do it myself also. I found the IC 40 and power center here http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Pentair-IC40-In ... dZViewItem for ~$900. What do you think?

I will need to install the 2" check valve. Where do you get this from? Pool store?

I was planning on getting my other plumbing supplies from Home Depot. Did you dry fit first then seal? Do you use standard PVC cement? Any pressure testing necessary? Any rules about bends, heights or angles? How do I know if my flow rate is greater than 80gpm? I have a single speed pump, no water features, and no spa. It looks like if the flow is less than 80gpm then I can buy a dummy bypass cell and this will simplify my plumbing work...yes?

I feel comfortable with connecting the SWG to the power center. I read the installation manuals and am confused how I hard wire the power center to my Pentair Easy Touch 4. Does it get its own breaker? I can take some pics of my panel if you would be willing to guide me through the hardwiring. It just can't be all that tough. Most important....turn off the main electrical source serving the pool panel first!!!!

Thanks for the help,

 

[patf11]

Re: SWCG install?

I think I am gonna do it myself also. I found the IC 40 and power center here http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Pentair-IC40-In ... dZViewItem for ~$900. What do you think?
Also on ebay at http://cgi.ebay.com/PENTAIR-INTELLI...hash=item370070887925&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

I will need to install the 2" check valve. Where do you get this from? Pool store?
Pool store should have them, Home Depot and Lowes also have them where I live. Some online sources:
http://www.dtpetsupplies.com/catalog/product_info.php?language=en&currency=USD&products_id=4830
http://www.flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?product=PVC-Valves-SpringCheck
http://www.flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=1480375.10397*2D0vH6&product=PVC-Valves-SwingCheck

I was planning on getting my other plumbing supplies from Home Depot. Did you dry fit first then seal? Do you use standard PVC cement? Any pressure testing necessary? Any rules about bends, heights or angles? How do I know if my flow rate is greater than 80gpm? I have a single speed pump, no water features, and no spa. It looks like if the flow is less than 80gpm then I can buy a dummy bypass cell and this will simplify my plumbing work...yes?
Dry fit is always a good idea.
Used purple primer and standard PVC cement.
mas985 wrote a great article to help determine flow rates, it can be found here
If you do not need/want bypass then dummy cell would work great.


I feel comfortable with connecting the SWG to the power center. I read the installation manuals and am confused how I hard wire the power center to my Pentair Easy Touch 4. Does it get its own breaker? I can take some pics of my panel if you would be willing to guide me through the hardwiring. It just can't be all that tough. Most important....turn off the main electrical source serving the pool panel first!!!!

By all means turn power off first.
Did you have a chance to look at your power center for socket I referenced in post from last Thursday? Reading the documentation you might not even need the external power supply, if your power center already has the socket all you need to do is attach plug from SWG cell to your power center. Then you can tell everyone how you planned ahead and purchased your Easy Touch 4 with the SWG in mind. :lol:
Even if it turns out you will need the power center it just takes power from the same point the pump gets its power.

Best part about TFP is there are many people will to help. Just ask questions.

Maybe someone with an IC20/IC40 and easy touch system could share photo if their wiring?

 

[Poolsean]

Re: SWCG install?

DLSDO,

Seems to me that you can get a Pool Pilot w/SC-48, which comes with the bypass manifold assembly, for a little bit more money... just throwing it out there.

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWCG install?

DLSDO,

Seems to me that you can get a Pool Pilot w/SC-48, which comes with the bypass manifold assembly, for a little bit more money... just throwing it out there.

Sean,
Thanks for the post. I am interested. I have a few questions.

Can you talk me through installation?

Take a look @ my equipment pad at the beginning of this thread....How would you plumb it based on my setup? I do not have a lot of room between the output from the heater and the valve to the returns.

Do I need a check valve before the bypass manifold?

What is the length and height of the bypass manifold and control panel?

I have a Pentair Easy Touch 4 control panel. Could I interface the Autopilot with this? My pump is wired and controlled through the Easytouch. I am not sure how to hard wire the Autopilot with my setup. Is it feasible?

I was originally interested in the Autopilot but migrated towards the Intellichlor due to the ability to interface seamlessly with my setup. Your post is timely in that I have had some hesitation in regards to the Intellichlor due to some of the posts I have read.

Thanks,

 

[Poolsean]

Re: SWCG install?

Can you talk me through installation?
Of Course!

Take a look @ my equipment pad at the beginning of this thread....How would you plumb it based on my setup? I do not have a lot of room between the output from the heater and the valve to the returns.
Yes, how you show it in your picture would be fine. Place the ball valve vertically if needed.

Do I need a check valve before the bypass manifold?
None needed.

What is the length and height of the bypass manifold and control panel?
You need about 12" of straight pipe if you already have 2" pipe. If you have 1.5" pipe, you'll have to add in the dimensions for the reducer bushings.

I have a Pentair Easy Touch 4 control panel. Could I interface the Autopilot with this? My pump is wired and controlled through the Easytouch. I am not sure how to hard wire the Autopilot with my setup. Is it feasible?
I recommend not wiring the "communication" wires to control the output through the in-house panel. This will defeat the SALT ADDITION and AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION features, which adds quite a bit of automation to the system.
You would only need to connect the main power wires (220 volts) to the same location that the pump is wired to. That's all.

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWCG install?

Hi Sean,
Thanks for the replies. Bunch of questions. Some for Sean and possibly some for you hydraulics/electrical gurus out there.

Will I be purchasing the unit from you?

Can you beat the competition in regards to cost?

Cost? (PM me if you would rather not discuss this here.)

Time till shipped/received?

Warranty?

Trying to figure out how to power the autopilot. Took off the panel on my Pentair Easy Touch 4. Looks like 2-20amp breakers to a relay powering the filter pump and booster pump. Do I need to add another breaker for the Autopilot?

Or do I just add the Autopilot to the same relay that powers the Filter pump and booster pump?

I could take a pic of my electrical panel if it would help.

Take a look at my equipment pad here.

I would like to attach the Autopilot control panel to the back side of the post that supports the Easy Touch control panel. I was looking at the install manual and it looks like the mounting screw holes are only around the periphery of the box. Any way to mount it to that post?

I have sketched my proposed plumbing plan in the pic above. Will that work?

Are there too many 90 degree turns?

Is it too much weight on the unsupported bend at the first turn after the heater?

If so can I place a short piece of PVC beneath this bend as support?

Do I need to pressure check?

If so...how?

I need to leave the ball valve where it is, otherwise I will have to drain the pool down below the returns to do the install and would rather not if I don't have to.

I plan to use primer and cement with 2" sch40 PVC. I noticed @ Home Depot there are different types of cement. Which one do I need?

Manual says that if the flow rate is greater than 100gpm then I will need to plumb it differently. How do I know if my flow rate is this high?

After I cement the PVC how long do I need to wait before I run water through it?

Thanks for your help,

 

[JasonLion]

Re: SWCG install?

Your flow rate is under 100 GPM. A 1 HP pump pretty much can't reach 100 GPM.

Power the Autopilot off the same relay that controls the pump. You want the AutoPilot off when the pump is off.

Your plumbing plan will work. Extra support might be nice but I really doubt that it is required.

Many of the cements will work. Look for one rated for schedule 40 when using 2" pipe.

 

[Poolsean]

Re: SWCG install?

I am not able to sell directly to you, sorry. Josh with saltpoolguys.com, is one of SeanB's contributing vendors that also offer discounts to TFP members. Others may input other internet dealer names.

Warranty is 2 years full, then a proration on the cell, depending on which model cell you select.

You can mount a 2x4 onto your post that the Pool Pilot will attach to.

There are excessive 90's and although it will work, it is alot of back pressure. Can you send more photos of the plumbing after the heater to the ball valve?

Perhaps you can do similar to Patf's installation. (see attachment).

You had also initially mentioned perhaps the pH feeder too. Still a possibility?

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWCG install?

Thanks for the responses everyone. I am getting excited. I think I can do this.

So all I have to do is connect the Autopilot directly to the relay that powers the filter pump and booster pump? No new breakers necessary? Sounds almost too easy to be true!!!

Looks like Sean's plumbing suggestion would be best. I did not realize that you could turn the bypass manifold on its side like that.

How long do I have to let the PVC cement cure before I restart the system?

Thanks again,

 

[JoshU]

Re: SWCG install?

Dave,

I received your e-mail in regards to the TFP member discount and I just replied with the details of how it works. Please let me know if you didn't receive it for some reason.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWG install?

Thanks Josh. I got it.

Running into plumbing issues. I only have ~8" from the 90 after the heater to the ball valve. I can not use Sean's suggestion because I can not fit in two 90'S. I also don't want to create any back flow pressure or unsupported weight issues. See below. Any suggestion?

Will someone please measure the actual dimensions of the bypass manifold for me. I would very much appreciate it.

Any reason to use unions instead of cemented joints?

Here is my electrical plan. No need for a dedicated breaker for the Autopilot...right? This is a view of the interior of my Pentair Easy Touch unit. Will I lose any of the Autopilot features if I wire it this way?

 

[Poolsean]

Re: SWG install?

Wire the AutoPilot to the same relay that the jumper and Pump wires are connected to. You want it energized when the main filter pump is on, not when the Booster pump is on, or on it's own relay (programmed timer).

You should have enough space with 8" to plumb my recommended configuration. Remember, about 1 3/4" of the 2" pipe will slip into the 2" 90'ell.

From the heater, to the 90, leave that alone. Cut the pipe after the 90 and leave about 3" of pipe. Glue your first 90 to this, facing up. Plumb as per my recommendation and bring it back down to your original pipe, gluing another 90 back to your ball valve.

If the 2 90's on the top takes up too much space, you can try a 2" Street 90, which has one of the sides a male slip that glues directly to the inside of the other 90, so there's less space needed.

Dry fit everything first.

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWG install?

Well I did it!! Got the Autopilot installed. Had a few small bumps in the road but for the most part it was straightforward. Its up and running. I used to run the pump 24/7 but that SWG is so efficient that the 1st twenty four hours my FC was too high. I turned my pump down to 12 hrs, and the SWG to level 1 @ 10%. Will fiddle around till I find the right output setting. Here are a few pics.

What reverse polarity level do most of you run at? Mine is set to 6.

How do you winterize your Autopilot?

How often do you inspect the cell?

Do you acid wash if there is a little bit of scaling, 25%, 50%???

When you acid wash you make a 4:1 mix and submerge the whole cell?

I now have used a trichlor feeder, the liquidator and good old BBB to sanitize my pool. So far based on my particular circumstances this method seems to be the easiest.

Thanks to everyone that helped me through the process!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could not have done it without this site and everyones support.

Thanks,

 

[JasonLion]

Re: SWG install?

Good job of fitting the manifold into a tight space!

My CSI is around -0.8 (vinyl pool) so I have never seen any calcium scaling (two years so far). I set the reverse time to eight hours. Even with CSI much closer to zero there shouldn't normally be any scaling.

I clean the manifold filter screen and inspect the cell about once every six weeks.

 

[DLSDO]

Re: SWG install?

Good job of fitting the manifold into a tight space!

My CSI is around -0.8 (vinyl pool) so I have never seen any calcium scaling (two years so far). I set the reverse time to eight hours. Even with CSI much closer to zero there shouldn't normally be any scaling.

I clean the manifold filter screen and inspect the cell about once every six weeks.

Thanks Jason. It was pretty tight.

Do you winterize your SWG? If so how?

Thanks,

 

[JasonLion]

Re: SWG install?

For winterizing, I just make sure all the water is out of the manifold and then put a little anti-freeze into the bottom of the manifold.

 

[DaveNJ]

I suggest you write the info from the sticker on the side of unit. Serial number and such. Mine sets in the sun all year, the sticker is unreadable now ( 3 years).