Confused Pool automation

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S

Suley

0
LifeTime Supporter
May 31, 2011
246
Los Angeles, CA
Pool Size
23000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I am looking to convert the pool to SWG and at probably automate the pool.

I am confused at to what I need to buy.

Right now I have a Pentair VS 3 HP pump, a Pentair 420 cartridge filter and a hayward 2 HP pump on the spa.

I am planning to get pentair IC 40, Pentair intellichem, raypak heater, Jandy valves with actuators, flow meter from TFtestkits.net and new spa blower.

Which control system will be needed to integrate all of these? It seems like Pentair easy touch comes in many different configurations and I am thoroughly confused. easy touch, intellitouch, etc. which one to get?

Thanks!
 
Any Pentair automation system can handle that list of equipment, unless you have more than the usual number of valves.

SunTouch is basic, works well but doesn't expand at all. EasyTouch is a nice mid-range system that does all of the common things. IntelliTouch is their premium line, can be expanded quite a bit further and has much more flexible programming, though really most people would never make use of the extra programming options.
 
Thanks Jason, that clears a lot.

On amazon they are selling a lot of variants of both easy touch and intellitouch. What does ICP mean? Also what does an intellitouch with secondary side circuit, intellitouch with intellichlor transformer and intellitouch power center with intellichlor transformer mean/ have different between them?

I just want to buy one unit which will control everything without buying any addons. Doesn't intellichlor IC 40 come with its transformer, ready to be installed?

Thanks!
 
The IntelliTouch system has several parts, each of which is available in a couple of variations. First you pick load center or power center, the box that will contain everything. The Load center has an electrical sub-panel inside, the power center does not. Both are available with or without a SWG power supply. Then you pick a personality module, these come pool&spa or just pool, and also come with different maximum numbers of aux circuits. Then you pick an optional interface kit (or several) which are places, other than the main panel, where you can control your system. Valve actuators are separate.

EasyTouch is nowhere near as complex, though there are still a few choices. SunTouch is the only one that has an option to get a complete kit with everything you need in one package.

The SWG has two pieces, the cell and the power supply. The power supply is available built into the automation (some IntelliTouch and EasyTouch models) or separate.

The IntelliTouch is designed to be installed by a certified Pentair installer. It can be done DIY, but expect to spend some time figuring things out, as the manuals assume you have some Pentair training. The SunTouch is much more aimed at DIY installs, though again there is some Pentair specific naming that gets confusing. EasyTouch is somewhere in-between.
 
It seems like easytouch can control 8 items... So far I have the following to control in the new system I'm planning:


2 pumps
1 ic40
1 intelliph
1 heater
3 valves ( 1each on suction, return and heater bypass)
1 blower
total= 9 items.

id like to leave room for a solar heater in the future... Does this mean I should go for intellitouch?
 
None of the: SWG, IntelliPH, heater, solar heater (uses one valve but no relays), and first two valves count against your eight devices. So you really only have 4, or maybe three depending on what you are doing with the third valve.
 
I am not sure how the Easytouch works, but some of those would be slaved together ... like the spa suction and return valves.

Also most do not just look at the number of items. Most can control:
X number of valves
Y number of high voltage relays
Z number of heaters
1 SWG

I see that you need 3 high voltage relays (2 pumps, 1 blower), although the Intelliflo may not count
3 valves (no problem) + 1 for solar
1 heater
1 SWG

I am not sure how the intelliph integrates, might need another relay.
 
So I was researching on the web with the new information and found a very informative installation guide from pentair which covers both intellitouch and easytouch. Things are MUCH clearer now. It seems like easytouch model number 8sc-520545 (contains 8 relays, IC40 and 2 valve actuators) will be the one which fits my needs and leaves room for some expansion. I am drawn to easytouch a bit because it has an on-board control panel along with the capability for remote control whereas intellitouch does not have on-board controls.

Should I plan to buy it from any online store which sells it the cheapest? Any words of wisdom on going for the lowest bidder or should I play it safe and pay a bit more (about $250 +tax on like $1850) to a known seller?

Thanks!
 

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Thanks Jason!

I am thinking of getting a wired control panel for inside the house... it will be about 100ft of wire run. Should i upgrade the control wire from recommended 18 gauge to 16 gauge? I'd like things to be hard wired rather than on wireless network.

Just to make sure, with all the equipment I plan to run (as in my previous posts) will i be able to run the VS pump at different speeds using the easytouch?
 
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