Intellitouch layout / design

[EminenceFront]

I'm designing my own DIY intellitouch system and have a question.


They have a power center, and a load center, which houses the intellitouch i5 panel.



It's intended that the load center be used for pads which don't have a sub panel, or have runs from the house panel, out to the pad.
The power center, it appears is a small form factor housing for just the Itouch panel, and the relays and connections necessary to run the automation


I'm assuming, and this is where i need clarification, that if i have "home runs" from the pad to my main panel, that I can just run the power center, which doesn't include breaker spaces, correct ?

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, that would work. It is almost invariably easier and less expensive to use a sub-panel, but if you want to run everything back to the main panel separately you would get the version without the sub-panel as you proposed.

 

[EminenceFront]

Thanks JL.

That's what I really thought, but haven't been able to get close enough to someone's pad, with an automation system to see how the cabling and current flows.

I had assumed, when you retrofit, you just yank the cross connections and switches out of the typical junction / power box, and merge them into the relay / control box. What I am seeing now, is that some systems self contain relays and breakers, and some use an intermediate sub-panel, and then a separate panel for the control assy and relays.

It's ultimately going to depend on whether they run a couple of 240V extensions from my primary Breaker panel, to a sub panel on the pad, or just use Piggy back 240V breakers in my existing panel, and then run 4-5 Romex runs. through the attic, pop out the exterior soffet and down the wall where the pad will be.

Curious if you know what's typical / observed ?


I have physical capacity in my breaker panel, but most residential panels are 200A and I believe I have at least 230A in there already. (there are 2 x 15A dedicate Outdoor Christmas Light Circuits, that are rarely used.)

 

[JasonLion]

For all but the simplest pools the most common approach is to run a 60 amp 240 volt line from the houses main panel out to a sub-panel near the pool. If you have a heat pump that would tend to be 100 amps instead. There are plenty of other options, especially for extra complex setups, but that is the most common approach. If you are getting an automation system anyway, it make sense for the sub-panel to be integrated, which greatly simplifies the wiring.

The total amps of all the breakers in the panel are allowed to be significantly higher than the service to the panel. The actual rules are complex, but breakers totaling double the panel rating is common.

 

[EminenceFront]

Perfect, that's exactly the kind of clarification I needed.

So it sounds like to me, the ultimate best option will be to have them go ahead and install the load center at the onset, that way all the wiring is already terminated where it would need to be, and then in a couple seasons when I get around to buying the controller, actuators and sensors, I don't have a massive re-wire.

It doesn't make much sense to have them put a typical sub panel, just to have to rip and scrap it.

(the crappy part, is the Pentair sub panel is MUCH more $$ than a regular sub panel.

Thanks !

BD