AUTO PILOT v. AQUAPURE SWG

[grottoguy]

I am in the middle of building my pool (the gunite has been done but I am waiting for plumbing, coping, electric and equipment). My pool will have 46,000 gallons and I am currently scheduled to get the Autopilot Digital SWG with a cell for 67,000 gallons. Months after selecting the Autopilot, I have decided to use the IAQUALINK system and automate all of my equipment (which is generally Jandy). My question is whether I should stay with the Auto Pilot or switch to the Jandy AQUAPURE. If I switched I would have to buy more than one AQUAPURE, as its cell is only rated for 40,000 gallons.

I found a post from Jason Lion back on 2009 stating that the AUTOPILOT can hookup to the AQUALINK, but that I would lose the automatic Temperature feature, in which the AUTOPILOT adjusts the amount of Chlorine production based on the water temperature. Is that still the case?

Is there an advantage to having an SWG that can link to my AQUALINK? Does the AUTOPILOT still have features that cannot be found on the AQUAPURE?

If I changed to the AQUAPURE, I believe it would be a little more expensive (estimating between $400-700) because I would need two units instead of the large 67,000 AUTOPILOT cell. Although more expensive two units would be rated for 80,000 gallons - a bit more than 67,000 of the AUTOPILOT.

One last question, if I ever wanted to hookup an acid feeder with an ORP, would it be easier to do with the AUTOPILOT or the AQUAPURE. I doubt I would ever do this based on all the negative feedback on this forum about an ORP, although I did see a thread from a couple of years ago where a PB from PA indicated he has a lot of success with them.

Thanks

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

Autopilot has several nice high end features, all fairly minor but they grow on you, and are well reviewed. They will integrate with the automation system, but you will lose the temperature compensation on the percentage setting as mentioned before. The advantage of integrating with the automation is that the automation system can adjust the percentage setting when in spa mode, which should have a lower percentage setting, automatically.

For an outdoor residential pool I would stay far away from ORP. Not everyone has problems, but most do, and there really aren't any advantages. It costs more, is more work to maintain, often fails, and really isn't any better even when it is working.

 

[grottoguy]

Thanks Jason. I didn't quite follow about adjusting in the Spa mode but as I don't have a Spa, I take your advice to mean that there is not much if any of an advantage for me at all.

 

[poolpro88]

Thanks Jason. I didn't quite follow about adjusting in the Spa mode but as I don't have a Spa, I take your advice to mean that there is not much if any of an advantage for me at all.

Aside from Jandy Aquapure chlorine generators, only the Aqua Rite has ever had direct communication with Jandy automation. The Aqua Rite only has communication up to revision L, which came out around 2004.

You can stay with the Auto Pilot but you won't have direct communication with the Aqualink system. If you wire the Auto Pilot to the load side of the filter pump relay, it'll turn on and off with your filter pump. You'll have to change output on the Auto Pilot interface.

 

[jeremy]

I also have an Auqalink (and a Jandy ePump) and am thinking about a SWG. It's an indoor pool and no spa. Does the autopilot handle its own automation? I'm confused about what interfaces are available. Is there a way to monitor the autopilot remotely? How much user interaction is ther with the system? Does it need to be checked and adjusted frequently? Or at all?

 

[Uncle Flappy]

Aside from Jandy Aquapure chlorine generators, only the Aqua Rite has ever had direct communication with Jandy automation. The Aqua Rite only has communication up to revision L, which came out around 2004.

I am running my AquaRite on Aqualink rev. T just fine using emulation mode AL-5. Depending on what firmware you have (on both the AquaRite and Aqualink), it is possible to get them talk. Revision T is tricky because if not setup properly, Aqualink will lock out all future SWCG integration regardless of brand. While not usually necesary (I don't have one), this doohickey takes out the guesswork.

- Flappy