Help setting up Pentair Intellichem, IntelliChlor & CO2 Kit

[Old Plodger]

Tried asking A Pro on poolfyi.com, but no response to date. Does anyone have experience seting up this combination, particularly the CO2?

Eventually connected my Intellichem, Intellichlor and CO2 injection system, however I'm unable to confirm with the CO2 kit where to set the "MIG Meter" knob. the cylinder valve is fully open and shows just under 1000psi. With the MIG Meter off, the needle has gone all the way around the manometer and is resting against the stop. I have seen injection of CO2 once when the solenoid iced over and what I assume is a relief valve opened blasting CO2 into the atmosphere. Have been unable to find any installation manual for the CO2.

Presently the Intellichlor has all green lights and is set on 60%, however over the last 3 days pH has risen from 7.6 to 7.9 and ORP has dropped from 750 to 645.

I have set the Intellichem twice with the Auto Setup Wizard, which I understand will, based on the pool size (42,000Gals), automatically determine both CO2 injection time and Intellichlor discharge, plus mixing time.

When the system started up the water was balanced, I'd appreciate any help to ensure the system is set up properly.

p.s. The Intellichem flow meter only registers flow with the Intelliflo pump working at speed 3 or greater, although supposedly it only needs 25gpm, less than speed 3 and the magnet doesn't close, is this typical?

 

[JasonLion]

The knob on the pressure regulator is supposed to be set so you get some reasonable psi reading on the injection side of the regulator, something around 40 or 50 psi is probably alright.

What do you have the set points set to on the IntelliChem?

The flow requirement for the sensor cell flow switch very much depends on how the sensor cell is plumbed into the system. Where do you have the sensor cell feed and return tubing plumbed to on the pool plumbing?

By the by, we do not recommend using any ORP based chlorine feed system on residential pools. Such systems add complexity, expense, and new failure modes without improving much of anything. We also do not recommend using CO2 based PH regulation systems since they will slowly drive up the TA level.

 

[Old Plodger]

Thanks for the swift reply Jason.

The set points are 7.6pH and 750ORP.

The flow switch has the inlet immediately after the filter and the return after the heat pump and Intellichlor, prior to CO2 injection. I noticed if the heat pump piping is on bypass there's insufficient drop to indicate flow, although of course there is flow, just not enough to raise the magnet.

Will adjust the valve on the injection side to 40-50 psi, can I leave the cylinder valve as is, open showing cylinder pressure of 1000psi??

Having spent the last few months reading this site I now understand fully the "KISS" philosophy; unfortunately I didn't find this site until after the equipment was already purchased, and it's a high investment to to leave fixed to the wall and by-passed!

 

[JasonLion]

So something is preventing the IntelliChem from triggering things correctly. The first step is to go to the IntelliChem panel and manually trigger CO2 feed (PH Settings -> Override -> Dose) and see if that triggers the CO2 feed system. Then try the same thing with ORP feed, triggering it manually and see if that turns the SWG on/off. The CO2 feed should be the simplest to get working, as it is controlled directly from the IntelliChem, while the ORP feed (SWG) requires that the SWG and automation system (if any) also be setup correctly.

With the sensor cell plumbed across the heat pump you don't get nearly the pressure differential you could get with it plumbed in some other way. The largest pressure differential is to go from before the pump to after the heater. Various other arrangements are possible, with the basic rule being that the more equipment you plumb the cell across, the higher the flow is going to be in the sensor cell.

Yes, the CO2 cylinder pressure of 1000 psi is normal and the valve on the CO2 cylinder should be left open. That pressure will go down over time, as you use CO2, and when it gets low enough you need to replace or refill the CO2 cylinder.

We have found that ORP based control is just worse than manually setting the SWG percentage setting. Unless your bather load varies wildly (50 people a day some days and zero people other days), you are almost always better off simply turning the ORP feature off. PH automation can have advantages, and the disadvantages are much smaller than ORP issues, though the TA increase is likely to be rather annoying in the long run.