Acid pump options - DIY - Stenner - or? (settled on Pentair Acid Tank w/Pump)

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I am part way through the installation.

I am hoping to finish it off today. I need to go to the hardware store to get a 2" Tee so I don't have to use the pvc saddle.

So far I have run into a few problems, but it is working and is just ready to be screwed down to my pad and the wires and hose all neatly tucked into place.

Here is my panel before the installation:

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My Jandy iAqualink panel has several open Relays - I at first figured I would use Aux 7 and hooked it up that way. During all of my programming it would never energize Aux 7. So I am not sure what that problem is (maybe I don't have an RS8). After resetting all of my Aux settings in the programming I finally switched it to Aux3 and it started to work correctly.

My second problem is that I wanted to wire the power supply up via the pump, so that it would only turn on when the pump was running as a safety backup.

Here is a drawing of what I was attempting to do. The red line shows the location of a the wire that I used to connect to one leg of the pump relay so that I could have the power supply get its power only when the pump was on. This went to the AUX3 relay and then to the power supply line and load contacts. Unfortunately this didn't work and caused th 240v pump circuit breaker to trip anytime the AUX3 relay was switched on. Since my drawing from a trusted electrical engineer showed it wired this way, and I also saw another version of this on a Pentair power unit in the thread linked earlier, I thought it should work...

I either wired it wrong and/or my circuit breaker can't handle the extra load of the small power supply and that is why it trips the breaker.

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In order to get it working and test everything I switched it out and wired it to the 20A 120v circuit that powers the Jandy panel. This goes through the AUX3 relay to turn the power supply on and off as needed. It currently works. One minute of pump run time puts out around 5oz of liquid.

As a precaution I set a 1 minute time duration limit for the AUX 3 relay via the iAqualink programming. This means that even if the pump is off for some reason (but scheduled to be on), and the Acid Pump schedule calls for the Acid Pump to run, it will only inject around 5oz of weak MA acid into the pipes - which should never be a huge issue. I am not sure it would ever happen...

I will post some pictures later today of the finished wiring and the installation of the tank. That is what I am off to do now!
 
I got the wiring all hooked up and now have to decide where to put the injection port.

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I spliced into the main Jandy circuit with a jumper and a wire nut.

My problem now is that I need to figure out the best place to plumb in the injection port. A 2" Tee is pretty big and I don't have much room before or after the SWG. I can fit in the saddle connector just before the SWG as shown below, but a 2" Tee will be tough to fit in there. Plus, it is pretty close to the SWG.

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I thought I could connect to the capped stub that is already there for solar we may never use...I could just cut down the capped pipe and put a new threaded cap on the end...

Anyone else have any other ideas?

Maybe thread right into an elbow with a tap, or put a 90 off of the valve and a end cap with a 1/2" threaded end?

Here is my best option so far:
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Bumping my thread to see if someone has any objection to my last picture - cutting off the end cap and adding the threaded cap I have sitting on the pipe?

Or am I better off just drilling and tapping into that elbow/tee junction area to add the injector?
 
Im not an expert but I don’t think you want to inject into a place the water isn’t flowing. If you inject into that end cap there is no flow - just water pressure pushing back against the injection point. Whatever you’re pumping (MA?) will not flow into the system but instead collect in that space.

I don’t have a great solution for you. That pic where you have the saddle connector gets flow but if proximity to the swg is a concern....
 
If you can tap into the elbow that would work if it gives enough space from swg. Or maybe replace the T underneath the elbow with a cross and pump in from the bottom?
 
Third post the charm....are you planning on cutting the stub off? In that case I don’t think the flow is a problem...as long as you’re able to get the injector deep enough into the T. You might need to replace some of the fittings to make that happen
 

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I got a tap and despite not having the right drill bit ( I ground down a 3/4" spade bit to make a .700" hole), I was able to get some threads in the elbow and get this all hooked up.

I was worried it would leak as the threads weren't perfect, but a little Plast-Aid and a second pass with my tap tightened things up and everything seems to be holding up.

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Now I just need to dial in the exact amount to add each week. I was sitting at around PH 8.0 this morning and dosed it about 6 time times to get it down to 7.5.

I will try for 2 times a week at around 5oz per dose and adjust upwards.

Thanks everyone for the inspiration and help - this is a pretty nice solution for anyone looking to simplify their setup - and it works with a Jandy control system!!!
 
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I thought I would show a quick summary in case anyone in the future is looking at doing this with a Jandy setup like mine.

Parts Needed & Supplies:
Pentair Acid Tank & Pump 522472
120V - DC 24V Power Supply (I bought one on Amazon)
Screws to mount tank to pad (I used Tapcons)
Screws to mount power supply to Jandy power unit
Wire to hook up power supply to Jandy power unit
Wire nuts/spade connectors etc... As needed for proper electrical hookup

PVC connection for acid injection point. You can use the supplied saddle clamp, a new T with a 1/2" NPT female fitting, or like I did and tap threads into an existing fitting.

I wired my unit up to the Aux3 Relay in the Panel

The Setup in the Jandy Automation iAqualink is pretty easy.

First I labeled Aux3 as Acid Pump:
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Then I set a Device Run Time of 1 minute for the Acid Pump as a safety precaution:
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Next I setup my initial schedule for acid dosing (making sure that it was during the pump run time):
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Finally I added a button to my Home Screen:
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Hi @santacruzpool I’m looking to do the same thing you did but with a Hayward prologic panel. 2 questions for you if you don’t mind:
1. I wanted to confirm that you are just supplying power to the acid pump? Cut off the control plug and just use the pump power wires connected to the power supply which is connected to you relay...
2. Has everything been working ok? Anything you would have done differently?

Thanks!
 
santacruzpool said:
Everything is working perfectly, and yes I just have the power supply that I am using connected to a relay - then the automation panel activates the relay which then powers up the power supply and the pump for the specified time...
Click to expand...
@santacruzpool I got the power module but the tank hasn’t arrived yet. Is the pump 12 or 24 volts? I noticed the module has an output adjustment so wasn’t sure if I needed to dial it down to 12v.
Thanks!
 
2 cents...

One of the best things about automating acid and chlorine addition is that you no longer have to goose a big dose of either once or twice a week to avoid having to add either every day. This once/twice a week dosing results in a bit of a roller coaster of water chemistry: high on the day of dosing, gradually reducing to low just before dosing, then another big jolt, etc, etc. Automation can be used to dispense acid and chlorine many times a day, all day, every day. I mention this because I noticed scpool is dosing acid twice a week. I like the fact that both my chlorine and acid get added to the pool about every hour, over the span of about 12 hours, every day. This keeps the FC and pH very stable, 24-7. Which I like not only for the affects on my skin, but, IMO, for the affects on the water quality and on my plaster. My pH stays right where I want it, 24/7, and I have it in my head this can only help the lifespan of my plaster, vs allowing the pH to wander up and down, however slightly, every few days. No way to prove any of that, I suppose, but maintaining stable FC and pH can't be bad. So... if you have automation, put it to work, I say...
 
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Dirk is part of the reason I ended up with one of my favorite additions to my pool! After seeing his acid pump and the setup that Brian used I decided I had to have it.

My Jandy automation only allows 1 minute minimum run times - so I am running two 1 minute cycles to keep me in the 7.6-7.8 range - on average I need about 8-10oz every week of the 14% stuff so my automation runs twice a week. I guess it would be nice to dose for 20 seconds every day - but that isn't in the mix for me and my automation...

I could also further dilute my acid in half again and run it 4 times per week, but that seems like extra work.

I am also toying with finally adding borates to my pool - which may change the acid curve.
 
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Ah, the limitation of the controller. Bummer. Yes, diluting would be a bit more work, but not that bad, really. You pour in a gallon or two of acid, then refill the empty jug(s) with water and pour that in. That's how I dilute the 31% I buy at Leslie's down to the mix I need. I give my tank a quick stir with a copper wire I attach to my drill, and Bob's My Uncle. I used to try and mix the dilution outside of the tank, then pour that in, and that was a pain. And I usually spilled some in the process. Mixing in the tank is the way to go. Bonus 1: the lower the acid percentage the better for the injection system: pump, tubes, injector, etc. Some of the parts are prone to wear by the acid, so the weaker the mix the better. Bonus 2: sounds like you could get away with a 3-to-1 water/acid mix and dispense everyday. With so "weak" a mix you'd also be somewhat safer from some sort of controller malfunction: if it went haywire and pumped the whole tank into the pool, you'd have minimal impact because that wouldn't be all that much acid all at once (a gallon at most)...
 
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