Best time to swap out automation system?

[zimdogg]

I'm upgrading my Hayward E-Command 4 with the Hayward Omni-PL retrofit kit this year. I was considering a swap to SWG, but going to put that off to potentially next year.

My pool is scheduled to be open around mid May, and I'm wondering what the best order of events would be in swapping this controller over. There are some settings and such I'm supposed to retrieve from the current system (which is shut off at the breaker level at the moment) that need to be transferred to the new automation system.

I'd like to get it done, but my instincts are telling me to wait until the pool is up and running, chemicals balanced, etc., first, then swap the automation over to the new kit.

Any suggestions?

 

[1poolman1]

I'm upgrading my Hayward E-Command 4 with the Hayward Omni-PL retrofit kit this year. I was considering a swap to SWG, but going to put that off to potentially next year.

My pool is scheduled to be open around mid May, and I'm wondering what the best order of events would be in swapping this controller over. There are some settings and such I'm supposed to retrieve from the current system (which is shut off at the breaker level at the moment) that need to be transferred to the new automation system.

I'd like to get it done, but my instincts are telling me to wait until the pool is up and running, chemicals balanced, etc., first, then swap the automation over to the new kit.

Any suggestions?

If this is DIY and the pool is not running now, why not start and take your time. You can power on your existing system to get the settings without actually running anything. You can turn breakers off to the separate pieces of equipment and then have the new automation "activate" the various circuits with nothing running (except possibly your lights) to get familiar with how it will behave and it will be ready for the pool when it is opened.
If this is going to be installed by someone else, they are going to want to be there when all can be run to make sure all is good before having to make (and probably charge for) a separate trip.

 

[zimdogg]

If this is DIY and the pool is not running now, why not start and take your time. You can power on your existing system to get the settings without actually running anything. You can turn breakers off to the separate pieces of equipment and then have the new automation "activate" the various circuits with nothing running (except possibly your lights) to get familiar with how it will behave and it will be ready for the pool when it is opened.
If this is going to be installed by someone else, they are going to want to be there when all can be run to make sure all is good before having to make (and probably charge for) a separate trip.

Thanks. This is DIY, so that gives me some things to think about. I do have someone come open our pool for me, as they have a better vacuum to waste setup than I do.

The light doesn't work anyway, I have a new one of those I plan to replace as well.
I also want to power wash the pool deck area this year, and have read people who do that and screw their water chemistry up in the process. I will probably do that prior to having the pool guy come open it up for me.

Automation and new light are my list of upgrades this year.