Converting to SWG - What do I need?

[setsailsoon]

Thanks guys, I will try and get a pic of the ET a bit later.

For what it's worth, I'm glad you're reconsidering. I tried to be objective but I was thinking "oh man! He's gonna still have to lug jugs and deal with messy pump" - maybe I was being to "impartial". I know there are a lot of people happy with their Stenner pumps but I was happy with liquid chlorine 'till I finally bit the bullet and tried salt. I wish I had done it a long time ago. Only real reason to not change is if it creates warranty issues. There really shouldn't be any but some warranties contain ridiculous provisions.

Looking forward to your photos. Salt cell installation is easy peasy even if you have a separate controller. And using Pentair automation with Pentair cell is really a great choice.

Chris

PS I bet your wife is like mine and she'll say the salt feels like a spa. She'd never let me go back to a liquid chlorine pool with no salt..

 

[JJ_Tex]

1. i have quite a large, expensive travertine deck surrounding the pool. What is the likelihood that the salt will damage the travertine. My wife would probably kill me as it is her pride and joy ?

Many of us have travertine with salt, and also have similar wives (I know I do ). To date, I have yet to see any missing person threads on here.

 

[Iam1964]

To date, I have yet to see any missing person threads on here.

???

 

[Iam1964]

So what, if anything can the salt damage and why are Texas PB’s so reluctant to install SWCG?

 

[setsailsoon]

So what, if anything can the salt damage and why are Texas PB’s so reluctant to install SWCG?

If I can sum up the opinions of experts I trust as real experts the answer to this is a combination of Pool Builder ignorance and low quality stone that has problems with salt or not. If you have low quality stone it will fail sooner or later salt or not. If this happens one time and it's a salt pool the builder draws the conclusion that salt caused it. Sometimes warranty liability also compound this as it becomes an "easy out". Some pool builders don't do automation and some say use chlorine tablets only, some swear by "blue tablets" and I'm sure there are lot more things they swear by. But they're all wrong. It's too bad since many of these people are probably also great at pool construction. They just don't understand the equipment, chemistry, and they know very little about pool operation.

My $.02.

Chris

 

[JJ_Tex]

I'm sure it can corrode softer stones such as sandstone or flagstone, but I would avoid them in any pool. Keep in mind that pool builders deal with and are incentivized by equipment manufacturers. They make a lot more money selling you ozone, UV and other fancy products which are higher markup.

Plus you dont get to win cool trips like this one to Vegas as a pool builder installing salt water systems. If you look at the speaker series, there is a lot of talk about Ozone, UV, upselling your customers, and my favorite one "Selling maintenance plans: Your Golden Goose".

Sessions

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explore.poolspapatio.com

 

[Silver_2000]

i would give the builder a chance to give you a break to upgrade
VS is the way to go ... My VS running at 100% uses about 1500 watts and at 80% power the electric usage drops dramatically. you end up with VERY similar water flow but half or less the cost in power ... im sure there are charts here that explain it better than my memory

 

[Iam1964]

1. If you buy the ET with the cell it comes with an additional transformer to power the SWG. Chances are yours does not gave it and you need the external power supply. If you post an internal pic of the Load Center we can see what you have.

@ajw22 , the attached pics show what I have. If someone can actually tell me in laymen terms what wire should be attached to what terminal I am sure I can tackle the job myself.

I am pretty confident with the plumbing but I am completely ignorant when it comes to electrical circuitry (I can wire a plug!!!) so any help would be greatly appreciated.

The link shows what I am thinking about purchasing as it comes with the power cell and is the most reasonably priced that I could find. Is there anything else I would need to purchase at the same time like wires, cables, connectors...etc.

Pentair IntelliChlor IC60 Complete Salt Chlorinator System

Thanks guys.

 

[ajw22]

Your panel does not have the SWG transformer inside it so you need the power center.

The top left relay looks to be your pump relay. That is where the Power Center needs to be connected to. It looks like there are two things connected to each LOAD terminal on that relay. Blue/Red and Blue/Blue. It is not good practice to put more then two wires on a screw. So to add the SWG as the third wire you should wire nut together those two wires with the SWG Power Center wire and a short pig tail that you connect to the LOAD screw.

You need to knockout a circle on the bottom of the panel and run a conduit from the SWG Power Center to the ET Load Center. Look at how the other conduits carrying wires come into the Load Center.

Use #12 wire. You need two 240V load wires plus a green ground wire.

Connect the Power Center to the pool bonding grid with #8 wire.

Review the Power Center Installation Guide - https://www.pentair.com/content/dam...nd_Users_Guide_IC60_IC40_and_IC20_English.pdf and the cell Installation Guide at https://www.pentair.com/content/dam...al_Version_3_units_after_Nov_2011_English.pdf

 

[Iam1964]

Thanks @ajw22 , I may need a professional ?
Would there need to be additional wiring if I wanted to control the SWCG with the ScreenLogic app?