Easy Touch 8 w. Screen Logic or Intellicenter

[JupiterFL]

Hi,

I love this forum. A lot of wonderfully helpful and inteligent people here. I went down the CheemGeek rabbit hole. Very impressive how much thought and research he put in.

Anyway, currently building a pool and spa. I think my relevent equipment details are in my signature, but if not let me know. Contract includes Easy Touch 8 w. screen logic. I inquired about the Intellicenter since I saw on here that the Easy Touch was being discontinued. PB says it's $1,000 upgrade for Intellicenter and they don't think it's worth it. They say the panels will be interchangeable and Pentair will continue to make parts for Easy Touch for years. What says TFP and why?

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

In some ways they are correct -- but as our esteemed @Jimrahbe states, both a rotary style phone and iPhone will make phone calls. But which one would you buy today?

 

[JupiterFL]

. If the difference was that big then I think the answer is easy, but I guess what I am looking for, is what will I really notice different about the systems? What benifits (that I will actually use) am I getting for an additional $1,000?

 

[mknauss]

As the builder stated, the ET is being discontinued, this summer. So buying a discontinued product is always there.
Also, you have to have a separate system for remote connection, Screenlogic. The Intellicenter is all in one. The price difference stated is a bit high, as the systems are essentially the same price from suppliers. As long as you include the Screenlogic with the ET. Really up to you. Depends on how much you plan to use the automation for control of your pool.

 

[Jimrahbe]

J,

There should not be a difference of a $1,000 bucks between the two units,

An EasyTouch-8 Pool and Spa, with an IC40 and valves is about $3,280 plus ScreenLogic $700 for a total of $3,980.. (Just the equipment)

An IntelliCenter-8 Pool and Spa, with an IC40 is about $3,690. (Equipment only) A ScreenLogic-like system is built-into the IntelliCenter for no extra charge.

Look like your Pool builder is full of Bull Feathers...

He should give you money back for using the IntelliCenter.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[rstrouse]

The real question you need to ask is. Would you buy a NuTone intercom system for your home today? This really is an appliance and the manufacturing differences between them are very far apart. At some point the parts for it are no longer going to be produced. It already is considered ancient and it is not better than the new model. On day one you will have a system that has already been declared as obsolete by the manufacturer. This decision doesn't really compare to consumer electronics that you might replace every few years. It is expected to last for at least 15years. It's like putting in wood paneling in the den during a remodel.

You can bet that if your VS3050 or UltraTemp is replaced with a newer model that isn't supported on EasyTouch there will not be a firmware update for its support. Firmware updates on IntelliCenter are user installable. It is odd though given the comparability of price between an EasyTouch w/ScreenLogic and IntelliCenter when purchased online is nearly identical that PBs add $$ when offering IntelliCenter. The install is identical and the programming is simpler so I don't get the price difference unless they do not understand that ScreenLogic is not required. Maybe some of that has to do with availability.

Does IntelliCenter offer things that EasyTouch doesn't. Well yes it does. First you can create schedules that are based on sunrise and sunset. Next it includes 16 circuit group macros that you do not get with EasyTouch. Finally, it fully supports some equipment (although we have been waiting for a long time for IntelliValve positioning support) that EasyTouch does not. This includes RS485 support for UltraTemp ETi and MasterTemp. While there isn't much to be garnered with MasterTemp support the UltraTemp line sends equipment alerts and allows for economy modes on the heater.

There are vacation schedules and up to 100 available schedules + independent egg timers for all circuits and features. Yes there are 32 features available as well. In EasyTouch2 there are a maximum of 12 schedules but there is a catch. If you set an egg timer on a circuit it takes away one of these schedules and if you are using an EasyTouch PSL/PL version you only have 4 of these to share between timers and schedules. Oh and while the metal load center is interchangeable the motherboards, personality kits, remotes, expansion modules, and control panels are not.

This is just my $.02 so do with it as you may.

 

[JupiterFL]

J,

There should not be a difference of a $1,000 bucks between the two units,

An EasyTouch-8 Pool and Spa, with an IC40 and valves is about $3,280 plus ScreenLogic $700 for a total of $3,980.. (Just the equipment)

An IntelliCenter-8 Pool and Spa, with an IC40 is about $3,690. (Equipment only) A ScreenLogic-like system is built-into the IntelliCenter for no extra charge.

Look like your Pool builder is full of Bull Feathers...

He should give you money back for using the IntelliCenter.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thank you for this. Maybe they are not familiar with Intellicenter and added screen logic to it, or maybe they are adding a learning curve fee

I will dig deeper with them.

 

[JupiterFL]

The real question you need to ask is. Would you buy a NuTone intercom system for your home today? This really is an appliance and the manufacturing differences between them are very far apart. At some point the parts for it are no longer going to be produced. It already is considered ancient and it is not better than the new model. On day one you will have a system that has already been declared as obsolete by the manufacturer. This decision doesn't really compare to consumer electronics that you might replace every few years. It is expected to last for at least 15years. It's like putting in wood paneling in the den during a remodel.

You can bet that if your VS3050 or UltraTemp is replaced with a newer model that isn't supported on EasyTouch there will not be a firmware update for its support. Firmware updates on IntelliCenter are user installable. It is odd though given the comparability of price between an EasyTouch w/ScreenLogic and IntelliCenter when purchased online is nearly identical that PBs add $$ when offering IntelliCenter. The install is identical and the programming is simpler so I don't get the price difference unless they do not understand that ScreenLogic is not required. Maybe some of that has to do with availability.

Does IntelliCenter offer things that EasyTouch doesn't. Well yes it does. First you can create schedules that are based on sunrise and sunset. Next it includes 16 circuit group macros that you do not get with EasyTouch. Finally, it fully supports some equipment (although we have been waiting for a long time for IntelliValve positioning support) that EasyTouch does not. This includes RS485 support for UltraTemp ETi and MasterTemp. While there isn't much to be garnered with MasterTemp support the UltraTemp line sends equipment alerts and allows for economy modes on the heater.

There are vacation schedules and up to 100 available schedules + independent egg timers for all circuits and features. Yes there are 32 features available as well. In EasyTouch2 there are a maximum of 12 schedules but there is a catch. If you set an egg timer on a circuit it takes away one of these schedules and if you are using an EasyTouch PSL/PL version you only have 4 of these to share between timers and schedules. Oh and while the metal load center is interchangeable the motherboards, personality kits, remotes, expansion modules, and control panels are not.

This is just my $.02 so do with it as you may.

This was more than 2 cents . Very informative. Thank you. Hope I can get to the bottom of the additional cost (meaning that I can get it reduced). Clearly intellicenter is the way to go.

 

[Jimrahbe]

J,

Your pool builder most likely has a stock of EasyTouch systems he is trying to get rid of.

Thanks,

Jim R.