EasyTouch main wiring

[peacefulkancer]

I moved into my house a little less than a year ago. The pool equipment that I inherited was a step above non-functional.

So I did what I do and decided to upgrade. However, I have some big questions about how to wire the Intellitouch.

Current setup:
Sta-Rite 1HP Pump
Hayward Pro-Grid 3620 D.E. Filter
Main power panel has a 15A double pole breaker for pool pump, 14g wiring ran in EMT conduit
Main power panel has a 15A single pole breaker for pool light, 14g wiring ran in EMT conduit
Old pool light, 120V

Upgrading to:
Pentair IntelliFlo VS Variable Speed Pool Pump (011018)
Pentair Quad D.E. 80 (188593)
Pentair EasyTouch 4 with Pentair IC40 (520593)
Old pool light

There will also be a few automated valves and new piping/valves from the ground to equipment.


Of course, having two wire runs (one pump run, one pool light) with 14g wiring isn't going to cut it for wiring the EasyTouch so as I understand it, I'm going to need to upgrade my wiring.

That is going to be a bit of a problem because the 3/4" EMT currently runs out of the main box and runs along the foundation and then it dips under the Cool Deck until it hits the back wall where the equipment pad is at. The overall run from box to equipment pad is probably about 90 feet.

I read the post Installing Easy Touch... what size wire from main panel? and it seems that both posters have more equipment than I do in that they have heaters. I do not have a heater and don't forsee one (there isn't a whole lot of space over there as-is). But who knows, as bk406 said, if you even have the slightest inkling of getting a heater, go with 100A.

So it seems I probably need to have at least a main run for 60A (6 gauge), if not a 100A (3 gauge). Also, obviously these new wires will not fit in the existing EMT, so that will have to be changed too. I am sure I can get the new conduit along the foundation and then have them trench it under the parking slab and then over to the wall, then run it along the wall. I am assuming that is OK - just trying to avoid trearing up the cool deck. I'd rather tear up the slab and fill that back in with concrete than trenching up my whole pool. Any ideas are welcome.

I'll post pictures tomorrow as I'm sure that will help.

On a separate note - since all my old pool stuff was garbage and I tore it out already, the pool is turning into a pond out here in sunny AZ. Any tips for not creating a health hazard mosquito breeding ground in the meantime? I should have left it in so I could at least circulate chlorine (that is about all the system would do, albeit poorly).

 

[Jimrahbe]

p,

I have a couple of rent houses that both have the ET 4, IntelliFlo, and IC40.. They both operate just fine on a 20 amp breaker... How sure are you that the current wiring is 14 ga.? I ask because I was under the impression that a 20 amp breaker required 12 ga. wire...

Anyway... if this were my pool, I would wire everything up using the current electrical power and worry about digging to China when that time comes.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[peacefulkancer]

p,

I have a couple of rent houses that both have the ET 4, IntelliFlo, and IC40.. They both operate just fine on a 20 amp breaker... How sure are you that the current wiring is 14 ga.? I ask because I was under the impression that a 20 amp breaker required 12 ga. wire...

Anyway... if this were my pool, I would wire everything up using the current electrical power and worry about digging to China when that time comes.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

While I am never going to say that I am 100%, I am almost 100% sure that the current wiring is 14g. The main breaker is a double-pole 15A and the three wires (L1, L2, N/G) are all stamped 14g. Furthermore, I have a wire gauge and when I physically test the diameter it comes up 14g.

With that said, if I have a 15A breaker and you have a 20A breaker (assuming you do indeed have 12g wiring) then I am still looking like I need to upgrade if I want to run an ET4, Intelliflo, and IC40 in the same manner you are.

EDIT: I see that I misspoke in my original post in putting that the main panel is a 20A breaker. It is not - it is a 15A. I will correct in OP.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Sorry,

Your initial post said you had a 20A circuit breaker for your main pump, which would normally mean you would have 12 ga wire.. but if you only have a 15 amp breaker than it is, as you already know, 14 ga wire..

If you have to replace the wire to begin with, might as well go big..

Jim R.

 

[peacefulkancer]

Main Panel:

View attachment 74774​

EMT dip under Cool Deck:

​

EMT underground run (red line suspected):

​

Pad:

​

Existing Boxes (left box goes to pool light, right box is incoming power - "1" blue/red facing straight down are incoming from 15A SP breaker, "2" blue/red/red going through switch are incoming from 15A DP breaker):

​

Wiring:

​

 

[peacefulkancer]

Sorry,

Your initial post said you had a 20A circuit breaker for your main pump, which would normally mean you would have 12 ga wire.. but if you only have a 15 amp breaker than it is, as you already know, 14 ga wire..

If you have to replace the wire to begin with, might as well go big..

Jim R.

I know you aren't one to make direct suggestions but I'd guess that if I have the option, pay a little more and get at least a 100A service? Who knows, I am in AZ where a an electric heat pump kind of makes sense to extend the swimming season. Maybe down the road I will want to.

 

[jza1736]

you can try to pull the 14g out and pull a drag or small rope in at the same time. Sometimes over time it won't budge or it can break. Then you can pull 3 #6s and a #8 ground in the 3/4. That's plenty, if your not going to put a heater in.

 

[peacefulkancer]

you can try to pull the 14g out and pull a drag or small rope in at the same time. Sometimes over time it won't budge or it can break. Then you can pull 3 #6s and a #8 ground in the 3/4. That's plenty, if your not going to put a heater in.

I think at this point I'm in a bit of shock. LOL.

Since I am going to have to do major rewiring to include cutting up concrete, the least I am going to do is wire for 60A. If it isn't something ridiculous price wise, I will probably go up to 100A capable. The last thing I want is to want to upgrade and have to do all this again.

 

[jza1736]

What I'm saying is before you cut up concrete, try to pull the wires out with a drag on them. Then you can pull sixes in 3/4 conduit if that's what you have. That would save you ripping up concrete and running new conduit and wire. Unless of course you going to add a heater. Then you have to rip up the concrete and get at least a hundred amps out

 

[Dirk]

You can buy something like this and get your water moving for now, pump in deep end, end of hose is shallow end. The longer you let it sit like that, the longer it's going to take to clean it up. Get some chlorine moving around in there!

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pump-91250-Thermoplastic-Submersible/dp/B000X05G1A/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_86_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7XCD7NAJPS1X9CF4DEK0&dpID=418kFKRuINL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

A pump like that is not a bad thing to have on hand afterwards, for draining your pool or standing in for a pump that stops working.


And solar can extend a swim season (depending on where you are and if you have the roof for it), without any additional electrical wiring, as it uses the existing pump and the existing control panel. Your proposed VS and ET are all setup for that...

 

[jimmythegreek]

If u not goimg to do an electric heater u can fish wire in what u have. Looks like u have solid NM wire which is a no no in conduit. U need thnn which is stranded wire pulls easily. If u wanna try it get a cheap steel fish tape and bend and the onto the heaviest wire and tape w electricians tape. Also but a bottle of lube its in the electrical aisle made for this. For what u have 30 amps 220v is plenty that's 3 10guage and a ground that's on edge of 3/4 conduit. W 100 amp upgrade u need 1 and 1/4 min piping