Equipment installed

[heckofagator]

Hi all, this was an existing pool of a home we purchased last Dec. Much of the equipment had stopped working (both pumps) so we replaced both pumps, new filter, new automation/salt system and all new plumbing. Existing heater was re-used - hopefully it has a few more years on it.

Area still needs to be cleaned up and the spa blower installed but the electrical work just got finished today.

Seems the guys made some really odd choices of wire routing and just over all looks a little messy to me, but I'm not familiar with these setups, so maybe that's now it goes. they also appear to have re-used one of the power whips which is also a little unsightly. Just curious if I'm making a big deal out of this or not. this was a good chunk of money, but then again, if it all works.....maybe it really shouldn't matter. Just curious if this is par for the course.

I think the odd wiring in the first pic bothers me the most.

 

[Poolbreh]

I don’t think it looks bad, they did stretch those wires to fit. Otherwise they would have had to run additional low voltage to a junction box. It could use a few more zip ties. But over all I don’t think it looks bad. I’ve seen far worse.

 

[heckofagator]

yeah, I think you are right about a few more zip ties. Maybe I Just didn't realize all of the additional wiring that was yet to come in. With just the plumbing, everything looked all nice and neat. And the bare copper wiring doesn't shop up on the pics well but really catches your eye.

So the black wires from the panel - I guess those were included with the panel and only so long? Cause I would have asked them to put the panel over to the right another foot had I known. It just really seems to stick out to me that the wires were short and this was a fix that really wasn't necessary.

 

[Poolbreh]

Correct some of them are only so long.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I've never seen a double-decker pump perch like that. No bending over to check the pump basket...cool!

Looks good, but I agree the conduit [whip] looks pretty bad. I would ask them to fix it.

 

[heckofagator]

We just replaced all of our pool equipment with new Pentair - 2 pumps (pool and spa), filter, Intellicenter with SWG. We are re-using the existing propane heater and spa blower. We’re doing the final walk thru tomorrow to set up the Intellicenter and all of that. When working with the guy who did the plumbing, he was showing me the heater bypass setup and said when we want to use the heater, we just come turn this valve. In the back of my mind, i was thinking “isnt that what we just upgraded to the Intellicenter for, so we just push a buton on the phone to do that”?

So i just wanted to ask, when you get the Intellicenter, is the idea that everything is automated and you can do everything from your phone? Or do you still have to go over to the pool equipment to do some “normal” operations? I want to make sure we dont have unreasonable expectations.

I realize we dont have a millon dollar pool so indidnt expect it to make us a drink but did kind of assume that at least we’ be anle to automated the full “pool” and “spa” modes.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Yes, the IntelliCenter or the heater should be able to turn that bypass valve.

Exactly how it should work depends on what equipment you got.

Does your heater have five buttons or six buttons?

Did they install an actuator on the bypass valve?

Show us pics of your pool equipment, the heater, and that bypass valve.

 

[heckofagator]

Thanks. I’m almost certain theres no actuator on the heater bypass. And the heater is an older model Hayward (so probably not ideal). I did put some pics of the install in the under construction section. I’ll see if i can grab some more of where the actual actuators are in the am.

 

[ajw22]

@Turbo1Ton how do you get the IntelliCenter to control a heater bypass actuator?

 

[ajw22]

And the heater is an older model Hayward (so probably not ideal).

Ahhh, I assumed you also put in a new Pentair heater.

I still think the IntelliCenter can do it. Standby.

 

[rstrouse]

You assign the valve actuator to either the heater virtual circuit or to the spa circuit.

 

[ajw22]

You assign the valve actuator to either the heater virtual circuit or to the spa circuit.

There you go. Have your installer put an actuator on the bypass diverter valve and set it up in the IntelliCenter.

 

[rstrouse]

You can also use the heat enable virtual circuit and it will rotate when you enable the heater on the running body.

 

[ajw22]

I see your heater bypass valve on the filter outlet.

The only thing you gain by bypassing the heater when it is not in use is you can run your pump at a bit lower RPM and have enough flow for your IntelliChlor SWG.

It would not be a big deal if you just let water always circulate through the heater in normal operation.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I set mine to the heater virtual circuit.

I also set my bypass valve to be half open so that the flow was split through the two. This was based on the recommendation from @mas985 indicating that the flow would be better through both loops, rather than one or the other. Also, the Pentair instructions indicate to split the flow.

--Jeff

 

[heckofagator]

I set mine to the heater virtual circuit.

I also set my bypass valve to be half open so that the flow was split through the two. This was based on the recommendation from @mas985 indicating that the flow would be better through both loops, rather than one or the other. Also, the Pentair instructions indicate to split the flow.

--Jeff

I was told that the heater needs a certain amount of flow to run. So with the valve set at half, you just have to ensure you have enough flow to make sure the heater can run?

Sounds like theres a few options. I just hope we can get it all straightened out tomoorrow. I was just a little worried we had splurged for the automation and it wasnt quite everything we were expecting

 

[ajw22]

I was told that the heater needs a certain amount of flow to run. So with the valve set at half, you just have to ensure you have enough flow to make sure the heater can run?

Turbo has his valve set to be half open when in the closed position and it fully opens when the heater will turn on.

I was just a little worried we had splurged for the automation and it wasnt quite everything we were expecting

Your installer is not what you were expected.

Your equipment seems to be able to do everything you expected.

 

[generessler]

fwiw, I've found that our heater (Mastertemp 400) causes the pressure at the filter to increase from 11 psi when the bypass is fully open to at least 20 psi when it's closed, all water going through the heater. From this I suppose it's worthwhile to keep the bypass open when the heater isn't in use to make life easier for the pump and keep the flow rate high. So I'd go for the actuator on the bypass. My intent is to do that eventually. For now I just flip it manually.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Turbo has his valve set to be half open when in the closed position and it fully opens when the heater will turn on.

Correct. When energized, the flow is 100% through the heater. When de-energized, it splits between the heater and the bypass loop. If I ever need to fully bypass the heater, I can do so manually with the valve actuator.

--Jeff

 

[ajw22]

to make life easier for the pump and keep the flow rate high.

FYI, the pump motor works no harder at higher PSI.

It is self correcting with the flow rate being less due to the higher PSI so the motor works at a consistent HP.