Equipment Pad Ideas for SWG Install

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Rattus Suffocatus said:
Are you going to run it on 110V or 220V? If 110V put a plug on it and use a waterproof box and cover and if less than 6' more is needed use a flexible conduit (plug in, close the cover). Done. If you run 220V there is really no standard plug for this, and this is why you get the pigtail cord. It's supposed to go on the wall with the pool equipment and that is why the cord supplied is short.

The 14' to the cell is so you can mount it by the pump and electrical box but have enough cord to reach the cell. It's the way all of these units are, unfortunately. Circupool and I assume DSP offers the option to have a plug put on at the factory for 110V use.....

If you run 220, use a waterproof box put use wire nuts internally to hook it up and use a blank panel. It's fine that way too. I actually am surprised that there is a pigtail at all. Usually when you get something like this, you get a conduit punch out and a terminal block internally.
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My timer is located 5 feet from the exterior wall of the house. In between is a maze of pipes and equipment that has no gaps large enough to even fit the control unit, and the concrete pad abuts the house so I can't put in a post or something. There is nowhere to mount the control unit other than the exterior wall of the house, which requires 9 feet at the very minimum. Ironically, the place where the cell will be mounted is less than 18 inches from the exterior wall. I have a 4-foot cord where I need 9 feet and a 14-foot cord where I need 2 feet. :( It's also complicated by the fact that all 4 holes for conduit in the timer box are already full (line in, pump out, 120V outlet/pool lights, spa blower). These "simple" projects always have a way of turning into a major construction project.
 
I'm going to need ideas on shielding this thing from the sun. The wall is south-facing with no shade. I can't see it lasting long in the Southern California sun, and I can't put it in a pre-fab box because it needs ventilation. I'm trying to avoid making this an even larger project requiring me to build some kind of shelter for it. Just wondering what other people have done.
 
I took pictures to capture the serial number, model, and other info on the external before opening my 60+. Went back and looked (after reading this forum topic) and the tape was rather hastily applied. I didn't measure my power cord but 48" seems about right given my distance to the source and my bundled excess. I love my Circupool RJ-60+. The Home Depot HDX chlorine I had used since discovering TFP.com is unavailable in my area. I switched 3 months ago. Knock on wood, but I would buy many times again. I truly hope you guys work this out.
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heh.. I built a shelter over all of my equipment. I do have it so if I remove four screws, the roof is removable... Building a small shed turned out to be the most cost efficient method to protect all of my equipment. I do know several people who simply hang "Coolaroo" shades up. They only block 75% of the sun, but for something you just tie up in four places? Works a lot better than nothing.
 
...and by the way... the way I mounted my SWCG was exactly like you. Long AC cord, short distance to the cell. You really want to physically shield the AC run anyway, so keeping the line cord short, ultimately isn't a bad thing. You can run plastic flexible conduit like I did for the last 6' by code. If you need 9 feet, a portion of it will have to be solid, practically, or you can use expensive metallic liquid tight conduit. Make it work with 6' if possible and it it's a 20 minute job...
 
Rattus Suffocatus said:
...and by the way... the way I mounted my SWCG was exactly like you. Long AC cord, short distance to the cell. You really want to physically shield the AC run anyway, so keeping the line cord short, ultimately isn't a bad thing. You can run plastic flexible conduit like I did for the last 6' by code. If you need 9 feet, a portion of it will have to be solid, practically, or you can use expensive metallic liquid tight conduit. Make it work with 6' if possible and it it's a 20 minute job...
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It's like whoever put the pad here spent a couple of weeks carefully planning how to make it the worst possible place, the worst possible configuration, and one with the least number of options for future users.

I can't build a shed because the pad is already half-blocking a walking path along the side of the house. I can just barely roll a garbage can past the equipment. A shed would close off the only path to the restroom door from the pool, as well the the exterior garage door and the side gate. I can't even see how to place an awning unless it extends over the walkway so the supports aren't blocking the walkway. It will have to be high enough to allow me left the top off the DE filter comfortably. I can't see how to do an 8 or 9-foot high roof structure without it looking super-ghetto or becoming a very expensive project involving stucco and Spanish roofing tile to match the house. Then I'd have to take out two trees between my neighor's house and mine to make room for a rerouted pathway. :(

Looking west. Pathway immediately to the left. Cell planned for vertical pipe seen in this shot. It exits from the heater and goes straight to the diverter valve for pool/spa output. The wall to the right is the only possible mounting place. The timer box is to the left of the DE filter near the corner of the heater (the closer box is empty).
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Looking straight on. The output from the cell will come up the center pipe of the group of three on the right. The flow switch has to go on the furthest right pipe, which is pool output (I think - not sure how to test).
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Perspective view.
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Overhead view. Any ideas appreciated.
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Wow, that really is rough. Everything up through the concrete too. Ugh. Well, speaking about the SWG only, maybe you can make a simple metal support stand similar to, and anchored in the concrete, next to the other two. At least then you'll have close access to power. As for protecting the module out in the open next to the other electrical mounts, I'm sure you can find some sort of hood mounting apparatus to cover it. That's something that would just take some creativity to find something you would like. Even though not mandatory to have, a cover is a good idea to help take some stress off of the unit from direct sunlight and any other potentially harsh weather. But now I can see why your set-up is a bit challenging.
 

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Texas Splash said:
Well, speaking about the SWG only, maybe you can make a simple metal support stand similar to, and anchored in the concrete, next to the other two. At least then you'll have close access to power.
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I've been thinking of that, but on the left it will block my access to the pump's strainer basket and on the right it will interfere with cleaning the DE filter. It truly is a lousy pad. If I want to entertain relocating it I will have to break up about 500 square feet of concrete to unearth the plumbing necessary. It's solid concrete in giant monolithic slabs from the pool to the pad, about 45 feet away (you can see it in the perspective view - the skimmer box is just behind that bush).
 
I feed nylon cable ties through the RJ-60+ wall mounting bracket and used my old liquidator lid to protect it from rain/sun. My wall faces east.
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Sbc,

I was not surprised the power cable was shorter than the cable to the cell but 4' was shorter than I expected. I planned to use a junction box if I couldn't locate the control close to the sub panel and I think that would have worked fine so long as it was sized for the amperage. But it wasn't needed in my case since I mounted right next to the panel. Packaging on mine was identical to yours. I just don't recall if the wires looked used on the very end but mine did have a white tag about 2" from the termination ends.

Your equipment layout is about as tight as it gets. Maybe designed to minimize space but that always also makes maintenance difficult. Looks to me you may have just two options. Move the filter or heater further out to provide space for a vertical installation or a loop (like mine shown below) or make a loop in front of the heater which makes the layout even worse for maintenance. If you use a horizontal loop like this you'll need to fabricate a pipe support where the temporary wood stack is in this photo. Easy to do with scrap PVC.

I've kept an eye on posts relating to Circupool before I purchased and after since we're all sort of joined-at-the-hip for warranty period. Overall I see very few where the owner describes disappointing interactions with them. I had some questions about the salt level readings on the control unit and spoke with their CS plus TS people twice. They were very candid and friendly to me at that time about 16 months ago.

I learned a couple things that may be helpful to you after conversion to salt. I've had the unit installed and operating every day since we swim year round. When I first installed I think I over-adjusted the unit trying to maintain the FC too precisely. After a couple weeks of operation I lined out at 40% power and about 7.5 hours per day. FC has been 7 ppm +/- 3 ppm 99% of the time. I find it much easier just to set a little above target and let FC float with all the variables that affect it rather than constantly adjust run time. Second learning was how sensitive it is to CYA level and the requirement to have 70+ when the sun is high and hot. At first I thought my cell was failing late spring when FC started to drop close to minimum. CYA had also dropped to 30. Raising it to 70 led to 4 ppm FC increase in just a few days! With no change in swg settings. If you think you may have low chlorine production first run an OCLT test to be sure it's not algae and SLAM if needed. Then once you pass do a chlorine production test at night to measure the FC before and after. This will confirm your actual production. Third learning was that Pool Math is invaluable to help determine initial settings.

I hope this helps.

Chris

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