Quick Background:
Before Sept 2017 we had a simple setup
It was easy, during the week I would run the pool from 7pm to 7am since our Hydro is 1/2 price overnight and on weekends I would just override the timer and run it all the time. The timer had the fireman switch that turned the heater off prior to the pump shutting off, super easy.
Sept 2017 I had full pool renovation
Since it was too cold to run the pool we only started it up this year and it's been on for 3 weeks now and I'm finding it really annoying since there's no inter-operability. I can set a program for the pump on the pump itself however no heater control and since I don't want it to overheat I just have the heater off and manually have to turn it on. I find myself at the equipment pad far too often.
Bottom line, I need some kind of BASIC pool automation for decent price and below are the options I see. The other options like OmniLogic or IntelliTouch are closer to $3-$4000 CDN and while they do a lot of stuff it seems a bit overkill for my needs.
Options:
Pentair Intelliconnect
Hayward Tri-Star VS 900 Omni
So, what would you do? I'm leaning towards the Hayward VS Omni pump since it will 100% control everything even if it's redundant. Maybe I can get $500 for my Super Flo VS making the Hayward option not too bad perhaps?
Thanks,
Jerome
Before Sept 2017 we had a simple setup
- Sand Filter
- Single speed pump
- Raypak heater
- Hayward Aquarite SWG
- Intermatec mechanical timer with fire switch.
It was easy, during the week I would run the pool from 7pm to 7am since our Hydro is 1/2 price overnight and on weekends I would just override the timer and run it all the time. The timer had the fireman switch that turned the heater off prior to the pump shutting off, super easy.
Sept 2017 I had full pool renovation
- All new plumbing
- Pentair Sand Dollar Filter
- Pentair Super Flo VS Pump
- Raypak 2100 heater
- 2 x Aqualamp color changing LED lights.
- Pretty simple pool only 1 suction line from the skimmer and 2 returns, no Spa or waterfalls.
Since it was too cold to run the pool we only started it up this year and it's been on for 3 weeks now and I'm finding it really annoying since there's no inter-operability. I can set a program for the pump on the pump itself however no heater control and since I don't want it to overheat I just have the heater off and manually have to turn it on. I find myself at the equipment pad far too often.
Bottom line, I need some kind of BASIC pool automation for decent price and below are the options I see. The other options like OmniLogic or IntelliTouch are closer to $3-$4000 CDN and while they do a lot of stuff it seems a bit overkill for my needs.
Options:
Pentair Intelliconnect
- It's Cheap in my mind, $600CDN
- Install is easy not a big sub-panel like most automation systems and comes with Wifi for almost the price of Wifi add-on for more systems
- It controls the pump without issue since it's also a Pentair
- Might control the SWG (at the basic level it will turn it on and off, might not see salt level but that's not a big deal)
- I thought it would control the heater even just turn it on/off however there's no mention at all on controlling a heater in the manual, kinda weird for a new product to not do that.
- Can use one of the relays to control the lights
Hayward Tri-Star VS 900 Omni
- It's hard to get a price, dealers don't even know much about it but was told ~$2000CDN
- I could sell my current pump that's only been used for 1 month but won't get much for it so it's a bit of a waste that way
- Install looks really easy, includes everything and also no big sub-panel's needed to install
- It seems REALLY slick, I could have went with this option if it was available last year, of course only new as of 2018
- It controls the pump without issue
- Controls the SWG without issue
- Controls Heater without issue not just on/off but controls temperature too
- Can use one of the relays to control the lights
So, what would you do? I'm leaning towards the Hayward VS Omni pump since it will 100% control everything even if it's redundant. Maybe I can get $500 for my Super Flo VS making the Hayward option not too bad perhaps?
Thanks,
Jerome