Hayward Sense & Dispense

[sredish]

http://www.goldlinecontrols.com/Products/Sense.aspx

Anyone see this? Thinking about adding it to the AquaLogic system and it tests and adjusts the chlorine and ph... you can use a 3rd party acid adder or they have a kit to add a CO2 gas to lower ph. Looks pretty trick.

 

[jtm60]

hmmmm....haywards answer to the liquidator? looks pretty slick...any idea of cost?

 

[Sabot]

Not an answer to the Liquidator. While slick, it's another controller. I would assume the price for the controller plus the pump(s) & tank(s) will be in the same order of the current ones on the market: $1100 and up. My vote for that kind of money would go with the CAT controllers.

 

[sredish]

It's $520 for the system that controls ph and monitors/controls chlorine and $240 for the system that controls only ph, but you do have to have the Pro Logic interface box to tie it into.

I just purchased the 8-relay Pro Logic controller, 4 valves and a wireless base. The Pro Logic controller is $700 to $1100

You have to have an AquaRite setup for the chlorine to, if you don't already have one. I put one of those in last year, so I have that. I'm going to probably buy the Sense/Dispense system next month, after the cost of the ProLogic box and valve controllers dissipate from my memory.

Here's the only place I could find the new stuff:
http://www.inyopools.com/sanitizers_pro_logic.aspx

 

[JasonLion]

This is very similar to what AutoPilot sells in the Total Control System, and will have the same advantages and disadvantages. The price is a little better than AutoPilot if you are getting a Pro Logic system anyway. Keep in mind that ORP sensors can be finicky and won't work reliably for everyone. You also need to run the pool at a lower CYA level to allow the ORP sensor to work correctly, which means you need a slightly larger SWG cell than you would need without the ORP controller and the cell life will be a bit shorter than it would be without the ORP sensor.

 

[sredish]

This is very similar to what AutoPilot sells in the Total Control System, and will have the same advantages and disadvantages. The price is a little better than AutoPilot if you are getting a Pro Logic system anyway. Keep in mind that ORP sensors can be finicky and won't work reliably for everyone. You also need to run the pool at a lower CYA level to allow the ORP sensor to work correctly, which means you need a slightly larger SWG cell than you would need without the ORP controller and the cell life will be a bit shorter than it would be without the ORP sensor.

good info. i was thinking of getting the ph only system anyways, as once the chlorine is established, it's not a real maintenance issue anyways with the swg, although mine has to be cranked up pretty high to maintain good chlorine levels, so I may consider getting an add'l cell, for a total of two cells.

 

[sredish]

Just looking through Hayward's brochure on the Pro stuff, they offer an AquaRite Pro, salt generator that accepts and controls the Sense/Dispense system. Can't find a price on the AquaRite Pro version but it has to be much cheaper than getting the whole Pro Logic setup. Couple that AquaRite Pro with the ph only adjuster ($240) and you have the possibility for a simple auto chlorine / ph system.

 

[Andrew@CAT]

The Sense and Dispense is nice option for people with compatible hayward/goldline systems. They license our input technology for this unit. If you look closely this is the same setup flowcell & sensor setup used on the CAT 4000, which is a commercial system.

http://www.catcontrollers.com/products/cat4000.htm

As for Autopilot, I am not sure about our arrangement with them, but they use our flowcell and sensors as OEM.

Im interested in seeing how well ORP catches on with residential pool owners, now that another major SWG manufacturer is offering it.

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, Andrew,

Welcome to the forum. I'll be interested in the ORP influence residentially as well.

One of the things you'll notice as you visit here is just how many newbies we have that are logging in to learn the very basics about pool water chemistry. It seems that the simpler we keep things for them the better.

There has been much discussion about ORP in this and other residential forums but it has not seemed to gain much traction.

I must admit, I have not yet understood it's benefits to the average residential owner yet, either. I look forward to learning more and finding it's applicability.

 

[sredish]

Just for information, my system (the ph only) shipped yesterday. i opted out of the ORP chlorine sensing system as the salt is pretty simple and didn't feel the need for complicating it more, but after looking at the connection between it and the CAT4000, maybe I should've went ahead with it.

it should be here beginning of next week. i'll keep you all updated.

 

[mikester]

From reading the descriptions, my understanding is that there is one unit that monitors ORP and pH and controls the SWG, and the second unit controls the pH dispensing and is basically a regulator on a solenoid to use with a CO2 canister.

Maybe I'm not understanding it correctly, but it looks to me like the pH unit will not work without the other unit (and of course they both require the Pro Logic).

I found the best pricing on these at www.aquapoolstore.com, where they sell a package with both units for $549.

http://www.aquapoolstore.com/mm5/mercha ... L-CHEM-UPG

Anyway, I hope it all works out for you, but I think you might have to get the other unit as well to make everything work.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this works for you, because I just ordered a Pro Logic system, and after I recover from that investment, I plan on adding the sense & dispense stuff. It's one of the main reasons I chose the Pro Logic over the Easytouch (that and my wife liked the Aquapod remote better than any of the Easytouch remotes).

 

[sredish]

ok, guess i'm wrong. just went through all the goldlinecontrols.com stuff to scour for the truth and I found one little line that sounds like both items are needed.... which is not what I first thought, so instead of the 250 I thought it would be for ph only, it's just a ph dispense unit and i need the $500 unit to first sense the ph... okie dokie.... my bad. Looks like I'll be dishing out another 5 bills here this week....

 

[mikester]

Aquapoolstore.com lists 3 different part numbers:

AQL-CHEM - Chemistry kit 1 pH, ORP Sense ispense - $469
AQL-CHEM2 - Chemistry kit 2 pH dispense - $189
AQL-CHEM-UPG - Chemistry chassis retrofit kit with board, AQL-CHEM, AQL-CHEM2 - $549

Now I'm confused as to what is what. Maybe the AQL-CHEM-UPG is to upgrade an Aqua logic, since it mentions a board and the Pro Logic should already have the board? If that's the case, then you are probably correct - the AQL-CHEM does everything and the AQL-CHEM2 does just pH.

Well, it will be interesting to see how this all works out. Thanks for being the guinea pig for the rest of us. :-D

 

[sredish]

the "UPG" one is to upgrade an AquaLogic unit to a 'PRO'Logic unit. The AQL-CHEM senses the ph and chl and the CHEM2 only dispenses it via a CO2 bottle. The attachment I just put up states that if you wish to use a mur. acid approach, then the CHEM2 is not necessary, just the CHEM to sense the ph levels... I'm assuming the ProLogic unit will take the ph data and trigger the dispense of the acid.

 

[mikester]

Looks like you were editing your post while I was typing mine.

So we do need both kits. So I wonder what the deal is with the AQL-CHEM-UPG kit. It's about $100 less than the 2 kits separately, so if it works it's a good deal.

 

[sredish]

Are you sure it includes the CHEM2 from that store. This is straight from GoldlineControls.com..... says the UPG includes the CHEM and you can 'add' the CHEM2 for ph dispense.

 

[mikester]

What you're saying makes perfect sense - it's probably just a typo on that other site.

 

[sredish]

the only thing that doesn't give me full confidence is the 'ORP' sense / dispense... but if someone's not happy with the ORP sensing/adjustments, you can disable them in the ProLogic controls and then do it with the manual percentage adjustment and have it feed the ph only. we'll see, i'll test it all out this summer and see how it works out. i'll have the pro logic unit installed this coming week (a week later than i planned) and then I'll be waiting on the 'CHEM' unit. The CHEM 2 will be here Tuesday but it's taken 2 weeks to get it... special order only at the moment.

 

[mikester]

I think it also just came out, which might be part of the reason it's taking so long to get.

My Pro Logic system will be here next week as well, and I'll probably be installing it next weekend. Only thing is I'm having second thoughts about getting the PS4 and might sell it and get the PS8 instead. I need 5 circuits to control everything - I think they plan it that way.

If I can replace the cracked tubing on the air switch for my spa blower, then I will only need 4 circuits and everything will work ok. Otherwise, I either need to get the bigger unit or give up something else, probably the pool lights.

 

[mikester]

Any updates? Did you ever get this installed and try it out?

I finally got my PS-8 installed this week, and I'm trying to decide if it's worth adding this to my shopping list.