Help selecting an automation system

[redman_no1]

Hi all, first time poster. I've spend a few hours reading through the various threads trying to make sense of everything and I think I know enough to be dangerous but could sue some help.

I'm currently building a 15' x 25', 13,000 gal, outdoor, in-ground concrete pool and I'm trying to decide on what equipment to run and how to run it with an automation system.

My current plans are the below:

• Pump - Pentair IntelliFlo VSF (011056)
• Heater - Mastertemp NG 400K BTU (460736)
• Filter - Pentair Clean & Clear Plus 420 (160301)
• Lights - Pentair Microbrites or CMP Brilliant Wonders 1.5 LED - Colored (3 lights)
• Laminar Deck Jets - Pentair MagicStream (2-4 jets)
• SWG - Pentair IC40
• Intellichem for pH adjustment
• Solar Heating
• Waterslide
• Automatic Pool Cover - Coverstar or Cover Pools
• Single Skimmer
• Robotic cleaner with a dedicated suction line for manual backup cleaning.
• Badu Stream II Swim jets (2 jets)
• Actuated valves for all necessary plumbing lines

My questions are these:

1. Will an EasyTouch 8 with Screen logic be sufficient for this pool? Or will I need to go up to an IntelliCenter for additional zones?
2. Can the easy touch control the lights and laminars individually? Seems like it can only control them per auxiliary circuit they are wired to. So to control them individually, I would need a transformer and relay dedicated to each light or jet I want to control individually?
3. Can the swim jets integrate with the EasyTouch?
4. Can a pool cover integrate with the EasyTouch?
5. Do I need actuated valves for everything or just the waterslide and jets?

Thanks!

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

IntelliCenter I5PIC40 can cost you $2200.

Pentair IntelliCenter i5PIC40 Kit - Pool only with Load Center and IC40

EasyTouch 8 with IC40 can cost $1,730

Pentair EasyTouch 8 System Pool or Spa w/IC40 Cell

plus $410 for ScreenLogic

Pentair ScreenLogic2 Connection and Wireless Kit

For the small difference in cost I would get the IntelliCenter. You have a lot more expandability and flexibility with the IntelliCenter.

Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

For each light you want to control individually you need a dedicated transformer and high voltage relay.

To control jets you need a diverter valve with an actuator. The ET can only control two water feature actuators. The IntelliCenter can control many more.

Pentair LED Pool Lights - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Get two skimmers.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Red,

Will an EasyTouch 8 with Screen logic be sufficient for this pool? Or will I need to go up to an IntelliCenter for additional zones...

Answer..... You should go with the IntelliCenter just because it is a more robust system and is just about the same price as an EasyTouch 8 plus ScreenLogic

Can the easy touch control the lights and laminars individually? Seems like it can only control them per auxiliary circuit they are wired to. So to control them individually, I would need a transformer and relay dedicated to each light or jet I want to control individually?

Answer..... It does not matter what automation you buy.. Each light that you want to control individually will need a separate transformer and separate relay..
Answer..... Each water feature that you want to control individually will need a dedicated valve and actuator.
Common sense should apply here.. As an example... one valve could turn on 4 deck jets...

Can the swim jets integrate with the EasyTouch?

Answer..... the swim jets are a system of their own, that has a control box. The automation would not control the high voltage (240 VAC) going to the swim pump, it would just control a low voltage signal to the swim jet's control box... So I am not even sure there is a reason for the automation to be involved.. You push a button in the water to turn the swim jets on/off...

Can a pool cover integrate with the EasyTouch?

Answer..... The EasyTouch cannot keep the cover from closing if the pool is running, but the IntelliTouch or New IntelliCenter should be able to do that. No automation will automatically close the cover for safety reasons..

Do I need actuated valves for everything or just the waterslide and jets?

Answer.... Actuated valves turn water features on and off.. So, that would include Deck jets, Bubblers, waterfalls, etc... It would not include the swim jets as they are always connected to the pool and not controlled by automated valves..

I would have two skimmers mounted on walls that are adjacent to each other, so that they would catch the surface debris.

I would NEVER recommend the IntelliChem system. If you are too lazy to test and adjust the chemicals in your own pool, you should just buy a boat instead of a pool

You want to buy an automation package that comes with the automation, Internal salt cell power supply, salt cell (IC40) and two valve actuators.. Check out these people... Pentair Controls

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[gingrbredman]

Answer..... The EasyTouch cannot keep the cover from closing if the pool is running, but the IntelliTouch or New IntelliCenter should be able to do that. No automation will automatically close the cover for safety reasons..

As Jim noted, the Intellicenter can integrate the cover into the automation, but NOT EasyTocuh. Jim of course is correct, no automation system can open or close the cover, that still needs to be done at the dedicated keypad/switch for the cover, but the Intellicenter will be able to know if the cover is closed or open. The Intellicenter as delivered needs to have an expansion card added, specifically for the pool cover, as well as a "rotary encoder" added to the pool cover which senses the position of the cover. As long as you have Intellivalves on the water features, or actuators tied into the automation, the tie in will not allow the cover to close if the water features are on, and will not allow the water features to come on if the cover is closed. You can also do a few other things with this, set a SWCG percentage differently depending on the cover status, not have lights turn on if the cover is closed, etc. One other thing to think about with the tie in would be the number of intellivalves you will need to control from the automation. Out of the box, you can control 4 valve actuators, but lets say you want a actuator on each laminar, and water slide, etc., there is another expansion card that can be added to the Intellicenter that will allow 6 additional valve actuators (total of 10).

As others have mentioned, the EasyTouch 8 is a fine system when tied to ScreenLogic. But the Intellicenter is much more robust and allows for future expansions and updates.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Red,

Something that I forgot to add.. Even though the stock units come with "four" actuators, they fail to note that two of the four can only be used to switch a pool between the pool mode and the spa mode.. That only leaves the stock unit with two user programable valve drivers.. You can use the other two (Intake and Return) to do things other than switch between the pool and spa mode, but you can't really make them do what you want when you want.. The only way they will move is to turn the system between the Pool and Spa modes.

Thanks,

Jim R.