How To Disassociate Intellichlor & Intellichem

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Hanstb

Hanstb

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Sep 20, 2018
72
Miami, FL
Hello All,

I am sure I saw this discussed on the forum, but I can't find the thread.

I am transitioning my pool from 'old way" to FTPC and must manually control the Intellichlor IC60 and no longer rely on the Intellichem and ORP to maintain the desired FC level. I set the ORP hardware setting in the Intellichem to 'NONE' (tried all the others also), but that does not seem to have released the IC60, I am unable to control it with the device buttons not ScreenLogic. The device buttons do nothing, the unit is stuck on 80% and ScreenLogic still says "Intellichem In Control".

I suppose if I disconnect the COM wiring from the IC60 it would operate manually, but I would loose control via ScreenLodgic, is there a better way?

Thank you!
 
Hans,

I only know little about the IntelliChem, but I think the first thing I would do is turn off the IntelliChem in ScreenLogic. See the following set up page... I would leave the IntelliChlor on (Present) and uncheck the IntelliChem..

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I "assume" that this would allow the Intellichlor to operate via ScreenLogic and allow you to run the IntelliChem manually.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jim,

That works to the extent that it allows control of the Intellichlor, but as you stated, it removes the Intellichem controller (I still use the Intellichem to maintain pH). If possible, I would like to retain control of both systems, as I use both to monitor and manipulate the pool chemistry.

Has anyone been able to keep both systems integrated into ScreenLogic but with independent control?
 
Hans,

We have not found many members that have been successful with using automated chemical feeders such as the IntelliChem. Sounds great in theory, but does not work well in most cases. The main problem is keeping the probes calibrated and working.

Manual operation of salt cells for chlorine and acid pumps for pH control seems to work the best.

I was under the impression that the IntelliChem could be operated, basically like the salt cell where it just dosed based upon time vs. using any probe inputs.

I am not up on the IntelliChem, so I'm not sure if that is true or not.

I really doubt that ScreenLogic can control the IntelliChlor and the IntelliChem separately...

Let's see if we can get one of our IntelliChem owners to chime in..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jim,

I am learning as I go here, so please bear with me. I have been running the Intellichlor / Intellichem combo as Pentair prescribes in the manual for +/- 8 years now with mixed results, and yes, the probes are a weak point. With regards to pH, I have been using the Intellichem and a correction factor to achieve the desired pH, until the probe takes a digger and can no longer report a valid reading, usually around the 3 year mark. Same goes for ORP, I have been manipulating the set point and tweaking the probe settings to mach the FC level as closely as possible, but with CYA now at 70 and the FC at 5 that plan is out the window.

If it's not possible to maintain the integration of both systems into the software, I believe it can all be done manually, but with as much as I travel, I hope to maintain some of the functions of the Intellichem.

I know this is a well traveled road for at least a few forum members, perhaps someone has found the best way to employ these two pieces of equipment and get the best results.

Thank you!
 
I am hopeful someone will come along and offer some personal tips and tricks on how to best configure these deices, in the meanwhile, I thought I would add some perspective to why I want to be able to view and manipulate both units through ScreenLogic.

Our pool sits unattended for days and sometimes weeks at a time, automation is the only option to maintain the water, there is simply no other way. I know some folks solve this by means of tablets, friends, neighbors, etc., none are viable solutions in my case, I must occasionally rely on automation to maintain the pool.

While maintaining the Pentair book values, the automation handles the pool 'OK' if you keep an eye on it and reference your probe readings and settings to accurate manual testing, which I do. Provided the probes are not wildly off target, the practice works satisfactorily. Once we jump to the higher CYA/FC values of the TFPC practice, the ORP sensor seems to take a nosedive, I don't have enough data collected to make an informed assessment of the probes performance, but it's not looking too good at the moment.

The 'idea' is if I can quantify the divergence of the probe values to the actual water chemistry, I can manipulate the settings to maintain the desired levels through automation, but I need remote monitoring and control of both the intellichem and the intellichlor to accomplish this, even if it's not 100% perfect, my hope is it will be sufficiently effective to bridge the unattended time periods.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
After playing around with this issue for a while this morning, I came up with what appears to be a usable workaround, not an elegant solution by any measure, but it works.

Step one: Set the ORP hardware setting in the Intelllichem configuration menu to NONE. (Important, must be done on the device)

Step two: Deselect the Intellichem from the ScreenLodgic configuration menu (page 3/5) as noted in Jim's post above.

Now you have direct control over the IntelliChlor from ScreenLodgic, but you can't view or control the IntelliChem.

Here is the part I just discovered:

If you set the Chlorinator to the % value you like, lets say 60% and then return to the ScreenLodgic configuration menu and recheck the box for 'IntelliChem present', you can now control the IntelliChem via ScreenLodgic, and while you loose control of the chlorinator, the chlorinator retains its previous setting no matter what the Intellichem thinks the ORP is, the SWCG stays at the 60% you set directly.

Now when you want to control the SWCG, you deselect the 'Intellichem present' from the ScreenLodgic configuration menu, make any adjustments you like to the SWCG, and then recheck the box for IntelliChem present to view the probe values and manipulate the IntelliChem.

ScreenLodgic will still show "IntellliChem in Control" on your Chlorinator page when its check box is selected, but no commands are sent to the cell, and you'r chlorine production is not affected.

Again, not elegant, but it will satisfy my needs until someone comes along with a better solution!

Thanks!
 
Hi All,

Just for reference purposes, I've dissociated my IntelliChlor from my IntelliChem with an IntelliCenter setup. The guidance above is for ScreenLogic. Here are the steps I followed:
  1. Disconnected/Removed ORP probe, replaced with PVC pipe/cap (1/2” x 4” PVC riser, 1/2” PVC cap FPT)
  2. Set the ORP hardware in the IntellliChem to NONE. Menu: configuration —> hardware —> ORP Control
  3. Set the ORP set point to 400 (lowest possible), the low alarm to 350 (lowest possible) and high alarm to 900 (highest possible). Only so that IntelliChem shows ORP OK most of the time (no other functional value that I'm aware of). I could not find a way to not display the ORP mV (any ideas?)
  4. On the IntelliCenter2 App I added the IntelliChlor as a second controller under settings —> chemistry control, and deselected all the ORP notifications under settings —> general —> Notifications —> IntelliChem
  5. Tested IntelliChlor percentage adjustments via App. OK.
FYI: IntelliCenter firmware version 2.006
 
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