Intellatouch or no?

[mdomingo]

I'm just wrapping up my first season with my pool, and of course, I'm thinking about what worked this year and what didn't.

My biggest annoyance was that I could only adjust my Pentair IC20 SWCG in increments of 20%, which I learned after it was put in (thanks PB)...It's super annoying, and it led to me running all summer with FC levels a little high (~9-11 with 50-60 CYA), because I could never dial it in (there's a big difference between 40-60% on the SWCG and I spent all summer fooling with run times, but either overshot or undershot). So now I'm thinking about what I can do about it, and have been looking at getting an Intellatouch panel.

Here's my setup:

IC20 SWCG
Whisperflo 1.5 HP single speed pump
and a 90K BTU Pentair Heat Pump (whose name is escaping me now and of course I'm at work)
Fiberstars LED pool lights (controlled right now by a Lutron Maestro wireless switch...Poor man's automation )

Not super complicated...Is Intellatouch overkill for just wanting to adjust the SWCG in increments of 1%? I'm thinking about doing the install myself to save a few bucks. I'm ok with electric, but I have no idea what parts I'll need to buy, and it seems like I might miss something....for example I see that the Intellatouches come with the DC converters, so does that mean I can ditch the one that I have for the IC20, or should I save a few pennies and go with the Intellatouch without the converter? Does that eliminate the control for the SWCG? Are the fiberstars lights compatible or do I have to do Pentair lighting in order to get lighting control?

There's not a lot of literature out there on this stuff for the DIY type, which leads me to another question-

Would doing the self install void my existing Pentair warranty? Or do I just suck it up for 3 seasons until my orig. Pentair warranty is up with the PB and then go with an install then?

Thanks in advance for your input everyone!

EDIT: Quick phone call home told me that the Heat Pump is a Pentair UltraTemp...Also controllable by the Intellatouch I believe.

 

[dumbcluck]

Easy touch is cheaper and easier to use.

 

[mdomingo]

EasyTouch, eh? Same principle? Does it have Peripherals and all? Is it easier to use? I'm looking and there's some negative reviews...

 

[prs]

I make small changes to pump run time in order to make small changes to the SWG, for example:

3.0 hrs pump run time x 80% cell = 2.40 hrs cell run time.

2.9 hrs pump run time x 80% cell = 2.32 hrs cell run time.

I went thru much the same as you and finally set the SWG at 100% and kept lowering my pump run time until the FC settled down, I found one adjustment every two weeks was more than enough as it took the pool that long to reach steady state after each adjustment.

 

[TeamNelson]

I called Pentair & asked about a DIY on the IC60 SWG & they said if it's not installed by a professional Pentair authorized installation person - you are on your own for there will be no warranty...so with that I went on the search & thru the good people here & lots of calls locally to find the right company NOT wanting all my money - I found a competitor to my PB wanted less of my money!!! (highest bid was the original PB at $2700!!!) I imagine that might be for all their products... but you might want to contact them 1st and verify that. The people here are so helpful - if you wanted to do a DIY I'm sure somebody could walk you thru it - just ask - it's amazing

I have the Pentair Control Panel Easy Touch 8 & just got the Pentair SWG IC60 (it was on sale $970 installed - not that I needed that big a unit for my size pool). I dialed it in on FC the 1st weekend I had it - was too easy! The 1% increments on the Easy Touch control panel & the APP for Pentair Easy Touch "Screen Logic" from my PC let me see the ppm salt level also & set the SWG in the 1% increments. I run my fiber optic, pool & spa lights, slide, spa, floor jets, high pump - there are "8 available" program options - we left one open control button for the future option of solar to be run by the Easy Touch 8 panel. Because my PB did not order the Easy Touch 8 for "SWG" Pentair says it has the board inside ready & wired with a 4 pin port "plug & play" - I had to get the control power box & get that wired in thru the channel run in the Easy Touch box to the controller board on the inside (tons of wiring there). The installer took a total of 2 hours to uninstall my Frog Chlorine dispensing system & install the SWG completely wired & tested.

I do not have one complaint about the Easy Touch 8 - it has worked perfectly since day one.