intellicenter and swg question

[joepaiii]

Hello -

I have an intellicenter and an ic40 generator. How do you turn it off when adding salt to the pool? I have been setting the output to 0% when doing it but was wondering if there was a different on/off method rather than having to reset the percentage values.

Oh and my pool builder plumbed it only on the pool side which kind of makes me angry. I sent it to them and I am asking them to install it correctly but I am certain they will try to tell me its fine that way...

 

[ajw22]

Hello -

I have an intellicenter and an ic40 generator. How do you turn it off when adding salt to the pool? I have been setting the output to 0% when doing it but was wondering if there was a different on/off method rather than having to reset the percentage values.

Yup, lower output to 0% to turn the SWG off.

Oh and my pool builder plumbed it only on the pool side which kind of makes me angry. I sent it to them and I am asking them to install it correctly but I am certain they will try to tell me its fine that way...

Correct. The IC40 should be before the POOL/SPA split and provide chlorination to either body of water. Then you use the IntelliCenter to lower the IC40 output when in SPA mode to not over chlorinate the small body of water.

 

[joepaiii]

Yup, lower output to 0% to turn the SWG off.



Correct. The IC40 should be before the POOL/SPA split and provide chlorination to either body of water. Then you use the IntelliCenter to lower the IC40 output when in SPA mode to not over chlorinate the small body of water.

Thanks - have you ever had any issue of chlorine smell when in the spa and having the generator operate?

That's why the pool company claims they installed it the way they do. They are a large DFW builder and he said they install them all only inline with the pool. He said he would put it the way I want it before the 3 way but I wouldn't like it. He said that when it starts running and people are in the spa it would make them smell chlorine and they would be asking what was wrong with the pool. I decided not to argue with him and let it be for now. I got to thinking after that I could just set the output to 0% if it was a problem. Which is what he said people don't like to have to remember to do when they want to use the spa. But that would only be necessary if it was really noticeable when it was on.

I never noticed a chlorine smell from any return in the pool in the years of owning generators... but with the heat and steam of the spa (which he said makes problem worse) maybe it could be an issue?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Joe,

The only time you have to turn off the SWCG when adding salt is if you plan to dump in a lot of salt.. Like when initially adding salt to a fresh water pool...

If you are only adding 1 or 2 bags, it does not really matter.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jimbethesda]

Thanks - have you ever had any issue of chlorine smell when in the spa and having the generator operate?

That's why the pool company claims they installed it the way they do. They are a large DFW builder and he said they install them all only inline with the pool. He said he would put it the way I want it before the 3 way but I wouldn't like it. He said that when it starts running and people are in the spa it would make them smell chlorine and they would be asking what was wrong with the pool. I decided not to argue with him and let it be for now. I got to thinking after that I could just set the output to 0% if it was a problem. Which is what he said people don't like to have to remember to do when they want to use the spa. But that would only be necessary if it was really noticeable when it was on.

I never noticed a chlorine smell from any return in the pool in the years of owning generators... but with the heat and steam of the spa (which he said makes problem worse) maybe it could be an issue?

He’s ignorant. IntelliCenter allows 2 output settings. One value for pool, one value for spa. And as a fail safe, the max value you can enter for spa is 20%. He’s thinking how the puck dissolve tube (aka inline chlorinator) works.

The plumber my pool builder sent out started to plumb the SWG for the pool run only until I intervened.

Download the IC40 manual and show him the page where it has the diagram of where it should be installed. It clearly shows it goes before the 3-way value. Insist he moves it!

 

[ajw22]

Thanks - have you ever had any issue of chlorine smell when in the spa and having the generator operate?

That's why the pool company claims they installed it the way they do. They are a large DFW builder and he said they install them all only inline with the pool. He said he would put it the way I want it before the 3 way but I wouldn't like it. He said that when it starts running and people are in the spa it would make them smell chlorine and they would be asking what was wrong with the pool. I decided not to argue with him and let it be for now. I got to thinking after that I could just set the output to 0% if it was a problem. Which is what he said people don't like to have to remember to do when they want to use the spa. But that would only be necessary if it was really noticeable when it was on.

I never noticed a chlorine smell from any return in the pool in the years of owning generators... but with the heat and steam of the spa (which he said makes problem worse) maybe it could be an issue?

Let's put some science behind your builders statements.

How many hours will you be sitting in your spa?

You don't have in your profile your pool size or spa size but let's use a 24,000 gallon pool and 500 gallon spa. And let's assume you have the TFP recommended CYA of 70.

If you need about 3 ppm of chlorine a day you would run your IC40 at 40% for 24 hours and generate 2.7 ppm of chlorine.

Now you turn on your spa. Your IC40 will generate 5.6 ppm of chlorine an hour into your spa if you don't setup your IntelliCenter to lower the % when in SPA mode.

At CYA 70 your FC will be around 5 and you are safe to swim until a FC of 28. So if your spa will be running over 4 hours then you need to have the IntelliCenter turn down your SWG %.

And even with a FC of 28 you will not have the "chlorine smell" unless you have algae in your water. High FC does not cause the chlorine smell. CC's cause the chlorine smell. If you have clean water you have no CC's and no chlorine smell.

 

[jimbethesda]

See page 5

 

[jimbethesda]

Let's put some science behind your builders statements.

How many hours will you be sitting in your spa?

You don't have in your profile your pool size or spa size but let's use a 24,000 gallon pool and 500 gallon spa. And let's assume you have the TFP recommended CYA of 70.

If you need about 3 ppm of chlorine a day you would run your IC40 at 40% for 24 hours and generate 2.7 ppm of chlorine.

Now you turn on your spa. Your IC40 will generate 5.6 ppm of chlorine an hour into your spa if you don;t setup your INtelliCenter to lower the % when in SPA mode.

At CYA 70 your FC will be around 5 and you are safe to swim until a FC of 28. So if your spa will be running over 4 hours then you need to have the IntelliCenter turn down your SWG %.

And even with a FC of 28 you will not have the "chlorine smell" unless you have algae in your water. High FC does not cause the chlorine smell. CC's cause the chlorine smell. If you have clean water you have no CC's and no chlorine smell.

Good analysis. Just wanted to point out that IntelliCenter has a max value of 20% in spa mode.

 

[joepaiii]

He’s ignorant. IntelliCenter allows 2 output settings. One value for pool, one value for spa. And as a fail safe, the max value you can enter for spa is 20%. He’s thinking how the puck dissolve tube (aka inline chlorinator) works.

The plumber my pool builder sent out started to plumb the SWG for the pool run only until I intervened.

Download the IC40 manual and show him the page where it has the diagram of where it should be installed. It clearly shows it goes before the 3-way value. Insist he moves it!

I showed them the manual. They claimed it to be where applicable. Again I didn’t feel like arguing with him. I will send another email after showing wife these messages.

 

[jimbethesda]

I showed them the manual. They claimed it to be where applicable. Again I didn’t feel like arguing with him. I will send another email after showing wife these messages.

Pool builders are frustrating to deal with. I felt like I had to constantly argue with mine.

It’s your pool, up to you if you think it’s worth it. I think you want it installed correctly.

 

[joepaiii]

Pool builders are frustrating to deal with. I felt like I had to constantly argue with mine.

It’s your pool, up to you if you think it’s worth it. I think you want it installed correctly.

Amen to that. I absolutely have hated working with my builder. Especially being an electrical engineer and being pretty savvy about how to build stuff. These guys just build what they have always built and don’t stray away from it.