Intellicenter mode where only one valve rotates (intake and return usually rotate together)

[RichSiegmund]

(this very good thread shows programming details using the web login IntelliCenter Circuits / Pump and Valve Associations)

Is there any way to create a feature/circuit group for an Intellicenter where instead of rotating both intake and return valves (between pool and spa mode) I only rotate the return valve?

Why? To create a short period (maybe 15 minutes daily) where most of the spa water is replaced with pool water. In this mode water will be pulled from skimmers/pool drain and returned through spa jets while the spa drain remains off.

Details

• In ground gunite pool with 6' diameter spa with spillway to pool
• I typically leave the manual valve for 'spa feature' fully open, which leads to maybe 10? gallons per minutes spilling to the pool. This is ample to keep the spa water well mixed with pool water
• I suspect my pH keeps rising (and needing acid to lower) because of the waterfall feature (spa drops about 18" to pool). This is from 3hrs daily of pool mode pump runtimes
• I don't actually like the noise from the spillway anyhow, so I'd like to leave it off, and I think my acid reqts will be reduced
• my idea is to turn the 'spa feature' valve to mostly off (just a trickle of water going over spillway) but I think the spa won't get enough chemicals or water movement, so I'd like to have a scheduled circuit that routes return water to the spa for maybe 15 minutes each day where lots of water will go over the spillway, but otherwise just a trickle.

PXL_20230110_142645516.jpg

• RichSiegmund
• Jan 10, 2023

 

[mknauss]

Spillover function.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Rich,

Your "idea" is a little late...

It is already built into Pentair's automation systems and is called the "Spillway" mode..

Set up a Feature Circuit and call it ###### (Anything you want..)
Set the Circuit's Function to "Spillway"
Assign a speed to the Circuit.
Done.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[RichSiegmund]

@mknauss @Jimrahbe you guys are awesome, it works as I'd hoped! Thanks for the quick responses!

 

[cousrey]

Glad you figured it out Rich. I was going to post what I did, which was different. I have mine set at 2 everyday to drain the spa and then refill it. My spa is located in my pool and when turned on overflows into pool slightly. spa is at pool water level.

 

[RichSiegmund]

@cousrey how are you handling draining without eventually sucking air into the pump? I've done this manually but shut the pump off once the water was just a few inches.