Intellivalve vs old actuator

[jimim]

I have an easy touch. Not the new system.

1. Can I use the intellivalve on it?
2. do i loose any control with easy touch since the valve isn't made for it vs new system.
3. i have a 3 way valve. inlet and the 2 outlets are floor return and a surface return. pretty much all want is to be able to keep 1 fully open or both fully open. that's it. don't need anything in-between. so pretty mcc when i call for heat i open floor return. when heat is off i close floor return. surface return is always open 100%.
can i use the old actuator. my builder has 1 already or do i need the intelevalve?

also on easy touch pentair told me i can only tell it on or off meaning one side all the way open or the other side all the way open no matter which valve. that makes no sense to me.

thanks!
jimi

 

[ajw22]

I have an easy touch. Not the new system.

1. Can I use the intellivalve on it?

Yes.

IntelliVlave manual ia at --> https://www.pentair.com/content/dam...ator_Installation_and_Users_Guide_English.pdf

See page 17.

2. do i loose any control with easy touch since the valve isn't made for it vs new system.

No. The Intellivalve works just like your dumb actuator.

The only difference is with the dumb actuator you need to open it up to adjust the cams to set the left and right stop points when the valve rotates. With the IntelliValve you can set the two stop points from the top control panel.

3. i have a 3 way valve. inlet and the 2 outlets are floor return and a surface return. pretty much all want is to be able to keep 1 fully open or both fully open. that's it. don't need anything in-between. so pretty mcc when i call for heat i open floor return. when heat is off i close floor return. surface return is always open 100%.
can i use the old actuator. my builder has 1 already or do i need the intelevalve?

You can use the old actuator. You just set the cams to the two stop points you want and the actuator rotates the valve between those two points.

also on easy touch pentair told me i can only tell it on or off meaning one side all the way open or the other side all the way open no matter which valve. that makes no sense to me.

thanks!
jimi

That person did not know what they were talking about.

Read Valve Actuators - Further Reading

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jim,

Since you have an EasyTouch, there is just no reason to spend more money on the IntelliValve.. There is no real advantage...

Why do you want the IntelliValve?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jimim]

I thought I could only have one valve side open vs both at the same time with the old one. I swore I read that on here.
So pretty much like I said I want both returns open or just 1 open. But I do want both open some times.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jim,

You can only have two positions.. You can't have "sometimes" Neither the IntelliValve or the normal actuators has the ability to stop in three different spots. You can set the stops to any two positions but the valve will always turn from one stop to the other stop.. It can not stop any place else.

So you can't have "Off, and Half on, and All on"... You can have.. "Off and All on".. or "Off and Half on", or "Half on and All on"...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

I thought I could only have one valve side open vs both at the same time with the old one. I swore I read that on here.
So pretty much like I said I want both returns open or just 1 open. But I do want both open some times.

Both Open is position 1.

One open is position 2.

That is a 90 degree rotation between 1 and 2.

You set the cams for the stop points to be at the two positions.

Now with your 3 way valve you have an inlet and two outlets. Let's call one outlet B and the other C.

With the setup you can have B open and C closed in position 2. Or you can have both B and C open in position 1. You CANNOT have a third position of C open and B closed.

Someday if Pentair ever gets the IntelliValve to do what they promised then a third position would be possible. But likely only when the IntelliValve is used with an IntelliCenter. Right now even connected to an IntelliCenter the IntelliVlave does no more then the dumb actuator.

 

[jimim]

I think what you are both saying is what I want. Outlet 1 surface return is always open. When I hear my pool I open outlet 2 bottom return. When I turn off heat I Close outlet 2. I never ever close both.
So I’m good then? That’s what you are both saying. I’m sorry if I’m being dense.
I never ever close both. It’s either pic 1 or pic 2.

 

[ajw22]

You are good. That is just two positions with a 90 degree rotation.

The standard actuator comes set for a 180 degree rotation so you will need to open it up and set the cam for what you need.

 

[jimim]

Ok good to go. I’ll get a hold of him this week. Thanks guys!