Need assistance with 2019 Intex sandfilter pump timer and separate intex 2019 salt water system

[MrNorth]

Hi!

Just started this system, and it seems that something is missing in the settings or implementation. If I set the timer on the pump to 5 it will run from that moment, 5 hours onwards and then sleep until roughly the same time next day. Our pump should run min 5 hours and the salt water system for about 4 hours according to specs. So about 30 min after pump started I start the salt system and set it to 4 hours. Works fine... BUT

What if I want to run the pump manually maybe later in the night for cleaning or vaccum or whatever? Can I just switch to FP and let it run, and then switch back to 5 and it will remember the old cycle? I can't get this to work, because when I switch back to 5 it will keep running, even though it is "off" the 5 hour interval. it is like it restarts the 5 hour cycle using that exact time as start time, and forgot the old start time. And this means the salt system and pump are not in sync anymore. The heater is fine, it just stops when water flow stops...

What if I turn off the power to the system, will it remember everything when power comes back on?

Is there any way to set this stuff up using a normal timer with hours and minutes? Any add-on or gadget I can get?

I want to run the pump during the day because of the heater is more effective during the warm hours here in Sweden, say from 9 AM to 7 PM, then I want the system to be idle, maybe with some manual vaccum or backwashing later in the evening when no one is swimming. Can this be done with the current setup?

I am very pleased with the filter and pump as it is now, it is easy to use, very quiet and no leaks or anything. Works like a charm, except for the strange timer system.

Thanks/H

 

[Brett S]

Unfortunately this is one of the big limitations with the built in intex timers. When you put it in timer mode it starts running for x hours from that time. If you switch modes and then switch back to timer mode it will start running from that time.

You may or may not be able to use an external timer. There are two potential problems with that.

First, the GFCI plug on the power cord will trip when power has been removed and need to be manually reset. A timer works by turning the power off and on, so each time the timer turns off the power the GFCI would need to be reset. It is possible to replace the GFCI plug with a standard plug to fix this issue, however, there is some risk in doing that as the GFCI is a safety feature. I would only even consider replacing the GFCI plug with a standard plug if the timer you were using was plugged into a GFCI receptacle. You will still have GFCI protection then. Again, only do this if you understand the risks and understand what you are doing.

However, second and perhaps more of a problem, a lot of the newer intex equipment, particularly the SWG’s made within the last year or two, will turn off at the control panel when power is removed and need to be turned on again manually. Unfortunately, if your equipment works this way then there is no way around it and you can’t use an external timer.

You can test to see if you can use a timer by turning your pump and SWG on, then unplugging them and plugging them back in again. Then manually reset the GFCI on the plug and see if the pump and SWG turn back on. If they do turn back on, then you can replace the GFCI plug (with the above cautions) and use a timer. If they don’t turn back on and you need to push a button on the control panel to turn them back on then you can’t use an external timer.

 

[Brett S]

I just noticed that you were in Sweden. I know less about their international equipment, but I would assume that your equipment does still have a GFCI plug, however, your GFCI plug may or may not need to be manually reset after the power has been removed.

In any case, you can still do the test I mentioned to see if you can get your equipment to work with a timer. Essentially all the timer is doing is cutting off power to the equipment, then reapplying power when it‘s time to run. So if you can start your pump and SWG, then figure out how to unplug them and then plug them back in such a way that they are still running when you plug them back in without needing to manually touch anything then you will be able to use a timer.

 

[MrNorth]

However, second and perhaps more of a problem, a lot of the newer intex equipment, particularly the SWG’s made within the last year or two, will turn off at the control panel when power is removed and need to be turned on again manually. Unfortunately, if your equipment works this way then there is no way around it and you can’t use an external timer.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, we are in Sweden, and we don't have that GFCI plug you are talking about. It is already built into the wiring of the house (regulated by law on newer buildings) , so we don't need a separate one for the equipment.

However, we have the newer version of the sand filter and pump, so when I put the pump in FP mode, it starts running, but when I disconnect it and reconnect it, it won't start. I have to manually press the Powerbutton to kickstart it.

This feels very stupid. The timers work great, we run the salt water system for 4 hours and the pump for 10 hours now, but as soon as I have to backflush the filter, I break this cycle. The only way to make it work is to schedule the backflusing like 10 minutes before the 10 hour cycle should start, which is not the way I wanted this system to work, aspecially not when we leave for vacation and are asking someone else to manage it. My wife thinks it is complicated as it is, if I introduce these "rules" I know what she will say.

I am quite surprised no one at Intex could figure this out, or maybe they just ignored it to cut cost.

/H

 

[MrNorth]

Here is the setup, if anyone is interested. the Swedish words are just for additional explanation what the stuff is used for.

The MacGyver tape is used as a temporary fix since I didn't have the bolts needed to fix the chlorinator properly to the shelf.

 

[Brett S]

This feels very stupid. The timers work great, we run the salt water system for 4 hours and the pump for 10 hours now, but as soon as I have to backflush the filter, I break this cycle. The only way to make it work is to schedule the backflusing like 10 minutes before the 10 hour cycle should start, which is not the way I wanted this system to work, aspecially not when we leave for vacation and are asking someone else to manage it. My wife thinks it is complicated as it is, if I introduce these "rules" I know what she will say.

I am quite surprised no one at Intex could figure this out, or maybe they just ignored it to cut cost.

It definitely is very stupid, and the worst part is that Intex changed it and made it worse a year or two ago. As I said above, the older Intex timers would restart the equipment when power was reapplied. The newer equipment needs to be manually restarted. Intex equipment is very inexpensive, but it can work. It also has a number of downsides. It can be undersized, the timers are a pain, and it might not last as long as other brands.

However, all that said, if your concern is just for backwashing, then it might be less of a problem than you are thinking. You don’t need to backwash the filter on a schedule at all. In fact, a dirty sand filter will filter the water better than a clean sand filter (to a point). As stuff gets caught in the sand it will make the openings smaller which will trap other smaller things that would otherwise be able to make it through a clean sand filter. At some point, though, there is so much stuff caught in there that it will restrict the water flow too much and stop filtering effectively.

We recommend backwashing based on filter pressure, not time or schedule. Look at the pressure gauge after you backwash your filter, then don’t backwash again until the pressure has risen by 25%. For example, if your filter gauge reads 10psi after you backwash then you wouldn’t backwash again until the filter was reading 12.5psi.

Unless you are experiencing algae problems or the filter is way undersized for your pool this should mean that you only have to backwash a few times a season, maybe even as little as once a season.

 

[Acmfl]

There is no way to set a manual timer with the newer intex systems. I have a similar setup with the sand filter and SWG, except the gfci plugs are on the ends in the USA. Anytime we lose power, I have to manually reset everything at the right time of day, although it remembers the last run time I had set. (It also trips the gfci plug on the sand filter, so I have to push the reset there first). Or if i want to run the pump at a different time for any reason, it resets the time. It’s a major PITA.