Need help with figuring out pool automation!!

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G

gabemtz83

New member
Aug 17, 2019
3
Tampa
I'm in the process of getting a pool built and am working with a pool company who seems challenged with automation. I work in the Audio Video industry so automation is pretty much second nature to me with that stuff but need a little assistance with figuring it out what i need.

Current Pool setup:
(2) Intellibrite Pool lights
(1) Glowbrite Spa Light
(2) Magic Bowls with FireFx LEDs
Pentair Intelliflo VSF Pump (shared with spa via valve)
Heater
(1) 24" Waterfall
(2) Deck Jets

The water features can be all on at the same time if need be, but prefer to separate them. I really want to use a Jandy panel so i can integrate with my Savant Home automation but they say you cant control the flow of the Pentair pump only the speed. Just looking for some advice! Thanks!
 
Gabe,

If you want to use the Jandy panel, why not just use a Jandy pump?

We always recommend that the Automation, any VS pump, and any SWCG, all have the same manufacturer.. Once in a while things are interchangeable, but for the most part mixing and matching does not work well.. When things don't work, it is always the other guy's fault... :)

I can 't think of a single reason that anyone "needs" a VF pump... Changing speeds works 99.9% of the time.

You should check out the new Pentair IntelliCenter.. It takes the place of the older EasyTouch or IntelliTouch.. You might want to check out what it will interface with.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Last edited:
Jimrahbe said:
Allen,

Jandy can control some IntelliFlo VS pumps or the VS option of a VSF pump, but it can't control the VF option...

For some reason the OP needs the VF option..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Noted. Very confusing.
 
Allen,

I'm just guessing here, but this is the way it appears to me... Several years ago the Big Three (Hayward, Jandy and Pentair) decided to share their RS-485 code, so that they could control each others equipment.. Not sure why that did not continue, but as time went on, the firmware running all these systems has changed, but the Big Three no longer keep this interchangeabilty in mind when they update their firmware..

A good example is the OP's problem... back in the day Jandy's F/W was made to talk with the IntelliFlo VS.. then Pentair developed a new pump that was both a VS and VF pump, the VSF. Jandy's F/W has never been updated to drive the VF portion of the VSF pump...

This is the main reason that we always recommend the same brand for products that need to "talk" to each other. It just makes things easier for installation and warranty issue.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Gabe,

In the old days, Pentair sold two pumps.. VS and VF.. At that time we always recommended the VS and never recommended the VF..

Now Pentair makes one pump that can do both.. VS and VF... For some reason people have fallen in love with the VF option..

If I had the VSF pump, the VF option would never get used. :)

For the normal pool owner, there is never a "need" to have a VF pump..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Jim, is the 011028 pump still being sold? Is that VS or VSF?
 
My 2 cents as a homeowner who likes VF. Set the flow and the pump RPM(speed) will change automatically to maintain that flow. With a constant flow my heater will always work when heat is called for, my intellichlor an intellichem will always have flow to adjust fc and ph--- even if the filter gets a little dirty before a backwash. I run my pump 24/7 at 15gpm and the system is happy in a steady state always monitoring and adjusting accordingly. I get just over one turn over a day and the consumed power is about the same as if I ran high rpm for a shorter duration. When I used a VS pump if filter pressure increased my systems would see less flow and sometimes shut off mys sensors ans automation. VF has been far easier.
As a consumer I think in terms of flow and GPM when calculating turnovers. VF makes that easier for me as well.

One might argue that as filter pressure increases VF will cause rpm to increase to maintain flow and use more energy. While this is true when I see an increase in RPM I know that its time for a backwash, but all my parameters-heat, fc ph have remained stable.
 
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