New Build - Control Panel

[NYinATX]

So thankful for this community and the advice that everyone offers from their experiences! Please excuse my lack of knowledge on any acronyms or terminology as this is our first pool.

We're currently building:
-14,500 gallon in-ground gunite pool/tanning ledge/spa with spillway
-3 water sheers, 2 ColorVision bubblers, and 4 Globrite lights (3 in pool, 1 in spa)
-1 Intellifo 3HP VS
-1 Superflo VS
-1 Pentair Cartridge Filter 420sq
-1 400K BTU heater
-1 1HP silencer blower
-1 Inline Chlorinator
-1 Pentair UV
-1 EasyTouch 8 with Screenlogic
-Eclipse drain and Venturi skimmers

As we already started on the build (waiting on gunite) before I found this community, I've been trying to catch up on educating myself on the equipment for our build and I feel pretty ok on most things with exception on the control panel. There does seem to be a consensus on Intellicenter as it's newer technology and I'm not sure if there is the ability to change to Intellicenter. I'm mainly concerned if we have enough capacity for the functionality that we're looking for with the ET8 as I'm really not sure what additional future functionality could be added to a pool once it's built; so while I can understand everyone wants the latest and greatest tech that offers future growth, I'm not sure what would/could be added down the road.

Here is the functionality that I would like:
-Ability to control lights on bubblers, spa and pool separately (does this take up 1 or 3 of the 8 ports?)
-Ability to control bubblers and sheers separately (thinking that we may not want them both to always run at the same time...)
-Ability to run spillway separately
-Ability to control future landscape lighting on deck and in yard

I've reached out to the PB as well, but waiting for a reply. Thought I would check with this forum in the meantime. TIA!

 

[pjt]

I would highly recommend getting the IntelliCenter load center with the built-in SWG transformer. It will give you the most capability and ability for future growth.

Do you have schematics or renderings of your pool? Pictures of current build progress?

Other suggestions:

4 Globrite lights

Get MicroBrites instead.

Intellifo 3HP VS

Which model #?

Pentair Cartridge Filter 420sq

The 420 is good, but 520 is even better.

400K BTU heater

Which model? Have them install an external bypass.

Inline Chlorinator

Delete this and get a SWG. An IC40 or IC60 would be great.

Pentair UV

Delete this. You get plenty of free UV from the sun.

EasyTouch 8 with Screenlogic

Replace with IntelliCenter.

Eclipse drain

Pool main drain is optional.

 

[ajw22]

Here is the functionality that I would like:
-Ability to control lights on bubblers, spa and pool separately (does this take up 1 or 3 of the 8 ports?)

What you call ports are high voltage relays. In the ET8 you have 8 of them but one is dedicated to the filter/pump so you effectively have 7 for other functions you want to control.

Each separate light group will use a high voltage relay. If you want three light groups for bubbler lights, spa light, and pool lights then you will need 3 high voltage relays.

-Ability to control bubblers and sheers separately (thinking that we may not want them both to always run at the same time...)

Will you have a seperate drain in the pool and pump to the water features?

What is the Superflo VS pump for?

-Ability to run spillway separately

Run the spillway separately from what?

Pentair automation has three modes:

• POOL mode - water is sucked from the pool skimmers and returned to the pool returns
• SPA mode - water is sucked from the spa drains and returned to the spa returns
• SPILLWAY mode - water is sucked from the skimmers and returned to the pool.

-Ability to control future landscape lighting on deck and in yard

Now that may cause you to run out of high voltage relays on the ET8. Depends how many landscape light groups you will have.

Your spa blower will use a high voltage relay.

 

[Herkimer]

I have a very similar set up to what you describe. I have the pool, spa, bubblers and sheer lights all separate, so it takes 4 of the available relays. I will say that after a year, we almost 100% turn on all the lights on at the same time, so in theory all the lights could be on one relay, something to think about.
-Ability to control lights on bubblers, spa and pool separately (does this take up 1 or 3 of the 8 ports?) - 3, as stated above.
-Ability to control bubblers and sheers separately (thinking that we may not want them both to always run at the same time...)
With the water feature pump, we have the sheers come on with the pump, if we want the bubblers we have an automated three way valve that will also turn on the bubblers, to just run the bubblers I would have to adjust the three way manually (which I never have).
-Ability to run spillway separately - If you have an elevated spa that spills into your pool, the water should just spill over in pool mode, not in spa mode.
-Ability to control future landscape lighting on deck and in yard - There is one "extra" relay that can be used in the easy touch for the Solar Control (it's just programmed to do something different), so that you can technical get one additional relay on the ET8.

 

[NYinATX]

I would highly recommend getting the IntelliCenter load center with the built-in SWG transformer. It will give you the most capability and ability for future growth.

Do you have schematics or renderings of your pool? Pictures of current build progress?

Other suggestions:


Get MicroBrites instead.


Which model #?


The 420 is good, but 520 is even better.


Which model? Have them install an external bypass.


Delete this and get a SWG. An IC40 or IC60 would be great.


Delete this. You get plenty of free UV from the sun.


Replace with IntelliCenter.


Pool main drain is optional.

Thank you for the feedback! Very helpful. I tried to upload some pics of where we're ay with construction but it said the file size was too large for the server?? I tried with just one picture and it wouldn't work either.

 

[guinness]

I tried to upload some pics of where we're ay with construction but it said the file size was too large for the server?

You can use an online tool like below:

Image Resizer Online - Resize Image Free without Losing Quality

Easily resize image with online Photo Resizer in 3 clicks: • Upload one or multiple images • Choose the output size • Download in bulk using ready presets

retoucher.online

Ability to control lights on bubblers, spa and pool separately (does this take up 1 or 3 of the 8 ports?)

It depends if you want the lights to share a transformer or for each to have their own.

 

[pjt]

it said the file size was too large for the server

You can also take a screen snip of the photo.

 

[NYinATX]

Thanks for everyone's input. Here are the renderings and progress thus far...

I reached out to the PB to ensure that we have enough relays on the ET8 and he says that both of the pumps have individual slots and do not take up a relay. Given this, we will likely stick with the ET8 since it will provide the functionality that we need.

As for the reco on SWG, all of the PBs that we spoke with advised against it. One essentially flat out said he didn't really have enough knowledge of it (I think the sales guy was a newbie). The others said that we would see wear on our stonework and white residue which would also track inside the house on the tile. While the residue could be cleaned, it's just extra work, but what kept us from it was the wear on the stone as our existing patio is all flagstone and we also wanted stone for our coping.

Now that I've been reading more on SWG, it doesn't sound like the wear is as significant as was implied by the PBs. But I'm not sure if we're too far down the road to change...

 

[.ben]

More knowledgeable people will chime in; but NOT having a SWG in Texas would be miserable. No way I would own a pool here without a SWG.

Definitely never too late to add a SWG. I would remove the tablet in-line chlorinator since that would not be necessary with a SWG.

 

[NYinATX]

@.ben I'm feeling more and more compelled to switch to SWG. I'm guessing there isn't any corrosion on the pool equipment either?

 

[ajw22]

I'm guessing there isn't any corrosion on the pool equipment either?

All the equipment manufacturers sell SWGs.

Do you think they would sell a product that would corrode their other products?

And if you examine the pool equipment you will find little metal to corrode. All pool equipment uses plastics in just about anything that has contact with pool water.

 

[pjt]

we will likely stick with the ET8

What's the price difference between ET8 and IntelliCenter?

One essentially flat out said he didn't really have enough knowledge of it

At least he was honest.

wear on our stonework

Poor quality materials will degrade. Poor water chemistry will also degrade materials.

white residue which would also track inside the house on the tile

Nope.

Here's the key point: all pools have salt in them, regardless of chlorination method. Salt accumulates from chlorine, acid, swimmers, etc.. That salt level can actually far exceed the salinity needed to operate a SWG. You will have salt in your water, whether you choose to have a SWG or not.

We have a very large sample size of SWG owners on this forum. Perhaps more than 100,000. You would have to search very hard to find a single one that regrets buying a SWG. I would never consider owning a pool without one.

 

[Herkimer]

Thanks for everyone's input. Here are the renderings and progress thus far...

I reached out to the PB to ensure that we have enough relays on the ET8 and he says that both of the pumps have individual slots and do not take up a relay. Given this, we will likely stick with the ET8 since it will provide the functionality that we need.

As for the reco on SWG, all of the PBs that we spoke with advised against it. One essentially flat out said he didn't really have enough knowledge of it (I think the sales guy was a newbie). The others said that we would see wear on our stonework and white residue which would also track inside the house on the tile. While the residue could be cleaned, it's just extra work, but what kept us from it was the wear on the stone as our existing patio is all flagstone and we also wanted stone for our coping.

Now that I've been reading more on SWG, it doesn't sound like the wear is as significant as was implied by the PBs. But I'm not sure if we're too far down the road to change...

Great layout, it will be a fun pool! Couple of things:
1. on your tanning ledge, if you plan on having ledge lounger chairs in the pool, facing the water per the renderings, the current layout of your bubblers (construction photos) may inhibit this (i.e. they are side by side vs. parallel to your potential lounger location.
2. I am no expert on placement of skimmer returns, just seems strange they are both in one corner of the pool.
3. I am a supporter of a SWG, going through my first summer of having a pool (in Houston) it was very easy to maintain the pool and know that chlorine levels were good.

 

[NYinATX]

Great layout, it will be a fun pool! Couple of things:
1. on your tanning ledge, if you plan on having ledge lounger chairs in the pool, facing the water per the renderings, the current layout of your bubblers (construction photos) may inhibit this (i.e. they are side by side vs. parallel to your potential lounger location.
2. I am no expert on placement of skimmer returns, just seems strange they are both in one corner of the pool.
3. I am a supporter of a SWG, going through my first summer of having a pool (in Houston) it was very easy to maintain the pool and know that chlorine levels were good.

Yes - we moved the bubblers during construction as I think we will get better lighting on the ledge at night spread across vs how it is in the rendering. From most of what I've been reading about those loungers, they're not very comfortable and quite pricey. I think we'll probably go with some adirondack chairs?

As for the skimmers, they said it would be fine because they're "venturi" so having them in the corner will pull the debris that direction? But I thought it was odd as well (going to trust on this until it doesn't work and then will complain until the day we sell the house! hahaha...)

Thanks for the add'l reco for SWG. Will definitely chat with PB about changing it.

 

[pjt]

As for the skimmers, they said it would be fine because they're "venturi" so having them in the corner will pull the debris that direction? But I thought it was odd as well (going to trust on this until it doesn't work

You still have time to fix this now, before gunite. Remember, it's your pool, your money, and your decisions.

 

[NYinATX]

You have all convinced us to add the SWG! Unfortunately, PB said that the inline chlorinator will still need to remain (it's only $150). I figured it would be good for us to have in the winter months to supplement chlorine when the temps drop below 50.

As for the UV sanitizer... We have a lab who absolutely loves to swim. I know he will be in the pool often and was thinking that the extra pass through the UV will be good since I've read dogs track not only track bacteria into the pool, but is also the equivalent to ~30 bather load.

Thoughts on my logic here??

 

[pjt]

PB said that the inline chlorinator will still need to remain

Why? How much plumbing has been done at your equipment pad?

I figured it would be good for us to have in the winter months

FC demand is very low in cold weather. I used a grand total of one gallon of LC last winter.

As for the UV sanitizer

Chlorine is your sanitizer. You get plenty of free UV from the sun.

UV Systems - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[NYinATX]

Why? How much plumbing has been done at your equipment pad?

Here is what it looks like...

 

[HermanTX]

You have all convinced us to add the SWG! Unfortunately, PB said that the inline chlorinator will still need to remain (it's only $150). I figured it would be good for us to have in the winter months to supplement chlorine when the temps drop below 50.

You definitely do not need the chlorinator - they only create issues because they take up space and they have oring seals, etc. I took mine out years ago when I converted to using liquid chlorine. And the times I did want to use chlorine pucks, I put them in a floater that sits in the pool regardless of pump is running or not.

For the many years I was using liquid chlorine, my salt level rose to 2600ppm and now with my SWCG that I recently installed my salt level is 3100ppm - so I had a "salt" pool but not the convenience of a device creating Chlorine. I am so pleased with the SWCG and I have flagstone as coping and waterline tile.

In the winter it is best to use liquid chlorine because the pucks will increase your CYA overtime.

You have an empty pad so the equipment can be set up any way you wish.
Also, ensure that you use Jandy or Pentair diverter valves on all your plumbing. Do not let the plumber install a ball valve. They go bad over time and you cannot repair them. The diverter valves may cost a little more but will save you a lot in the future.

As someone else noted above, it is your pool, your money and you will live with it for a long time. Your PB will not care about it after he gets the final payment.

 

[pjt]

Have you told the PB to move one of the skimmers? It doesn't make sense to have two right next to each other (aside from making the PB's job easier).

Here is what it looks like

No equipment or plumbing has been done yet, which is good since you can correct things now. Do you have a schematic for your pad plumbing?