New IntelliPH

[Rsmith]

So...after 5 years of chasing PH balance I made the plunge and installed an IntelliPH to my system this winter. I would love to hear from those of you that have them and what you have found to be the pros and cons. Why arent pool builders even offering this when they are talking about a SWG? I have a pool company that helps me open and close and he says for him its just a lack of experience with it. It seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[mknauss]

FYI -- using a SWCG has nothing to do with pH rise. TA of your fill water and aeration are the main drivers of pH rise.

 

[Jimrahbe]

R,

Most pools owners, saltwater or not, do not need an acid feeder.

The few that do, have several options.

I add a little acid once a week or less and it take me about 2 minutes total.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Let me introduce you to @Dirk and his many postings about his IntellipH...

Search results for query: intelliph

www.troublefreepool.com

Pentair Intelliph - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Dirk]

Love mine. My pool drinks acid all year 'round. So for me, automating chlorine without doing the same for acid would be pointless.

Pros:
- I can leave my pool for weeks if I have to.
- I can go for months without touching pool chemicals.
- It drastically reduces the amount of time I have to spend maintaining water quality.
- Instead of my pH rising for a week and then blasting it with acid to knock it down, my IntellipH adds just a little acid every hour, keeping my pH stable constantly.
- Because my pH is stable, so is my CSI, which is good for my pebble finish (and my eyeballs).
- I get a call from TFP whenever anyone mentions IntelllipH, so it makes me feel needed!

Cons:
- The IntellipH is a companion to the IntelliChlor, and uses its power supply, its flow sensor and unfortunately its temperature sensor. Which means if your water gets cold enough to prevent the IntelliChlor from producing, the IntellipH will also cease to function (until the water warms back up). It also means that should your IntelliChlor quit working, so too will your IntellipH. Now as luck would have it, just today I wrote a post about how I modified the two so that my IntellipH will dispense acid all year long, and can be run without the IntelliChlor when need be. But the mod is not for the faint of heart (and frankly is still in beta testing, because I've only had it working for a few days).

Hacking IntellipH to work in cold water

As Pentair IntellipH (IpH) automatic acid dosing system owners know, the IpH depends on a Pentair IntellliChlor (IC) saltwater chlorine generator. The IpH uses the IC's power supply, and monitors its flow switch, so that it won't dispense acid if the IC is reporting low flow. Unfortunately, it...

www.troublefreepool.com

You might not need an IntellipH, but you don't need a pool either. What's wrong with making luxury a little more luxurious!

 

[Dirk]

Hey Smith, I just noticed something. Your IntellipH tank has a vent, with a tube coming out of it. That's normal. It's the small black tube on the right that runs out of the tank. It looks to loop over a bit and then point down and end right in front of the tank. Am I seeing that right?

That tube allows air into and out of the tank, and it's necessary to the tank's function. But the air that comes out contains Muriatic acid fumes that will make quick work of anything metal near by, even stainless steel. The end of that tube should be located as far from your pad, and any metal, as possible. Keep it away from your gear, your metal fence, your heater and air conditioner, etc. And point it down a bit so that it doesn't fill with rain water. The IpH comes with a length of that black tubing. Did he leave the rest of it with you, or take it with him? Use that, or pick something up from the local hardware store and run it elsewhere.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

If I needed acid injection, I would do this -

Poolsmith CO2 injection for pH control

Doesn't appear to be much discussion about this system on the forum. Am seriously considering ordering one of these. I'm typically adding about a quart of acid every 3 to 4 days in my 20k gallon SWG pool. Not a lot of fun, plus if we travel for more than a week or so I need to hire someone to...

www.troublefreepool.com

The IpH just has too many limitations and annoyances. A simple CO2 injector run off a relay from my ET panel and set to schedule hold be just great.

 

[Dirk]

Smith, for future reference... One more con... There is a possible incompatibility between your IntelliChlor and your IntellipH. It's a known issue to Pentair. The IC60 model pulls too much current through the IntellipH and destroys an internal connector in the IntellipH, and the IntelliChlor stops working. Pentair advises against using those two together. But a few of us, myself included, have experienced this problem with an IC40. Hopefully Pentair has addressed this issue with the latest models, but if your IntelliChlor goes dead (no lights at all), and the IntellipH is still lit up, that's the symptom. If it happens out of warranty, come back and ask and we can advise you about a fix.

 

[Rsmith]

FYI -- using a SWCG has nothing to do with pH rise. TA of your fill water and aeration are the main drivers of pH rise.

My PH increases even when my TA is correct and there is no aeration. At first I was told it was from the plaster curing but now that the pool is 6 years old it had to be something else. My PB says its a byproduct of the SWG. I found this online and thought I would share.

​

Maintaining proper pH balance is tricky. What’s the solution? Here’s a hint: You’re breathing it.​

By Robert Flynn

California Polytechnic State University’s National Pool Industry Research Center conducted a study examining the rise of pH levels in swimming pools sanitized with salt.
Researchers tested pH levels every Monday, Wednesday and Friday over the course of several weeks. pH was adjusted to 7.4 after every Friday reading. Over the weekend, pH spiked from 7.4 to 8.0.

The pH in a pool or spa impacts the sanitizer efficacy of chlorine tremendously. For example, at a pH of 7.2, chlorine is 65 percent effective; at 7.8, 32 percent effective; and at 8.0, 20 percent. As you can see, chlorine effectiveness decreases dramatically as the pH in water increases.
This study tells us two things: The first is that salt generators will cause the pH in a pool to rise quickly. The second is that once-a-week testing and adjustment is not enough to maintain proper pH levels.

FYI -- using a SWCG has nothing to do with pH rise. TA of your fill water and aeration are the main drivers of pH rise.

 

[mknauss]

@Rsmith Read

Pool Water Chemistry

This thread presents my findings so far on pool water chemistry including the following: More Accurate Calcite Saturation Index (CSI) to replace Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) Calculation of ppm HOCl (disinfecting chlorine) at various levels of Total Free Chlorine (FC) and Cyanuric Acid (CYA)...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I have one and like it. Similar to Dirk, I like the fact that I can leave for a few weeks on vacation and not have to have anyone come dose anything. I also like the fact that the pH remains relatively stable throughout the day/week instead of hitting it with a slug of acid every couple of days.

The cons are in the winter it doesn't work. While I like the idea of adding a winter mode, as Dirk did, the effort involved is more than I want to invest at this time. The IpH has a manual add function, which is what I usually do, or I just grab the MA bottle and add the 6 or so ounces I need. My pH will sit around 8 in the winter and that is just fine with the colder water temps. So I don't need to add acid all that much.

So far I have not had the issue with the connector burning out. But mine has about half as much time on it as Dirk's. So I will be keeping an eye on that.

--Jeff

 

[Rsmith]

Smith, for future reference... One more con... There is a possible incompatibility between your IntelliChlor and your IntellipH. It's a known issue to Pentair. The IC60 model pulls too much current through the IntellipH and destroys an internal connector in the IntellipH, and the IntelliChlor stops working. Pentair advises against using those two together. But a few of us, myself included, have experienced this problem with an IC40. Hopefully Pentair has addressed this issue with the latest models, but if your IntelliChlor goes dead (no lights at all), and the IntellipH is still lit up, that's the symptom. If it happens out of warranty, come back and ask and we can advise you about a fix.

R,

Most pools owners, saltwater or not, do not need an acid feeder.

The few that do, have several options.

I add a little acid once a week or less and it take me about 2 minutes total.

Thanks,

Jim R.

For me its at least 3 oz twice a week and I work 60 hours a week so i just cant check it every other day. Like Dirk said, what wrong with a litte more luxurious.

 

[Rsmith]

Hey Smith, I just noticed something. Your IntellipH tank has a vent, with a tube coming out of it. That's normal. It's the small black tube on the right that runs out of the tank. It looks to loop over a bit and then point down and end right in front of the tank. Am I seeing that right?

That tube allows air into and out of the tank, and it's necessary to the tank's function. But the air that comes out contains Muriatic acid fumes that will make quick work of anything metal near by, even stainless steel. The end of that tube should be located as far from your pad, and any metal, as possible. Keep it away from your gear, your metal fence, your heater and air conditioner, etc. And point it down a bit so that it doesn't fill with rain water. The IpH comes with a length of that black tubing. Did he leave the rest of it with you, or take it with him? Use that, or pick something up from the local hardware store and run it elsewhere.

He did leave me the extra tubing. I saw that post somewhere else and will replace that this weekend. The IntelliPH is new and has not been used yet so no harm at this point. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[tgrinchy]

Not to derail here but I thought the activity in the cell while it is generating contributed to aeration and thus ph rise? I may have misunderstood this but I do notice a direct correlation to my ph rise in the summer when the cell is outputting a higher %age vs in winter where it’s 5% or off essentially.

 

[mknauss]

Not to derail here but I thought the activity in the cell while it is generating contributed to aeration and thus ph rise?

Very minor. Read the link above in Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Like Dirk said, what wrong with a little more luxurious.

R,

Nothing..

I said that an acid feeder is not "needed" by most pool owners. I have no problem with people that want one.

I have a very simple pool, with no spa or heater. I also have an EasyTouch automation system. I do not "need" it, absolutely not, do I love it, yes I do.

The point is I don't want new members to get the impression that an acid feeder (or automation) is a requirement to successfully maintain a pool. They are not.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Dirk]

The point is I don't want new members to get the impression that an acid feeder (or automation) is a requirement to successfully maintain a pool. They are not.

Absolutely agree. Automation is great... until it's not. I enjoy automating things, but I'm a geek:
- you have to be prepared for additional maintenance should it breakdown, or lose its settings,
- it can lead to complacency (relying on it too much and neglecting your pool)
- it's expensive up front, and eventually there will be replacement costs
- it complicates the running of the equipment, especially for others in the household that might not be up to speed
- it can stop working at any time, potentially leaving your pool in a bad state
- etc

It's not for everyone, not for every pool. The OP asked for pros and cons, automation has plenty of both!

 

[Rsmith]

Love mine. My pool drinks acid all year 'round. So for me, automating chlorine without doing the same for acid would be pointless.

Pros:
- I can leave my pool for weeks if I have to.
- I can go for months without touching pool chemicals.
- It drastically reduces the amount of time I have to spend maintaining water quality.
- Instead of my pH rising for a week and then blasting it with acid to knock it down, my IntellipH adds just a little acid every hour, keeping my pH stable constantly.
- Because my pH is stable, so is my CSI, which is good for my pebble finish (and my eyeballs).
- I get a call from TFP whenever anyone mentions IntelllipH, so it makes me feel needed!

Cons:
- The IntellipH is a companion to the IntelliChlor, and uses its power supply, its flow sensor and unfortunately its temperature sensor. Which means if your water gets cold enough to prevent the IntelliChlor from producing, the IntellipH will also cease to function (until the water warms back up). It also means that should your IntelliChlor quit working, so too will your IntellipH. Now as luck would have it, just today I wrote a post about how I modified the two so that my IntellipH will dispense acid all year long, and can be run without the IntelliChlor when need be. But the mod is not for the faint of heart (and frankly is still in beta testing, because I've only had it working for a few days).

Hacking IntellipH to work in cold water

As Pentair IntellipH (IpH) automatic acid dosing system owners know, the IpH depends on a Pentair IntellliChlor (IC) saltwater chlorine generator. The IpH uses the IC's power supply, and monitors its flow switch, so that it won't dispense acid if the IC is reporting low flow. Unfortunately, it...

www.troublefreepool.com

You might not need an IntellipH, but you don't need a pool either. What's wrong with making luxury a little more luxurious!

Question. Do you dilute the acid that you put in the canister? I have been 1/1. Just wondering if it matters. I suppose the settings would have to be higher therefore working the dispenser harder than if it was straight acid?

 

[bertschb]

Question. Do you dilute the acid that you put in the canister?

The manual says to dilute but doesn't specify what strength should be diluted. I dilute the 31.45% acid 1/1 with water.

I mistakenly bought 14.5% acid last time. It was actually kind of nice to just dump it in without diluting.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Most of the “hard” plastic components are going to be made of materials that have an excellent chemical rating for acids. The most susceptible part of the system will be the flexible tube in the peristaltic pump as there are not many materials that are both flexible AND resistant to concentrated acids.

Since concentrated MA is a hazard to surfaces and equipment, my suggestion from a process engineering standpoint is to simply keep spares of the pump tubing on hand and change them out regularly, once per season at least. Change them even if they don’t look like they need to be changed. The reason being is that it is cheaper to replace the tube then fix damage from an accidental leak caused by failed tubing. The hard tubing that runs to the injector can probably go for long periods of time between changes as would the injector check valve itself. The flexible tube in the pump is going to be your weakest link.