1. Please pardon my complete ignorance on what I just bought;I honestly do not even know what this means. Where does this panel go? What is this panel?
2. Are you saying that instead of controlling everything from your phone, that you can control everything from some other panel that it also comes with?
I hope when you say "just bought" you don't mean you've actually taken money from your own wallet and paid it to someone else already. You need to do some research and educate yourself about all of this stuff before shelling out the big bucks!
Usually, pool equipment - pump(s), valves, filter, heater - sits on a rectangular area of concrete we call a pad. Usually, the main outdoor control panel, e.g., IntelliTouch, EasyTouch, IntelliCenter, etc., is right there on the concrete pad because a boatload of wires connect it to the equipment on the pad (and elsewhere, such as pool lights) and to your home's electric supply. You need to plan your space so that you can get to the main control panel without contortions; you need easy physical access to it. You also need physical access to all the pieces of equipment in order to maintain them. Plan your space accordingly. It is a mistake to jam equipment so close together, just because it fits, that you can't squeeze your body in.
When we say "wired control panel", this means a
secondary remote controller at some other location but wired to the main outdoor control panel. This is usually inside the house for easy access, not in the garage. Where it goes depends on where you can physically run wires. You can perform some, but generally not all, of the functions of the main panel from the remote. There are also wireless remote controllers which you can carry around. And, given the right network connectivity equipment, your phones, tablets, and computers.
I suggest you shut your wallet and hit the brakes on this project until you have a grasp of these basics.
