Pentair easy touch use"spa" mode to control heat pump

[Davegnh]

I am investigating the possibility of getting a heat pump for my pool. Natural gas is not available and propane is crazy expensive for me. Since I have a small pool I think a heat pump will work great. Anyways I was looking at the easy touch to see how you can control the heat pump. I was a little disappointed that it doesn't look like you can have much control on when and if the heater turns on other than a single temp set point. What I would like to do is have an automated bypass that turns on as well as being able to run the heat pump only during the daytime hours. Since I don't have a spa but I have the spa function on my controller. I thought I could use the spa function and set that to my pool temp and wire my pool thermistor into the spa header. If I understand it right I can then set spa to run from say 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the warmest part of the summer days to heat the pool and not run during the cooler nights. This would also activate the automatic valve bypass that I plan to install.

Just looking to see if this seems feasible?

 

[ajw22]

How much heat are you expecting from the HP between 10AM and 6PM?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dave,

I have no clue what you are trying to do??? Maybe just me???

You can use different schedules to run different temps at different times...

Again, maybe I just don't understand what you are trying to do, but it seems like you are making it much harder than it needs to be.

Tell me again, what it is that you want to do.. Just tell me what you want to do, not how you want to do it..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Davegnh]

I just want to have the heat pump run during the day (might need a higher speed do to the added flow resistance). I did not see an option to set heat to say 86F from say 8 am to 6pm then no heat during the night in summer months. I was just trying to run the HP when it most efficient to do so. Then in edge months (may and September) I would extend the run time. I don't need to add that much heat in summer I have 2 years of water temp data so I have pretty good understanding of my heating requirements are for this pool.

This is what I was hoping to do.

Set temp to 86F during the daytime (I did not see an option to limit when heat is on?)
When pool calls for heat activate a heater by pass valve (I am all ready using 2 actuators for water features and my understanding is I cant use the other actuator outputs except in spa mode)
Adjust pump speed higher for proper flow rate.

I thought by using the spa circuit It would give me control of the spa actuator and allow me to set specific time of days to run the Spa (which is really just my pool)

Maybe this clears it up a bit? Im sure im overthinking it but thats the problem of being an engineer .

 

[Davegnh]

How much heat are you expecting from the HP between 10AM and 6PM?

In the summer little at most around 300K BTU/day and may days nothing im looking at around around a 120K btu heat pump so estimate in my climate will run around 80-100K BTU /hr. I have pretty good historic temp data for the last couple of years. Pool is only 11K gallons so around 90K lbs of water. Will run more in May and Sept. It is not unusual to have have a 55F night in July and just didn't want the Heat pump spinning its wheels trying the heat a pool I wont be using until 5-6pm.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dave,

Do you have ScreenLogic???

Here is a screenshot of an old schedule I used to use.. You can see where I have different temps based on the time of day.



Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Davegnh]

I do have screenlogic but didn't see that option using Android app which is horrible. I see it now I messed up and was looking at another Circuit that I had set up to run the pump at a faster speed and only the "pool" circuit allowed me to adjust the temperature set point in schedule. I see why you were so confused. I had googled this issue and came up blank my Google-fu needs more practice.

The other problem I have is:
Do you think I should be able to also up the speed of pump and operate and actuator when calling for heat? I want to automatically bypass the heater when not in use. The Heat pump needs 35 GPM which adds another 100+ watts to my pumps power usage ( I typically run around 20 GPM for my SWCG, 85W). That was the other reason I thought using the Spa circuit would solve. I am not able to use a Pentair heat pump due to how they are plumbed so I only have control via Fireman switch.

thanks,

 

[Jimrahbe]

Do you think I should be able to also up the speed of pump and operate and actuator when calling for heat?

Yes,

The speed set up page (see below) has normal circuits and a couple of extras for heater operation...

Heater Speed.PNG

• Jimrahbe
• Sep 16, 2018

Don't pay any attention to the heater speed.. I don't have a heater, so it was just a place holder..

I use my PC for ScreenLogic which is 10 x better than any phone app.


Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Davegnh]

Thanks for the info I'll have to fire up the PC tonight just easier to play with the phone while sitting next to the pool.

So i would create another circuit for "heat" that would up the pump speed and turn on the actuator?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dave,

The pump speed page has drop downs.. Four of them are something like.. Either heater, Pool heater, Spa heater, Solar..

If you select say Pool Heater, then any time you are in the pool mode and the EasyTouch calls for heat, the pump will speed up to whatever speed you have assigned to Pool Heater.. Keep on mind it will only speed up if the pump is running slower than the speed you assign. When the pool water gets up to your set point the pump will slow down.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Davegnh]

Jim,

I was able to get the speed to change when the heater turned on but I cannot see a way to activate an actuator. Because I already used my a and b valves for water features I have. My understanding is I can only use the other valve actuation circuits for the spa?

I do see an option to have heat pump as solar would this then make my valve A activate when the heat pump turns on? I would then have to move my current A with a little special wiring to one of the auxiliary circuits?

Appreciate all the help

Dave

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dave,

If you are already using your A and B valves then you have to get creative..

If you have no Spa, but you have a Pool and Spa EasyTouch, then you can use the Spa mode to move the Intake or Return valve. (As you already know..)

You can also make an additional valve driver and use an Aux relay to move the valve.

img058.jpg

• Jimrahbe
• Nov 15, 2018

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Davegnh]

Thanks Jim. That's the plan just wanted to double check before spent the next 1000's on this boat... sorry I meant pool