Autopilot's new Total Control System

[jacksonlui]

hi Guys,
Autopilot has this new system which generates chlorine on demand and drips acid to automatically balances ph. It sounds like there's nothing left to do other than to clean your filters, periodically check the chemistry, clean the cell, and refill the acid tank. What do you guys think? It costs about $2600, it's definitely not cheap. It basically costs you $1600 more or this automation, it's tough to justify the additional costs. Just was wondering if anyone had this and their opinions and those who are has thought about this system.

[rmeden]

It depends on how sensitive are you on cost...

Adding acid is the only thing I regularly do to the pool... it would be great to not have to worry about it.

Still $1600 is pricey... I may have considered it during the initial install, but not as an add-on.

It's also a new model and doesn't have any track record yet.. (Sean, I'd love to be a beta tester! :) )

Robert

[Poolsean]

lol....
me too. Just kidding. I do have a TC on my pool and you're right, I just check my acid tank about every other month. I hardly clean my filter as I have a StaRite Great White vaccum with an in line trap. As my pool is unscreened (unusualy in So Fla), and we have alot of trees around, I get a lot of leaves in my pool. I have to clean the leaf trap out about every third week.
I've had my system on since Aug of last year and have never had to clean my cell. The acid injection point is in the manifold, before the cell. This helps keep the pH level lower at the cell, so as to keep the cell clean.
I currently maintain 2-3 ppm FC, never have any combined chlorine.
TA = 90 ppm / CH = 300 ppm / pH = 7.4 / Cya = 80 ppm / Salinity = 3700 ppm
Water is always spot on and clarity is phenominal. If I can only get an automatic cleaning in line leaf trap!

[semenzato]

On the other hand, some pools need acid more frequently than others.
It would be nice to be able to decide later whether one would like
the automatic ph correction, or if doing it manually is little enough trouble.
My pool hasn't needed any acid so far.

[PatL34]

I am quite happy with the DGG-220. Installed it myself, and can't see spending the extra bucks. Besides the wife gets mad at me for adding extra gadgets. Lot of explaining to do as she is not mechanically inclined.

Just my two cents.

Pat

[jimmymc]

Just tried reading the manual from the autopilot website and I have a couple of questions:

1) Can the Total Control system control the acid pump and the circulation pump? Is that what the "Optional Relay" is for?
2) If it can control both, can it control a two-speed circulation pump?
3) The Freeze protection only works for one-speed pumps (I think that's what it says) so the assumption is that a two-speed pump would be run continuously?


Finally, do you know anyone in the North Atlanta area who sells and installs the system?

Thanks.

[Poolsean]

What does it mean when a warning says that the message is too short?


Just tried reading the manual from the autopilot website and I have a couple of questions:

1) Can the Total Control system control the acid pump and the circulation pump? Is that what the "Optional Relay" is for?
****YES - #75008 Auxiliary relay kit is specifically for this purpose.
2) If it can control both, can it control a two-speed circulation pump?
****YES - you've answered your question in #3.
3) The Freeze protection only works for one-speed pumps (I think that's what it says) so the assumption is that a two-speed pump would be run continuously?
****CORRECT - in Two speed mode, the pump will either be on High or Low speed. You should have a toggle switch to manually turn off the pump, or disconnect it through the circuit breaker.


Finally, do you know anyone in the North Atlanta area who sells and installs the system?
*****We have several dealers. Just off the top of my head, on a Saturday afternoon...Endless Summer Pools (Mark Reardon) use to work for AutoPilot.

Thanks.

[cygnusecks]

Please someone tell me if I am offbase here, but..

how can any system possibly claim to be "total control" if they do not measure pH, chlorine, alk, etc? How will the "total control" system take "control" when the chemistry is all out of whack? I just can't see paying $2600 for a system which drips something in I can just as easily dump in every once in a while manually (using my legs to walk out to the pool and arm to pour -- total cost, $0!).

I want something that constantly monitors the chemistry and adds chlorine, baking soda, acid, CYA, calcium, etc when needed. Does such a system exist that is reasonably priced for residential pools?

[Poolsean]

You're not off base.
The "Total Control" tests the pH and ORP and adds an acid solution when needed, and generates chlorine when needed. Salt systems do not affect the Cyanuric Acid, Total Alkalinity or Calcium Hardness levels like bleach or tabs do, so there is very little need to constantly monitor and adjust these parameters.
Sure you can do this manually, but then again, you can add chlorine manually too.
Currently there are no electronic methods to test and control alkalinity, calcium or cyanuric acid, commercially or residentially, so your quest for your total control system is not yet available... but....hmmmmm.....

[cygnusecks]

Ah, very cool, and I agree that CYA, CH and ALK levels rarely fluctuate for me. Can the system *raise* pH when it detects a low pH level?

[Poolsean]

The pH will rise naturally with Salt Chlorine Generators so there's very little potential for a LOW pH condition.

[jacksonlui]

hi Sean,
Sorry for having to post my questions here. Your email inbox is full and the Autopilot phone support is busy and email is fastest for me in between meetings.

Wanted to say that the install was easy and the system is well built. The only suggestion is that the VFD should've been built into the main board instead of the plastic shroud which should have a hood for easier viewing in sunlight.

If you don't mind helping with a few questions:

1 - When I have my output set to 10-15%, the display indicates OFF till I go above 40%. Then it'll go OFF when I decrement to about 12%. There's some sort of hysteresis. Is there a reason or something wrong since it won't stay ON when outputing at low settings? The air temperature is about 85-90%.
Even when the display says off, the cell voltage=25v and current=6A.

2- The cell connector has a red plug but which one does it go into or does it not matter.

3- Will it damage the cell if I shock via 15ppm liquid chlorine?

Thanks Sean,
Jackson

[pcgeek]

Not an official support answer but read it elsewhere in these forums. For #1, the display only indicates ON when the cell is actually generating chlorine. The cell essentially always runs at full power (power levels aside) and the % you set it for is actually the % of time that it is on. Even at 40% it would still go OFF, just less frequently. If you wait long enough with it set at 10% you should see it go on and then cycle back off.

I can't answer #2

For #3 - even less "official" but the SWG superchlorinates in the cell so the ppm within the cell is actually well over 15ppm even under normal operating conditions. I can't imagine that shocking to 15ppm (which isn't an unusually high shock level) would have any negative effect whatsoever.

[jacksonlui]

thanks PCGEEK!
your answers makes a lot of sense if the output duty cycle is what we control.
thanks again.
I'm going to change my pump time to run at night to see if it's more efficient.

[PatL34]

Jackson,

If you have the two pin cell, then red plug is there to cap off the third pin that's not being used.

Pat

[jacksonlui]

hi PatL34,

I understand that it's for capping off the 3rd unused port but which side? Which of the outer two sides do I cap off?

[PatL34]

It does not matter. With the three pin cell, the center pin was the "neutral" so to speak, and the outer ones are used to reverse polarity. With the two-pin it is taken care of automatically, with the two pins swapping polarity.

[Poolsean]

Jackson,

Sorry about the full e-mail. You can also e-mail me directly.
PCGeek and PatL have answered correctly. The duty cycle (Purifier %) will indicate ON or OFF, depending on if the cell is energized or not.
The position of the red cap does not matter. You're only using two of the three pins so cap off either outer hole and use the other two.
Finally, it will not affect the SCG to shock the pool if needed. Remember, most people on here recommend using a manual shock to oxidize the combined chlorine from after a pool party or bad weather, rather than using up some of the cell life by doing a BOOST mode. Smart advice to optimize cell life.

Regards,