Programming new Intelliflo

[Hammond]

I have a new Pentair Intelliflo3 3hp vs pump. I love it and it works great. I use the Pentair Home app to control it. I plan on running it 24hrs a day, mostly at a low speed with maybe an hour or 2 at a higher speed.

My question is about programming. The default 24 hr program in the app is to run at 30gpm. Doing this causes the pump to run at 50-51% and use ~420 watts. Pool looks great. Is this a reasonable default rate, or should I run it slower? How fast and how long should I run it at a higher speed for cleaning?

 

[ajw22]

Every pool is different. You need to see what speeds work for your plumbing and equipment.

What model gas heater do you have?

Gas heaters have a minimum flow requirement. Without automation to increase the pump speed when the heater turns on you need to run the pump at a speed that is ready for the heater.

My IntelliFlo runs at 1400 RPM when my heater is off and bypassed and increases the RPM to 2400 when the heater runs.

 

[Hammond]

It’s a Raypak 330k btu. I’ll update my sig.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Ham,

I have a question for you... Does the IntelliFlo3 only report GPM or does it show RPM somewhere??

Just trying to understand the relationship between the GPM and RPM on your pump.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Hammond]

The app shows gpm, %, and watts. I don’t see an option for rpm. I was assuming that the % was based on 3450 rpm. I have the model without the touchscreen and only have the app. So far that has worked well, but I do wonder if that was wise. I may end up picking up the screen. It looks easy to add

 

[ajw22]

I may end up picking up the screen. It looks easy to add

It is. Remove four scews, remove the dummy plate, drop in the screen, put four screws back in, don't lose the three buttons on the bottom.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Ham,

Thanks for the feedback..

Assuming that RPM is linear, then 1% speed should be about 35 RPM... (Obviously, pretty useless..)

So 30% is 1,050 RPM, 50% is about 1750, and 75% is about 2625...

I do not understand why Pentair used percent rather than RPM?? Kind of like making a speedometer in your car read % rather than MPH...

That said, the goal should be to set the % to use the lowest wattage possible, yet still get the job done.

Since you do not have a SWCG, how are you chlorinating your pool? If you are using chlorine tablets, you will need to make sure your lowest speed will erode the tablets so that you will generate the amount of chlorine (FC) that your pool needs each day.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

I do not understand why Pentair used percent rather than RPM?? Kind of like making a speedometer in your car read % rather than MPH...

More like the tach in your car that redlines at 8,000 rpms reading %.

Same reason turbojet engines read power as % rather then RPM. They don't think people can remember get confused with large numbers. Of course that leads to things like max power in one engine being 102.4%. Somehow the engineers think that is easier to remember.