Solar automation - Is a Solar Touch requires with an Intellicenter?

[tradewinds]

Do I need to buy a Solar touch if I have an Intellicenter to automate solar?

 

[Jimrahbe]

TW,

A solar controller function is built right into the IntelliCenter.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Ahultin]

Do I need to buy a Solar touch

Nope, just make sure you run conduit from the pad to the location of thesolar array for a 2 wire temp sensor. That sensor gets tied into the intellicenter. That plus an extra valve actuator and the intellicenter has the logic built in to control the solar.

 

[tradewinds]

BTW - what's the best price of a solar panel kit with the 10 4x12 panels?

 

[tradewinds]

Nope, just make sure you run conduit from the pad to the location of thesolar array for a 2 wire temp sensor. That sensor gets tied into the intellicenter. That plus an extra valve actuator and the intellicenter has the logic built in to control the solar.

Are those sensors the Pentair 520272?

 

[Jimrahbe]

TW,

They are all the same 10K sensor...

https://www.amazon.com/AR-PRO-Temperature-20-Feet-Replacement-Automation/dp/B07Q8RHK7D

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Ahultin]

As Jim said, any 10k ohm sensor works. With my ground mount (which I think you said you have to do) i went somewhat "extra", partially because of the conduit run and partially as I knew 25" did me no good. I used these style sensors :

Romalon 42001-0053S Heater Thermistor Stainless Steel 3-Pack for Pool Heater Parts Replacement Part # 42001-0053S Amazon.com

 

[Jimrahbe]

@Ahultin

I know squat about solar, but I thought that the solar sensor was used to measure the water temp in the solar panels???

Or am I just confused?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Ahultin]

@Ahultin

I know squat about solar, but I thought that the solar sensor was used to measure the water temp in the solar panels???

Or am I just confused?

Thanks,

Jim R.

No sir (and frankly I don't totally understand the logic, but I do read the manual lol) the solar temp sensor is to measure the roof temp in the area of the panels not the water temp. I think the logic is by measuring the roof temp it reacts faster to changes (cloud cover etc) since the delta between pool water temp and solar temp to activate is so low.

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

That makes sense... Thanks for pointing me in the right direction..

Jim R.

 

[tradewinds]

So, I already have two sensors into my Intellicenter, one air temp and one water temp. Are we saying I need a third air temp close to the solar collectors?

 

[Ahultin]

So, I already have two sensors into my Intellicenter, one air temp and one water temp. Are we saying I need a third air temp close to the solar collectors?

View attachment 521806

Correct. The solar sensor compares the temp at the panels with the water temp.

 

[tradewinds]

Correct. The solar sensor compares the temp at the panels with the water temp.

Is there a place to see this temp or calculated delta on the app?

I actually thought the way this works was I would set the temp we like the water, let's say xF. No matter what the temp is outside, it would know whether to route through collectors of not (and start and stop based on difference from that). Let me see if I can see those in my app without having a heater configured.

 

[Ahultin]

Is there a place to see this temp or calculated delta on the app?

I actually thought the way this works was I would set the temp we like the water, let's say xF. No matter what the temp is outside, it would know whether to route through collectors of not (and start and stop based on difference from that). Let me see if I can see those in my app without having a heater configured.

You have to configure the solar heater in order to see it and set it.

 

[tradewinds]

You have to configure the solar heater in order to see it and set it.

Yeah, I did. I guess I'll understand once I have the system setup, if it is all relative to an air or water temp, then if it is 65F but I want it 73F, I would need to set the app different times of the year (by setting the deltas)? As I said, I'm sure it will make sense but wouldn't have thought it would be relative vs. user sets a desire temp and system figuring out what to do from there.

 

[ajw22]

You set the desired water temperature.

There is a connector block in the IntelliCenter with six screws. Air sensor goes on the left, solar sensor goes on the center, and water sensor goes on the right.

Solar sensor is used to determine if there is heat on the roof that will raise the water temperature in which case it opens the solar water valve and circulates water through the panels.

Solar Pool Heaters - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Ahultin]

Maybe I am not explaining fully. There are two steps to setup.
1. Setup as a heater in configuration. Here you set the delta between pool water and temp at panels for both starting the panels and stopping the panels.
2. You setup in schedules your desired temps, high and low ( since the solar pool heat can also do nocturnal cooling)

In my case, the wife likes ~88° so in schedules I have the pool set heater set to solar only and set to 88°. When the panel temp exceeds current water temp by 4° the valve actuator opens on the solar bypass, running the water thru the panels. Once it reaches the desired temp, or that temp differential between panel and water becomes to small, the solar bypass closes again.

 

[ajw22]

The solar sensor measures air temperature not water temperature at the solar array.

Solar panel water temperature is not measured.

Optimal placement of solar temperature sensor

The prevailing wisdom seems to be that a pool's solar temperature sensor should be near but not touching the thermal solar panels. This way, the sensor is getting the same sun as the panels without being affected by the panels. I now wonder whether this is non-optimal. It seems to me that the...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[tradewinds]

Maybe I am not explaining fully. There are two steps to setup.
1. Setup as a heater in configuration. Here you set the delta between pool water and temp at panels for both starting the panels and stopping the panels.
2. You setup in schedules your desired temps, high and low ( since the solar pool heat can also do nocturnal cooling)

In my case, the wife likes ~88° so in schedules I have the pool set heater set to solar only and set to 88°. When the panel temp exceeds current water temp by 4° the valve actuator opens on the solar bypass, running the water thru the panels. Once it reaches the desired temp, or that temp differential between panel and water becomes to small, the solar bypass closes again.

OK, now I get it. The second step was what I was missing. Thank you for explaining it in detail.