The max the whole system can put out is a total of 90 amps at 220VAC, but this is a small club house for a retreat center/hotel, so there will be other draws - kitchen appliances, office equipment, lighting, TVs, stereos, etc. I would estimate probably 50 amps could be continuously available after allowing for those other loads. My plan for sanitation was to use the IntelliChlor along with the EasyTouch in the pool. I had been advised that the chlorine generators aren't as effective in the spa system due to water temps (though I've also heard differing opinions on this). I was guessing that I'd just have to add chlorine directly for the spa system. The plumbing size is all 2". After finding this forum (after the pour), it seems like we should have gone 2.5", but that is already set in concrete. I don't have any pool equipment in place yet. I'm hoping to purchase everything simultaneously. This includes the automation system(s). It sounds like you're advising against the automation systems - or perhaps you just mean the old style, mechanical ones. When you say that the VS and VF should be attached directly to the 220 source, do you mean without an additional automatic control mechanism like the EasyTouch? Or do you mean just to skip the older-style mechanical timers? Can I control things like solar heating diversion, chlorine generation, spa jets, etc. directly through the pumps? It seems like the VF has some onboard controls, if a bit complicated. My sense was that I was going to need two EasyTouch systems - one for the pool and one for the spa. Many thanks for your advice and insight. I truly appreciate the guidance of those with expertise in the area.

From the man who invented the pump..... "When using IntelliFlo on a 2 story house what you want to do is lower the prime flow to as low as possible. How the pump primes is not common sense... adjusting this parameter opens up the look up table and makes the algorithm much more simple to see a "true" or "positive" for the pump to attain prime. The second thing you want to do is adjust up your max flow for the panel i.e. if you are having trouble at 25 GPM try 26 etc. The hardest part of using the IntelliFlo in this application is getting the software to think it is primed... usually starting the pump in the controller before the solar is initiated solves this issue as well. It will take some trial and error adjusting but once you find the flows your system works best at... you can set it and forget it and pay dividends with the overall cost to operate." If you need to restart while solar is activated, prime the pump with the solar off and then kick it back on. You have an issue that is common but if addressed properly, it will work fine. Your max speed is limited by that 1.5 line. For your pool, I would have throttled down that pump from the "out of the box" 3HP to a 2HP and then program accordingly. That field adjustment needs done by a qualified tech and is usually a benefit of a paid installation. If someone installed it for you, you can call them back to do it.

racket - you usually would be right about August/2008 but this the thing was supposed to be out in August 2006. So a new low cost automation system will be ready for shipment toward the end of August,. Basically it will control the filter pump with 2 additional aux's. Meanings you could control a light and booster pump for the cleaner. Solar can be controlled also if you decide to go with solar. If you use a Variable Speed pump you can control 4 speeds. Cost will be about 1/2 and EZ Touch 4. Wireless is an additional upgrade. I agree pool automation is to expensive - issue is today we all use mechanical relays and metal enclosures. All mfg's. are working toward digital and I think you will see prices drop due to less hard costs. Deek

Currently there is no equalizer line plumed between the pool and spa, the water level in the Spa is about 3 inches higher than in the pool when both are filled properly. Is the maintenance on the chemical dispensers really more than having to check the Chlorine and PH levels of the pool and spa are daily and adding the right amount of liquid chlorine? That's what I do now. The reasons I'm wanting to redo the pluming on the equipment pad are: there is no room for solar valves between the filter and heater or a salt cell; the pump sits less than 2 inches away from the 3-way pool/spa inlet valve; all the corners used are the short radius 90 degree kind; and pipes go from 2'' to 1 1/2'' back to 2'' on the pad. I figured that for 200 bucks on piping parts at the local hardware store I can redo the pluming, have a 10 inch straight pipe in front of the pump intake, use large radius corners where possible and have room for the solar valves and salt cell. Hopefully saving me on operating costs for the pump long term. Of course those savings are based on having a VF 3050 pump or using a flow meter to setup to VS 3050's rpms for the correct flow for my piping. As for the EasyTouch, I hadn't really considered it since I was looking at the IntelliTouch. If for some reason I decided to stick with the VF 3050 after all would you be able to setup different flow rates for different functions on the EasyTouch? I'm thinking I need these: 1) pool recirculation 22 gpm (gets me 1 turnover in 14 hours) 2) pool skimmer ? gpm (I'll have to experiment with this to see what works) 3) pool sweep ? gpm (I'll have to experiment with this to see what works) 4) pool skimmer + sweep ? gpm (I'll have to experiment with this to see what works) 5) spa recirculation 10 gpm (gets me 1 turnover in 40 minutes) 6) spa jets 80 gpm (ideally this speed would be adjustable or there would be more than 1 preset speed) 7) solar pool or spa ? gpm (whatever is required by the solar panels I end up using - suggestions welcome) Currently without solar my pool temo is usually already in the 90's cause of a bubble solar blanket I keep on the pool, so in practice I think the solar will only be in use in the spring and fall or on days when the solar blanket is off the pool for a long time.