The VS will do everything you need it to.
Yes you can set the speeds.
Use one Easytouch to control the whole thing. Might as well get it with the intellichlor, packaged with the easytouch its almost free.

How many amps at 220VAC can you provide safely? The motor is definitely more efficient at lower speeds but keep in mind a number of things. At full bore, the pump is a 3 HP pump pushing up to 160 GPM. At half speed, it'll draw about 1/4 the current or abut 4 amps if I remember. That is still about 80 GPM. At about 1700 RPM. Numbers are based on no head. Slow it down more to the areas you'll need and you might need an amp of currrent after startup.

What is your sanitation method?

What size plumbing?

What equipment is currently in place?

Is there an automation system in place?

If it's just electro mechanical style power switching timers like Intermatics with the yellow dial, I suggest losing it. The VS and VF pumps should be directly connected to the 220 source.

I don't think the VS has a built in timer but the VF does.
If no automation is desired, you can then manually move your valves to go from pool mode to spa mode or manual vacuuming time. VF will use it's timers and or caclulate run times for you. The VF has a lot of features never found on any other residential pool pump. Most of them help save on energy use.

It's not always cut and dry WRT what is best and right to recommend.

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.

If there is an overflow pipe from the pool to the spa, it's a single body of water. If it is a true dual body setup, you can set programming to change from pool to spa mode for a couple hours to get a filter cycle or two in for the spa. I suggest adding a spa cover for the spa to help keep sun and dirt out.

Do use an Easytouch. It has separate ports for plugging in the Intelliflow and Intellitouch. You can program your pump timers, solar as well as the Intellichor's output for each mode right at the panel and add, if desires, a spa side control, an in the house controller and a 4 button wireless.
Valve actuators will take care of moving the valves for you and the guests.

Intelliflows have two cable connections. One for power and one for control.

I was referring to mechanical timers earlier. We don't want power going on and off. Anything computerized won't like that. Neither will the fridge/freezer.

Does the power go away at sundown? Is there a battery bank for nights? If there is, does it augment the solar source when low light exists like you might experience with a 2 day rain storm? Is the power regulated to stay within 10% of 220VAC?

You might want to add a small propane fired heater for the spa. If the system can run at night, solar is useless to heat it. Solar is great for warming pools, not spas.

The 2" plumbing will be fine. I don't expect you'll need to move enough water where it will make a big difference in head. It would have been nice but I don't see it as a major current reducing requirement factor for you.

Thank you, poolguynj.

Yes, definitely a spa cover for dust and evaporation and to keep heat in. When you say "to keep sun out", does this mean that increased sun affects the spa negatively in some way (perhaps accelerating the breakdown of the chemical balances)? I had been planning a bubble style cover to both trap heat and increase solar gain.

No, I don't lose power at sundown. I have a substantial battery bank. Supposedly two full days supply which equates to 3 cloudy days (about 1/3 of solar power gets through the clouds, depending).

Yes, the inverter regulates the power. I believe that it holds it steady at right around 240VAC, but don't have the system online yet so I can't check the output. It makes beautiful, true sine wave power - supposedly better than the utility - and I don't believe that it varies much more than a percent or two, if that.

Yes, since the pool and spa will both be year-round and used at night, I will have propane backup for both. I hope to not need it much for the pool, but expect that the spa will often need it - particularly at night, as you note.

For the spa, I am hoping to explore the use of the type of glazed solar collectors used for domestic hot water to do primary heating during the day, though I'm a bit worried about what the water chemicals will do to those types of systems. I imagine that they will reduce the collector's lifespan.

Thank you for the reassurance on the 2" pipe. I'm glad to hear that that is sufficient. I appreciate your help.

For the spa, I was referring to the style you would see on a portable spa. 4" in the middle, 3" on the edges. Keep the rain from ponding. Usually made of foam. If alcohol is available to the guests, get the style you can walk on. Make sure the tied down strap anchors are attached to keep any wind from moving it. This style of cover has better insulating properties too.

Yes, the sun will effect chemistry. It will suck the chlorine out rather quickly too. A solar blanket as you described will not be as efficiently. It can augment the other cover but will be inconvenient to the guests.

Solar heat for spas? Nah, too slow. Maybe for the pool, depending on the hight of the roof it would be mounted on, the size of the pool, and the amount of available roof to mount the panels on. No glazed panels here. Strictly those that are designed for pools, a black polypropylene like material that is resistant t pool chems and UV.

So as far as the IntelliFlo pumps go, is there anything that would have you caution against the use of the VF?

I had been planning to use the EasyTouch system, so I assume that controlling the functions - pump levels, solar heating, IntelliChlor, etc. - would be adequately handled by that used in conjunction with the VS.

It sounds like the VF has some serious smarts on board, however, so can it control those elements also, or would I still need the EasyTouch?

If the VF is even moderately more efficient than the VS over the span of a usual day - even say, using 50 fewer watts per hour - then it is worth it in my situation using PV-generated electricity (whereas for someone getting their power from the grid it might be less clear).

I'm just worried about a couple of things regarding the VF: 1) reports of problems setting the VF with solar heating, 2) reports of it being difficult or convoluted to program, and 3) paying for many of those controls that may be redundant with the use of an EasyTouch if I can get the same efficiency using a VS.

Any thoughts?

The VF and VS have exactly the same efficiency. You won't save any extra money with one for the other. The other main issue is that the EasyTouch will not work with the VF. You would have to to to the Intellitouch which does more, but also costs more. We ended up with a VS and Easytouch and I'm happy with the decision.

The only thing I wish it would do, is tell me the GPM, RPM and/or watts it is running at in service mode. Right now, I can manually change the RPM level of the VS pump, but there is no way to tell how many RPM's it is running at. I wish in the Status menue of the EasyTouch it would tell you the RPM level of the pump. However in service mode, they are not communicating. In automated mode, I can preset up to 8 speeds for the VS pump and controll it that way which works OK but in not optimal. What I'd like to be able to do is manually play with the RPM speed of the pump and have the EasyTouch tell me what RPM and how many watts the pump is using based on that setting. I think this would be an easy firmware change.

All in all thought, I'm happy with the VS and Easytouch working together.

Wrong, VF works fine and has since year.
Intellitouch is used when you need Screen Logic or expansion.
Both work with all Pentair/Sta-Rite pumps, and all single/2 speed pumps.

As a stand alone pump, the features in the VF certainly make it's value substantially added with timers, speed and flow options and built in SRVS.

It also adds to Intellitouch and EasyTouch flexibility.

Poolguynj, so your saying the EasyTouch can now control the Intelliflo VF pump since the beginning of this year?

If that's the case, I'm not very happy with my pool builder who told me that couldn't be done. Actually, the only reason I really wanted the VF over the VS was to know the GPM. I guess I can do it with a flowmeter as well.

Actually, since the beginning of Last year. Pentair did have to modify the board and s/w since the original plan, as I understood it, was to take the path that did exactly what your system does.

Installing a flow meter works too.

Try not to be too hard on your builder. He saved you some money and you still have a fine system that does things no other system does as well. It's like getting a BMW M3 instead of an M5. Both do 65 MPH just fine.