It works great on my system. I am super impressed! Good job Pentair!!!

Here are some screen shots:

I think this is sweet. I'll definitely be downloading it for my ipod touch. Cant wait!

I was somewhat joking but maybe it didn't come across that way....my bad. I'm actually a big fan of technology as long as it makes our lives more comfortable, efficient and convenient.....you should see our dedicated home theater with fully automated everything via wireless RF, IR and Z-wave technology.....and the receivers these days, which I love to tweak, have more processing capability than most computers. All this technology, yet my 9 year old can operate it from the palm of her hand while eating popcorn and enjoying the movie....that's progress.

We also have a pool automation system for the same reasons...convenience and ease of use even in the hands of a child.

In this case....if I want to find out the pool temperature while out of town, I'll call my wife or wait until I get home....but that's just me. I can see one advantage with this technology...turning the heat on for the spa from a remote location away from home....in our case we have a dedicated hot tub so this feature is not that useful either.

Maybe this will be an enabler for some future product that will have onboard diagnostic capability that has the ability to alert the homeowner or even better alert the pool service company when a problem is detected at a client's house. Think of the how much more revenue can be generated daily with the right parts on your service trucks when they arrive at the jobsite and how quickly they can be on to the next jobsite with this kind of information. At that point, I think this technology will be useful...but right now....it's a novelty with limited convenience in my humble opinion.

I like the fact that I can use my intellitouch (from a computer) in Montana in the summer to control my pool while I have a house guest there. I dont have to tell them what to do as I can monitor it while away for a couple weeks or turn stuff on if they cant figure it out.
The spa feature like you mentioned is great for those that have spas too... I think it is really great for those that have cameras hooked up through their intellitouchor security reasons and monitoring from out ofstate (or simply at the office).

For me, I will now use my ipod touch out by the pool (dry of course) to control my backyard music AND my pool features as well, instead of having two remotes.

I agree, this has more of the "cool factor", but I do see conveinence perks...call it laziness :)

I'm curious about your comment related to controlling backyard music from your i-touch. What technology makes this possible. I'm currently using a Logitech 890 RF remote around the pool for control of all functionality for our dedicated pool receiver in the house along with CD player and Zune connected to it. Would be convenient to integrate this functionality into my wife's i-phone if possible.

I've not been able to find anything yet as versatile and user friendly at the Logitech pricepoint without going to a full blown Crestron controller like we have in the home theater. If the hardware for the i-phone is competitively priced, I may give this a try.

sorry to hijack....landa.

Just joking. But you mentioned "Maybe this will be an enabler for some future product that will have onboard diagnostic capability that has the ability to alert the homeowner or even better alert the pool service company when a problem is detected at a client's house. Think of the how much more revenue can be generated daily with the right parts on your service trucks when they arrive at the jobsite and how quickly they can be on to the next jobsite with this kind of information."

Pentair actually has had a program like this available for a couple of years. It is called the Remote Control & Monitoring software. I use it to monitor a couple dozen of my customers remotely. Every 5 minutes, it updates all the parameters of my customer's IntelliTouch, EasyTouch, or SunTouch systems. It lets me know if there are any alarms generated. It can even email my customer and/or me when an alarm occurs (low salt level, pump priming problems, freeze alerts, etc.) Then I can proactively login to these customer systems and often times fix the problem before the customer even realizes there is a problem. I have full control of operation and setup from a remote location! It has saved me countless trips (and that counts when the customer is 75 miles away). Here is a partial view of my current customers (names blanked out). Also attached the manual at the bottom. Hope this helps:

Pretty much negates the need to buy their wireless controller because for nearly the same price you could get the screen logic kit and a ipod touch with say an otter box waterproof case and have a wireless controller that can surf the net, read email, watch movies and remote control music and just about anything else.

In my case I have a 1st gen iPhone I'm not using since I got my 3g and will prob get an otter box and the screen logic kit.

I also have an HAI Omni system for my homes security and lighting which I use an iPhone app to control. It so quick and convenient I don't even use my security keypad to arm disarm anymore, I just use my phone to do it.

When you say Pentair just lowered the price dramatically on the screen logic, any more detail than that? I about to purchase all new equipment and the tc15 kit looks to be about $750 online, is that the new lower price?

But I agree, it offers Pentair customers a wealth of new value-added options. I called 23 of my IntelliTouch with ScreenLogic customers today and 14 of them owned iPhones or iPod touches!

That is the old price for part number 520500. The new price should be about $300 lower than that. But for that price, the customer gets hardware and PC software that gives them full setup and operation of their IntelliTouch system - even remotely from any PC. I also confirmed for one of my Mac customers that the ScreenLogic PC program will work on Mac computers if the customer buys a software program called Crossover Mac by Codeweavers.

Thanks for sharing the monitoring info....kinda scary now that I see it....can you imagine the possibilities with this kind of info on the web plus on-site video cameras....hmmm....spa pump: on, spa setpoint: 102 degrees, spa actual temp: 102 degrees....grab some popcorn, pull up a seat, turn on the remote video camera...this is gonna' be better than the show Big Brother!

jharrel - I see you also mention remote control of music via i-touch...can you elaborate. I would like to try this with my dedicated pool receiver inside the house using my wife's 3G i-phone to control the receiver, CD player and Zune while at poolside. Is this possible?

Thanks.

Sorry again to hijack.....

I was probably going to get the tc15 anyway for controlling everything from my pc, but the iphone app just sold it for me along with the price drop.

trhought - I have a mac media center with speakers going to the pool, so Apple lets you download a app called remote that can control itunes remotely, also there are other app that can control a pc or mac, even seeing the screen remotely.

To just control a receiver there is an app called ired that can use a irtrans device over the lan to send ir commands. Also HAI that makes my Omni is coming out with a lan based ir blaster that can be controlled by the home controller and then through the iphone interface to the controller. I think the irtran device is about $180.

I actually have one of our PC's connected to the reciever already but a lot of times the PC is being used for games by the kids while I'm outside in the backyard listening to music so the standalone CD player and Zune is also nice to have. Sounds like I can have the i-phone up and going with our lan without any investment.

Thanks!

I own a Jesus phone, but I dont want to be stuck with one forever.

BTW I dont think the otterbox for the iphone is waterproof.

You could also use a iPod touch to operate this as well.

Otterbox armor series for iPhone is waterproof, but for some reason they are not showing it on thier website, it's on Amazon for sale though.

I am getting a pool... and am leaning toward PenTair products... especially the variable speed pump. Just seems like they are a little better than Hayward and Jandy... is that your opinion also?

Do you know of a good source that described the Pentair automation options? I have gone over their web site, but it is still not clear to me exactly what pieces I will need... I want control via the following methods: Wired control on the wall, PC based control, Windows Mobile control, and interface to HAI Omni via the iLink (I think). Control for a pool, and a separate, stand alone spa.

I see your last post said they no package pc software with other pieces... and most of their control options include a wireless router... not sure why it is included... and not clear to me where the Pentair system interfaces with Ethernet...

Any advice you can provide or links to good info I would appreciate it.

As far as the engineering goes, it's a solid design, basically all the equipment sits on a common rs-485 bus, so they are all peers.

The "personality kit" does seem to be the brain though, and the various interfaces won't work without it as it orchestrates the system.

You will need a personality kit that matches your pool setup(in your case dual body of water?) and one of the interfaces minimum. I choose to get an i5 and a hardwired screen first.

On top of that you can get an intelliflo pump and or intellichor swg on the same bus such that you don't use relays to control the pump and swg like you would with normal equipment.

You can also have multiple interfaces, such as a hardwired screen and itc15 pc interface, all you do is daisy chain them off the same 4 pair of wires. Basically all the networked based controls use the same "serialbrick" rs-485 to ethernet converter OEM'd from Homelogic and they all come with a wireless router just to isolate the pool equipment on its own network factory configured for no setup. You don't have to use the wireless router that comes with it though.

The wireless remote that is not PDA based has it's own rs-485 to wireless converter that is proprietary.

The iLink is a rs-485 to rs-232 converter that also translates the Pentair binary protocol to simple ascii commands such that a Omni or Crestron could control it (but not all commands only a subset). It is also another device wired on the rs485.

So for you it sound like an i5,i7, or i9 personality kit for dual body of water, hardwired screen, itc15 kit for pc and WinMo (although I don't know if they let you download the winmo client separate like the iPhone one), and the iLink for Omni integration. Also an intellflo pump.

Sure would be nice if the Omni could speak whatever protocol the itc15 does over tcp/ip so you would not need a iLink, but they don't.

Be prepared to spend more on the interfaces than anything, >$400 for the hardwired screen, $700 for the itc15, $500 for the iLink.

The "personality kit" consist of a processor board, and the personality board. Also has extra relays to match the amount of auxiliary circuits you need. And temperature sensors (3 for the is10+3D.

I am really not sure why the ITC10 comes with a wireless router either, I figure if you need one, you can simply go buy one.

I was always told that the WinMo stuff was proprietary to their PDA's, not that I have ever cared enough to test it, but you can download the .exe from here.

http://www.pentairpool.com/techinfo/instructions.htm

It would be nice if they told us what port needs to be forwarded so that those of us that know and understand port forwarding don't have to buy "their" router but...

Scott

You can just connect to their router w/ a PC to see which ports are forwarded. I'd imagine that they'd modify the firmware so if the router is reset, it keeps that port active.

As for the Personality modules... are the all the same except for the number of relays/systems they support? If I have a stand alone spa, the i5,i7 and i9 all look like they are for shared equipment... would I need the i10 for pool and stand alone spa that are completely separate? Or is it best to not have a stand alone spa on this system?

I assume I also need the load center or power center? Does the personality module go outside in the power center chassis? And I assume it then has connections for all equipment.

I assume IntelliTouch system is PentAir's most capable and top of the line?

Pentair has definitely been leading the way with their control systems for the last several years.

I spec their systems all the time so here is what you would need:

520136 - IntelliTouch load center with breaker base
520510 - IntelliTouch i10+3D personality kit for dual bodies of water with dual equipment (this assumes that you have a separate pump, filter, and heater for the pool and the spa)

As for interfaces, there is the standard 3.8 inch graphical monochrome interface (520138). There is also the new Mobi2 wireless remote (520906) which is a wireless version of 520138. Or you can opt for the more advanced ScreenLogic systems. There are 4:

520500 - Software for the PC. This software is on Pentairpool's site so you can install it on multiple PCs.
520501 - PDA interface
520502 - 7" inwall touch screen
520503 - 8.4" wifi Tablet

Once you have any one of the above ScreenLogic kits, you can use the iPhone or iPod touch interface. It is a free app on the Apple App Store (available on every iPhone & iPod touch).

You have to run a 22 gauge solid 4 conductor copper wire from the protocol adapter (that comes in each ScreenLogic kit) to the 520136 Load Center. If that proves to be impossible given your equipment pad location to the home, then you can use the ScreenLogic wireless connection kit (520639).

You can also add their advanced ScreenLogic Video & Lighting protocol adapter to the above solutions. You can then add up to 4 video cameras (they support Panasonic only) and install UPB light switches (universal powerline bus). More info on this here: http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/ScreenLogicViedoLightingUG.pdf

Here is a link to a brochure that I give all of my customers. It has all the info and part numbers for IntelliTouch and ScreenLogic systems - all the accessories:

Can the PDA software be loaded on any Windows Mobile 6.1 device? Do the PDA and PC software use UDP messages or a TCP connection? i.e. are either built with any security (login) for use from the Internet? I do everything with my WM phone via Internet, and since they have an iPhone app, I am guessing there is some security built into the system for use from the Internet (not open to anyone who happens to know your home's IP address and loads up iPhone or PC software). And the PDA app will run on WM6.1 or one is coming soon?

I am using a different subpanel at the pad, so i assume I can get by with just the Power Center which seems exactly the same as the load center but without the breaker section? Or is there some other advantage to using their load center?

I'm not sure if the ScreenLogic PDA software works on Windows Mobile 6.1. Download it from their site and give it a try: http://www.pentairpool.com/techinfo/instructions.htm All of my customers today only care about one platform = iPhone! It's amazing how many folks are using the iPhone...

The way I was told ScreenLogic works is that every protocol adapter has a unique address. When the adapter is plugged into the internet (via the homeowner's router), it communicates with a relay server on the internet. The relay server knows the IP address of the protocol adapter and that is what connects remote users to their adapters assuming the remote users know their user name and password (each protocol adapter can be given a password to prevent unwanted access).

Neither one seems to require knowing the IP of anything, the remote make an outbound connection from the adapter to them, so it doesn't seem to need ports open on your firewall or anything.

Sorry to say there is a reason everyone cares about the iPhone and not WinMo, after using WinMo for years there is no comparison. The average person can use an iPhone daily and it just works fast and reliable, no registry, no third party hacks, no rebooting to make it stable. The development platform is much better too, which is why all the apps are being made for it.

Still ridiculous the iTC15 protocol adapter is $700, I thought they where going to lower the price on this thing? It very tempting just to buy a rs485 to ethernet adapter for $100 and create a .Net library based on dBeau's work of decoding the protocol to glue my intellitouch, Omni and iPhone together on my Lan instead.

I would assume password is authenticated by the protocol adapter and all traffic reflected off the relay server is encrypted with that password so Pentair can't actually see what your doing, all they do is mirror encrypted bytes between your screen logic and you protocol adapter, but I could be wrong, maybe they can see what your doing, since they made the system I am sure they could if they really wanted to. None of this requires DDNS, since the relay server isn't trying to connect to your home network, it's the other way around.

So yes all traffic bounces off Pentair's server this allows them to get around having to tell people to publish ports and setup ddns etc.

In "Local" mode Screenlogic broadcast to find the protocol adapter on the same Lan and connects directly, this does not require the relay server or an internet connection of any kind.

Thats good to know, usually it's the other way around and local pool dealers where quoting me 2x the price of what I could get online for Pentair.

tandmsmommy,

You will need the ScreenLogic PC Kit (iTC15) to go with an Intellitouch(not EasyTouch or Suntouch) system for iPhone access.

520500 - PC Interface kit (most inexpensive way to get ScreenLogic)
520501 - PDA kit (comes with an Asus PDA with Windows Mobile)
520502 - 7" in-wall color touch screen (WinCE)
520503 - 8.4" Wifi Tablet (WinCE)

I know the Intellitouch uses a 485 bus and am now familiar with it's dedicated controls as well as PC and PDA interfaces... can anyone tell me if the Jandy and Goldline systems also use a 485 bus, and what, if any, PC and PDA remote access capabilities they have? Am I also correct to assume that there is no vendor interoperability? i.e. to get the most benefit you need to have parts (pump, SWG, lights, heat pump, etc.) from the same vendor as the control system? i.e. a different vendor's heat pump while more efficient, will not talk to a Goldline control sys?

Also, what other vendors besides Goldline have a system that will auto monitor and adjust salt generator and dose CO2 as needed?

I'd suggest that everything come from the same vendor, unless another vendor has a far superior product.

Goldline control systems can be used with any heat pump, but the diagnostic information will not be utilized, only dry contacts to turn it on and off.

"Also, what other vendors besides Goldline have a system that will auto monitor and adjust salt generator and dose CO2 as needed?"

Please trust me when I say this, you do not want an ORP/pH feeder on a residential pool. There are too many whacky things that happen to these systems to operate them with the lack of monitoring that a residential pool system typically has ( not daily monitoring). Once you get a process for maintaining it, it will be very easy to maintain proper pH/ Chlorine levels.

All the companies control systems use a 485 bus. Jandy has a PC interface but it is pretty lame and it doesn't come close to Pentair's ScreenLogic (see http://www.jandy.com/pdfs/7271revE.pdf).

Jandy and Hayward have what they call a PDA but these were launched after Pentair's ScreenLogic PDA (which is a true multi-function PDA) and not a "Pool Digital Assistant" as Jandy calls theirs (http://www.jandy.com/html/products/controls/aqualink_pda.php)

From what I have seen, Pentair's controls are much more advanced than Jandy and Haywards. See the ScreenLogic brochure posted above.

In general, it is always best if you don't mix and match your equipment. You don't want to get into a situation where Company A's control system doesn't work exactly right with Company B's pump, heater, heat pump, laminars, color LED lights, etc.

Good luck trying to get to the bottom of that interoperability issue!

I assume the firmware and intelligence is in the Personality unit for the Pentair?

Pentair releases free firmware updates regularly on their website. See http://www.pentairpool.com/techinfo/downloads.htm

I'm not sure what Hayward does. I have never heard if they have updates.

It's not free when you have to buy a $1200 flash programmer or pay a pool tech that has one do it.

I can upgrade my $50 routers firmware through it's web page, that's free.

PB is telling me that they get much better pricing on Hayward equip (var speed pump, Goldline SWCG,filter, etc.) and better warranty than PentAir. But, there is so little info on the GoldLine Controls or Hayward sites about their control system... from feedback on here you have said that it does NOT have two way communications capabilities with Home Automation systems (RS-232)... and the ProLogic docs I looked at seem to confirm this on-way only API... but the Goldline web site says that their HA interface allows pool features to be controlled and status viewed on HA system... conflicting info. Also, I see NO mention of any control options via PC or PDA... only the Goldline wireless or wired remotes.

Is my understanding above correct? What are the odds that Goldline/Hayward will enhance their system in the near future to include a more full featured control system like Pentair? Or, since remote control and monitoring is important to me, is it worth it to pay more, have less warranty to get the better Pentair control product?

Is the Hayward variable speed pump comparable to the Intelliflo in functionality and efficiency? How about the cartridge filters and SWG?

What would you choose?

Hayward and Pentair and Jandy all have the same warranty. 1 year on stand alone equipment and 3 years if you buy the equipment bundle (pump, filter, heater, or automation, etc.). Your pool builder probably gets some sort of reward points from Hayward so that is why he is steering you in this direction.

Does anyone know where I can go in order to buy the Screenlogic ITC-15 kit for the $425 mentioned earlier? I've contacted several different pool builders and supply dealers and am getting consistently quoted anywhere between $675 and $1,000. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

iphone says 5.0 build 99.0 Rel and Im not sure what the intellitouch version is but can get it this evening when home.

thanks!

While this iPhone/iPod touch app is great, Pentair did limit the functionality. I don't think there is a specific lights page. You can configure macros for one or more lights. On the 3 iPhone setups that I have been involved with, I have just assigned the multiple pool lights and spa light into one macro and call it "Pool Lights". My customers have been more than happy with this since they just want the ability to turn the lights on or off remotely. If they want to be more fancy than that, they just fire up the ScreenLogic PC interface which gives them complete control.

Looking at the screen shots posted in this thread I guess I do not see "lights" or "lighting"... however, look at this link and you will see what Im talking about on the last screen shot.