The Pentair IntelliConnect pool automation system seeks to automate pools and put controls in your hands with a smartphone, all at an attractive price point. But is it compatible with solar pool heating systems?
Pentair IntelliConnect Features
Pentair bills this product as “Easy Peasy Automation For You Pool.” It has some great features that you would expect from the leader in pool equipment and automation. The Pentair Home app is intuitive and easy to use while home or away. The main features are:
- Controls up to five pool products like pool pumps, filtration, lights and sanitization via WiFi connection
- Enables seamless scheduling of pool equipment
- Monitors the status and signals an alert for connected pool products
- Smartphone control of your pool
The controller is intended for single bodies of water, i.e. pools without a connected spa.
Missing Features For Solar Pool Heating Control
To keep the cost down, Pentair did not include any actuator (valve motor) capability. Adding actuators requires a 24V transformer to power these motors, increasing cost and complexity significantly. They also left out sensors other than the pool water temperature sensor.
This means the controller is not intended for spa control, and sadly, it also omits solar pool heater control. Without a valve actuator and solar sensor, this controller will not be able to automate your solar panels and simultaneously control pump speeds.
Traditional Heating With IntelliConnect
The good news is the IntelliConnect is compatible with traditional heaters like electric heat pumps. This makes it possible to have smartphone control of your pool heater with our innovative SHEPH system, which pairs a traditional heat pump with solar electric panels to offset the annual electricity use from the electric heater.
Conclusion
While this is a great little controller, it isn’t suitable for people who have or might install solar pool heating panels in the future. It is intended for the most basic of pools. It adds smartphone control at a reasonable price to pools with basic features.
For people looking to install solar panels, we recommend the SolarTouch for basic solar control including control of Pentair and some other variable speed pumps. The SolarTouch does not have smartphone control (we wish they would add it!) If you want solar control with advanced automation features and smartphone control, you will have to consider a higher end automation system like the Pentair EasyTouch or IntelliCenter series.
