Controller map
Record who owns the pump, heater, freeze logic, and feed commands before you trust the panel.
Control and probe teaching
Controller, probe, and water-test responsibilities
The controller can point you at a problem, but the pad still needs direct testing and probe care to prove what is happening.
Probe care
Clean, calibrate, and replace pH probes on the documented schedule instead of waiting for impossible readings.
Direct test
Use the water test as the truth source before you change chemistry, speed, or freeze settings.
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Automation and Calibration
Automation can reduce friction, but only if sensors, schedules, and freeze logic are maintained like equipment instead of magic.
Use this when
- Automation can reduce friction, but only if sensors, schedules, and freeze logic are maintained like equipment instead of magic.
You'll need
- Controller model
- Firmware version
- Pump model
- Heater model
Stop and escalate if
- Do not use ORP alone as a substitute for direct FC testing
- Do not skip manual fallback documentation
- Do not change interlocks or safety logic without the manual
DO THIS FIRST
Map the controller family and confirm sensors are calibrated before trusting schedules, freeze logic, or probe readings.
Do not
- ✕Do not use ORP alone as a substitute for direct FC testing
- ✕Do not skip manual fallback documentation
- ✕Do not change interlocks or safety logic without the manual
Have ready
Controller model / Firmware version / Pump model / Heater model
0%0/15 done
1
Map what the controller actually controls
Before you troubleshoot automation, know whether it is commanding pumps, chlorination, heating, valve actuators, sensors, or all of the above.
2
Probe calibration is maintenance
pH probes and similar sensors drift unless they are cleaned, calibrated, and replaced on schedule.
3
Respect ORP limits
ORP can be useful, but its interpretation gets weaker as stabilizer and real-world pool conditions complicate the chemistry.
4
Freeze protection is backup logic
Freeze mode can help in mild climates, but it is not a substitute for true winterization where outage risk or sustained freezes exist.
5
Keep manual control available
Every automated pool needs a sane manual fallback path.
Resources (17)
Owner vs pro boundaries
Use the escalation guide when automation work reaches live relays, service menus, or safety-critical freeze and heater logic.
Mixed-brand automation, heaters, and winterization
Use the mixed-brand control guide when the controller, pump, heater, valves, or chlorination are split across different equipment families.
Chemical feeders and automation interactions
Use the feeder-interaction guide when ORP, pH probes, feed commands, and pump schedules are producing unstable chemistry.
Manufacturer manuals and model-family index
Use the family index before changing schedules, freeze settings, or probe workflows on a controller.
Solar roof loop troubleshooting
Use the solar-loop guide when a controller scene or actuator is steering roof-panel flow.
Manual library
Browse the manual library when you want source documents instead of chasing vendor links.
Pool glossary and core terms
Use the glossary when automation, ORP, GFCI, or hydrostatic language needs a plain-English jump point.
Pentair IntelliCenter Control System installation guide
Current IntelliCenter install guidance and system setup reference.
Pentair IntelliConnect install guide
Install guide for the control and monitoring system.
Pentair IntelliChem manual
The manual states IntelliChem senses pH and ORP and dispenses chlorine, bromine, muriatic acid, or CO2 gas.
Hayward Omni configuration guide
The configuration guide states OmniLogic controls up to 16 variable-speed pumps and supports optional sanitization.
Hayward Omni configuration guide
The guide states OmniPL controls up to 8 variable-speed pumps and includes salt-ready model variants.
Hayward Omni configuration guide
The guide states OmniHub controls up to 3 variable-speed pumps and uses a smart relay/controller pad.
Jandy AquaLink TCX Power Center installation and operation manual
The manual covers the TCX power center and installation/operation details.
Jandy AquaLink RS control panel installation manual
The installation manual is the archived local reference for the RS control panel family.
Jandy TruSense owner's manual
The owner manual states TruSense measures pH and ORP and covers installation details.
Jandy TruDose installation and operation manual
The manual states TruDose measures pH and ORP, adds acid, and can trigger chlorination through AquaPure.
Automation Boundary
Automation is owner-safe while you are documenting schedules, calibrating with the manual, and confirming visible hardware state. It stops being owner-safe when you cross into live control hardware or safety logic you do not understand.
OWNER-SAFE
- ✓ Record schedules, freeze settings, controller family, and connected equipment before changing anything.
- ✓ Calibrate probes using fresh calibration fluids and the documented controller procedure.
- ✓ Use manual override and safe shutdown paths that the manual explicitly documents.
PRO-ONLY
- ★ Open live relay compartments, rewire actuators, troubleshoot line-voltage loads, or alter safety-critical heater and freeze-protection logic without exact guidance.
- ★ Diagnose persistent sensor faults that require electrical testing or controller board access.
- ★ Change automation architecture when pool, spa, heater, and chemical-feeder interlocks are interacting unpredictably.
STOP NOW
- ⚠ Freeze protection does not start the right equipment, relays chatter unpredictably, or a controller is energizing the wrong device.
- ⚠ The next step requires opening a live panel or guessing at service-menu options tied to safety devices.
- ⚠ Calibration results are impossible and the hardware condition suggests sensor, wiring, or controller failure.
Educational guidance only. Verify labels, manuals, local code, and site conditions before acting. Stop for electrical, gas, structural, drain, drowning, injury, emergency, or chemical-mixing risk.