Automation and remote monitoring are quickly becoming the norm when it comes to pools. Whether you’re a seasoned pool pro or just learning the ropes, one modern pump is redefining these terms as we know them. The IntelliFlo3® Variable Speed & Flow Pool Pump is a smart, connected system built to simplify life for homeowners and make remote work possible for service professionals. To explore how this technology is changing the game, we turned to Adam Key, Senior Product Manager of Pumps at Pentair Pool, who gave us a closer look at how this pump works, what sets it apart, and why both pool owners and service techs should keep this game-changing piece of equipment on their radar.

Question: Can you walk us through what IntelliFlo3 Variable Speed & Flow Pool Pump does and how its control capabilities work?

Key: The first and foremost major thing that is different about IntelliFlo3 Variable Speed & Flow Pool Pump from other variable speed pumps is the fact that it is a Wi-Fi connected product. So it can be controlled with a phone through Bluetooth® wireless technology, and then you can provision it to the homeowner’s Wi-Fi network so it can be accessed from anywhere in the world remotely. That’s a pretty unique difference from other pumps that have to be controlled directly from the top of the pump on site, or where you have to have other equipment installed in order to access that pump remotely. This is all done out of the box, no extra equipment needed, and really gives you that true ability to see what’s happening with the pump remotely. 

With remote monitoring, pool owners can see the status and if it’s running. Pros can see if it’s not running and adjust it remotely. So if a pool owner is out of town on vacation and there’s a massive storm back home, they can increase the speed or increase the duration of that runtime to get the extra filtration needed to keep that water clean from all the extra debris and contaminants from that storm. This also carries over into some benefits for the servicer. From their office, they can see what this pump is doing and make changes to the speeds or schedules on that pump remotely, whereas with other pumps, you’d have to be on site to make that change.

Question: Why would pool owners be interested in a pump like this? Why should servicers offer it to their customers?

Key: On top of the built-in wireless connectivity or remote access, the biggest thing that makes this a great option is the built-in automation. It’s really a two-in-one product; a variable speed pump but also an automation system. Built into the pump, you’ll find two relays that control other pieces of pool equipment that can either be tied to the pump speed or independent of the pump speed. So a user can change a light’s color and turn it on or off independently of what the pump may be doing. 

You could have a salt chlorine generator powered by one of these relays, and that would be set up so that that salt chlorine generator only gets power when the pump is moving water. That ensures a safe environment for that salt chlorine generator to run and prevents a potentially dangerous situation. You could have a heater wired up through the relay board, so the homeowner could pick and choose when they want that heater running. All of this can be done straight from the pump without the need of a traditional automation system.

For entry level items where you just got one or two pieces of equipment that really only need on or off control, you can do all that straight from the pump, which is a pretty powerful thing. It’s replacing mechanical time clocks or replacing situations where you had to walk out to the pool pad to press a button or flip a switch. With the IntelliFlo3 pump, you can do it all from your smartphone or tablet.

Want to dig into something more specific for our next article? Let us know and stay tuned for more in the Ask the Experts series.

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