Fw: Auto Filling Bath Project...

[Gareth Cook <g@xxxxxxxxxx>]

lordy - X10 for this ? You're very brave !!


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As part of my ongoing bathroom refit..(can't believe this is taking me
so=20
long), I've spent the weekend automating the filling of the bath...
SWMBO=20
wasn't initially too pleased about me wasting my time on this
"gimmick"=20
rather than finishing real jobs like getting the toilet working :-)

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The project was made easier by the fact that our "taps" aren't=20
conventional  taps but an overflow filler system. The mixer valve (tap) is=
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separate from the spout itself and so I have  tee'd into the spout
supply=20
pipe and placed a one way valve beneath it to prevent the water from the=20
new automated supply from going back to the manual mixer valve . The=20
automated water supply is mixed from the hot and cold pipes via a=20
thermostatic mixer valve (off eBay.. =A315) this mixed supply then feeds=20
into an electrically operated shutoff valve, whose output is connected
to=20
the bath supply pipe as described above.=20

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The valve is off eBay and is a 22mm automated valve designed to be
fitted=20
in central heating systems, the instructions say it isn't suitable for=20
mains pressure but it seems to work fine for me. The valve itself its=20
sprung loaded so that its default position is closed and the motor then=20
opens the valve when power is applied. The valve is really quite, in
fact=20
as far as I can tell its totally silent. There is a slight delay between=20
applying power and the valve actually opening, probably about 3 seconds. I=
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would have preferred a 24volt model but there didn't seem to be any on=20
eBay at the time so I had to get this 240volt model (=A322).

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We have a combi-boiler system and so the flow rate is not high, the bath=20
takes about 8-10minutes to fill to a reasonable depth, and I have tested=20
that the overflow rate is higher than the fill rate meaning that even if=20
the system malfunctioned and left the bath filling it should never=20
actually overflow the bath itself and flood the bathroom.

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At the moment I have the valve operated by an X10 appliance module, that=20
is housed under the bath in a weather proof box. The supply is an RCD spur=
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that I ran from outside the bathroom and is used to power the whirlpool=20
bath motor. The current regulations say the area underneath a bath is=20
deemed "out of scope"  as long as you need tools (i.e.
screwdriver) to=20
gain access.

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Currently the valve is operated via an RF X10 remote simply turning the=20
appliance module on and off, but hopefully in the next few days I'll
find=20
time to program my HomeVision to give me more control. i.e. clicking a=20
button on the remote (or using the touch screen in the dining room) will=20
send an X10 message that will tell HV to start filling the bath for=20
8minutes and then switch off. Also by clicking another button the night,=20
HV will  know  that I want a bath in the morning and so start running a=20
bath the following morning so that its ready for when the alarm goes off.

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X10 seems pretty reliable in our house, but I'd prefer to have something=20
hardwired just in case.. don't fancy a phantom X10 signal filling bath all=
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day..

I have a Dual Pole relay board that I got from eBay that I hope to use..=20
only thing is that this has both connections for the 240volt stuff and=20
then also for 12volt stuff to to trigger the relay. I'm slightly nervous=20
about housing both 240volt stuff/wires in the same housing as a lowvoltage=
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feed (i.e. cat5e wire ran back to Homevision). Anyone have a suggestion=20
about the safest way of doing this... my guess would be either some form=20
of opto isolation or a magnetic reed switch inside the enclosure, and
the=20
trigger mechanism (opto or magnetic) housed outside the enclose

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The big stumbling block at the moment is trying to automate the popup=20
waste... currently we have to remember to make sure the plug is
"in" after=
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emptying the bath, otherwise the next autofill just goes down the drain=20
rather than filling the bath.

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The plug is operated via a cable that runs from the overflow (twisting=20
left or right opens or closes the waste)  to the popup waste. I'm thinking=
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that I may be able to cut back the sleeving of this cable and solder on
a=20
second cable that could then be driven via a suitable stepper motor...=20
another thought was that maybe some form of magnetic coil could be wrapped=
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around the existing cable sleeve and used to push/pull the internal
cable=20
to activate the plug.. ?

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Marcus=20



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