Re: Pool Valve Control

[Mitch <sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx>]

In this new pool (I've built a few over the years in other homes), we've
got an auto-filler and a salt system (instead of chlorine).

The autofiller is toilet-technology (float ball and valve in a box in
the ground).  But it works great.

The "chlorination" is done with salt.  Totally cool.  Costs about $10 a
year in "chemicals" -- no chlorine tablets, etc.  Just a bag of salt or so.

I would like to monitor the salt-system though and I'd love to have
temperature and PH monitoring as well.

I guess Hawaii's weather is better than Southern California's!

Any good ideas?

Mitch


BruceR wrote:
> I just wanted equipment control so I didn't put in any monitoring. For
> water level monitoring I just look out the window. The Stargate adds
> water every day to make up for evaporation. For chemical monitoring I
> pay a pool guy to come weekly and take care of cleaning and chemicals -
> I used to do it myself but it was a PITA and impractical since I travel
> a lot. Living in Hawaii temperature monitoring isn't an issue. The pool
> is always perfect just from the sun and the spa is heated only when we
> use it. The 350,000 BTU heater gets it up to temp in about 10 minutes!
>
> From:Wayne
> wayne@xxxxxxxx
>
>
>>Thanks Bruce.  What (if anything) do you do for pool & spa monitoring?
>>I am a new owner of a house with a pool/spa combo and want to monitor
>>& control it.  The existing old Jandy based controller is dead and
>>replacement/repair seems overpriced for an HA guy.  Temperature
>>monitoring is obviously desired.  I think I would like to monitor the
>>pump running and the pressure output to avoid running the pump dry
>>somehow.  I would like to monitor the water level.  I would like to
>>monitor how much the solar panels are being used, both monitoring the
>>actuator and the temperature difference between panel input & output.
>>
>>Monitoring pH and chlorine would be great, but those sensors seem to
>>be expensive, so that may not be justifiable.
>>
>>Anything I missed or any advice?
>>
>>On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 03:16:52 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Thanks. You've got it exactly right - right down to the part numbers!
>>>The green board was removed from its case (as was the blue board) to
>>>put it all together in the surplus Primestar case.  The setup is
>>>about 2 years old now and hasn't missed a beat. The high power
>>>relays (aka contactors) are European and mount on a short section of
>>>DIN rail. They're normally quite pricey but I only paid ~$5 apiece
>>>on ebay and the guy through in a piece of DIN rail for a couple
>>>extra bucks.
>>>The RS485 output on the Stargate controls the relay board. I can send
>>>an X10 command to activate a macro to turn things on and off.  In my
>>>case, P7-On first turns on the spa pump, waits 3 seconds and
>>>activates the valve actuator to send water from the spa through the
>>>heater and 20 seconds later turns on the heater. Finally, after a 10
>>>minute delay to allow the water to warm up, the spa jets turn on.
>>>There are a couple ofhter commands in the macro too.
>>>When we're done, P7-Off shuts off the jets and the heater, delays 1
>>>minute then closes the valve and shuts off the pump.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>From:Wayne
>>>wayne@xxxxxxxx
>>>
>>>
>>>>So the green board is similar to this power dist board, just to
>>>>neaten the wiring.
>>>>http://www.pimfg.com/product_detail.asp?master_desc=&secondary_desc=&part=PIDB-1224-ACDC&web_desc=9+CAMERA++DISTRIBUTED+POWER+SUPPLY&price=16.88&html=PIDB-1224-ACDC.GIF&inventory=22&text_spec=PIDB-1224-ACDC.TXT&web_spec=
>>>>
>>>>The blue board accepts RS485 commands to control the high power
>>>>relays?
>>>>http://www.resconsys.com/products/relay/8CRXR.htm
>>>>
>>>>The first 4 functions listed on the lid are controlled by the high
>>>>power relays (numbered 1-4) and the other functions (5-8) are
>>>>directly controlled by the low power relays on the blue board?
>>>>
>>>>Very nice!
>>>>
>>>>On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 03:59:03 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>>>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>The Goldline actuators are interchangeable with Jandy and Hayward
>>>>>and probably made by one of them. $150 is a good price and you can
>>>>>find them on ebay even cheaper.
>>>>>The Pool Controller in my picture is homegrown - I built it myself
>>>>>using DIN mounted contactors I found on ebay for the high voltage
>>>>>stuff, an RS485 controlled relay board connected to my JDS
>>>>>Stargate, and a low voltage power distribution board from
>>>>>www.pimfg.com. The case is a surplus Primestar enclosure.
>>>>>
>>>>>From:Mitch
>>>>>sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I got the Goldline actuators thru a pool guy here for $150 US.
>>>>>>Not a lot better price than you got.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>So, please tell me more about the pool controller you have in the
>>>>>>pics...
>>>>>>Many thanks,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Mitch
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Paul wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>How much did those goldline actuators cost you?
>>>>>>>I priced one out (24v) at a place here, the total came to about
>>>>>>>$250 CDN! I'd love to find a less expensive solution..
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>"Mitch" <sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>>>>>news:AMtOe.4819$HR5.3448@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Very Nice!!!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>What is the pool controller you have?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Also, have you done anything to get into your spa/pool heater?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I'd like to use the Elk M1 to switch the heater between spa and
>>>>>>>>pool mode (at least) and change the temperature setting if
>>>>>>>>possible.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>BTW, I'll almost certainly go with the relays.  I can't seem to
>>>>>>>>get the 12V actuators here (La Jolla, Ca).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>thanks,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Mitch
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>BruceR wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>DOH!  http://community.webshots.com/user/brobin111
>>>>>>>>>See the Pool Controller album there and feel free to enjoy all
>>>>>>>>>the other pictures.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>From:Mitch
>>>>>>>>>sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Cool... But, you left off the url for the pics/wiring.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Mitch
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>BruceR wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>You have a couple of choices. You can replace the actuators
>>>>>>>>>>>with 12 volt models - Goldline offers them as well as others
>>>>>>>>>>>but they're not that common. Or, you could use the 12 volt
>>>>>>>>>>>outputs to drive the coils of DPST relays to operate the
>>>>>>>>>>>actuators you have. This would be the cheaper method by a
>>>>>>>>>>>long shot since $8 relays from Radio Shack should do the job
>>>>>>>>>>>nicely. Goldline, Jandy and Hayward actuators are
>>>>>>>>>>>interchangeable. Basically, you want to run the three wires
>>>>>>>>>>>from the switch (you may have a cable attached already) to
>>>>>>>>>>>the DPST relay. Common goes to the center, open to one pole
>>>>>>>>>>>and close to the other pole. When the relay is energized the
>>>>>>>>>>>valve will open and it will close when you turn it off (or
>>>>>>>>>>>vice versa depending on how you wire it). If you have 2
>>>>>>>>>>>valves that need to operate att he same time - always - you
>>>>>>>>>>>could use a DPDT switch. I built a pool controller to use
>>>>>>>>>>>with my JDS Stargate. A picture of it is here and a wiring
>>>>>>>>>>>diagram is available: From:Mitch sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Well, I just spent a fortune on a pool/spa.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>I was hoping to control the valves with my Elk M1-Gold.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>I've got Goldline Control valve actuators (GVA-24).
>>>>>>>>>>>>Unfortunately, they are 24VAC and the Elk outputs are 12V.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Anybody used their Elk to control their spa/pool?  Any
>>>>>>>>>>>>ideas/inputs? Many thanks in advance.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Mitch
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