Re: Pool Valve Control

[Mitch <sumcoolgai@xxxxxxxxx>]

On my "Goldline" Valve actuators, there is a manual override.  You just
push a toggle switch, loosen a locking knob, push the knob down and turn
to desired position.

Mitch

Wayne wrote:
> As I get closer to doing this, a thought has occured to me.  What do
> you do about local control?  Or how do you turn the pump (valves, etc)
> on/off manually while at the pump, for servicing or cleaning?  I
> figured I would just add some SPDT-cent-off switches before the low
> voltage relays to select between "auto / off / on".  I know you could
> throw the breaker to shut off the pump, but I bet that the owner or a
> tech will want to be able to manually force it on at times also.
>
>
>
> On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 20:37:29 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
> 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
>>
>