Re: Pool Valve Control

[Wayne <wayne@xxxxxxxx>]

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
>