Pool Management?

All,

I've been wondering about the best way to manage my pool. I used to have an automated Pool Management system that does all of my maintenance tasks but due to the company going up in flames I removed the system after too many failures. Near lightning strikes and blown driver IC's are the main culprits.

Things I am thinking of are as follows:

1. Pool Pump motor (On/Off)
2. Pool water temperature measurement.
3. Solar water return temperature management.
4. Solar valve control when temperature of Solar is below pool temperature. (24VAC)
5. Water level detection.
6. Water filler solenoid control. (24VAC)

Items 1,4 and 6 are easy enough through relay contacts.

Measuring water temperature as well as detecting the water level is a bit more difficult. What sensors can I use with what Cbus device? I still have the old water level detector mounted in the weir but I can't figure out on what principle it works, it just has three 'detection' areas to sense High and Low watermarks.

Thanks,
Ingo

 

The Aqualine controller looks good, I?ll investigate a bit more.

Ingo

 

The general input module can be ued with temperature sensors. I am sure you can find something that can do what you need that is either 4-20ma or 0-10V (or whatever the GI will accept)

Mick

 

not much for pool control

Hi Ingo
My recent inquiries didn't find much. The "agricultural" practices of most "pool contractors" didn't help either. Their experience is that people would not pay ~$300 for an (electric) solenoid valve. It seemed unless you have a lot of money to burn on high end, there's not much else.
There was a recent thread on variable speed pool pumps, but again no resolution. http://www.cbusforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7183

Regards Matthew

 

I agree it would be expensive for me to do what I want with Cbus. The unit I had on was perfect except it wasn't very reliable so I am stuck doing everything manual like everyone else.

As I see it I need the following to do it with Cbus:

1 x Bridge (to isolate it from the main network)
1 x General Input unit to do Temperature and Waterlevel measurement
1 x 12Ch Relay (or Single Mains relay/Contactor and one 8Ch ELV Relay) for Pool Pump control, and while I am at it the 7-Zone Garden Watering as well.

Perhaps one day I have lots of money to burn and will extend my Cbus to do Pool Management

Ingo

 

Got that already...

 

Hello Ingo
Can you explain why you are going to use a network bridge.
I assume it to provide protection and isolate your CBus network once it leaves the house or perhaps just the distance.
I had planned to install a run of underground CAT6 cabling to an external box with some relays.
The cable length is no problem but since the location is prone to lightning strikes I was concerned about bringing surges into the house CBus network.
I see in the past that some people have recommended to use a bridge but if anyone has any further ideas or experience with this, feel free to mention.
Thanks
Daryl

 

A while back I found a small PLC sold by Automation direct - Koyo Click PLC. Being a PLC it is capable of almost anything control wise and may the solution needed here.

The base unit (PLC) has 8 imputs and 6 outputs. There is a version with analog inputs as well. Prices start at $69 and it is expandable so it can do your pool control and your irrigation system.

It has two serial ports on board (Modbus RTu and ASCII0 which would allow you to us a PAC with it. being a PLC, the logic does not need to reside in the PAC, so the PAC can be left for lightig control and getsused as a gateway between your lighitng and your pool.

These are so cheap that it is not funny. I have one at the moment monitoring my power usage and I can't fault it., not at the sub $100 price. I plan to use another one for the irrigation ssytem as well. The software for it is free as well.

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...ers/CLICK_Series_PLCs_(Stackable_Micro_Brick)

Mick

 

Thanks Mick, I will check this unit out. Funny enough, I have a Modbus/TCP gateway already on my network also being used for Power Management. This I feed to ComfortClient that displays my usage.

Daryl, yes, the Bridge is for isolation. The whole reason for me removing the old system was due to lightning damage anytime there is a strike in the area.

Ingo

 

For what it's worth, I have an Pentair Compool CP3800 (its American but I am in New Zealand) running my pool. It is a pretty complete unit, it has two motorized valves that control where the variable speed pump sucks from and returns to ... the options being the pool and/or spa. My spa can overflow via a small waterfall into my pool. I have a 400 Kw Ygnis diesel boiler. Under normal operation the valves return water to and from the pool, with a small bypass pipe feeding a small amount of water into the spa which overflows into the pool, thereby keeping the spa chlorinated. If you want to heat the spa, both valves switch to the spa, and 400kW heats the spa from cold in about 5 minutes. If the spa is too warm, you can activate the waterfall (pump cold water from the pool and return to the warm spa), and you can drain the spa into the pool and then refill it from empty to amuse small children and tipsy adults. The Compool also handles 6 other relay outputs (in my case the room's AC on and off, the air bubbles in the spa, spa and pool light, and pool cover open and closed). It handles all the temperature probes etc (including solar which I don't use) and timers etc for auto chlorination. I control it all from CBus via a Wiser over TCPIP (with a IP to RS232 convertor) which connects to the Pentair wall control. Code available to anyone who is mad enough (by far the most complex code of many devices I control from CBus). I use the CBus interface often ... for example if I come across an easily amused tipsy adult at a local bar the spa is hot by the time I get her home ;-)