HomeSeer or Elk Control of Pentair Compool?
- Thread starter stevensla
- Start date
toymaster458
Active Member
I am doing some research on a ComPool 3800 for a customer. They are running Elk and CQC. From what I am reading up on I plan on creating a CQC driver and using CQC direct for the control instead of the M1. I feel I will have more flexability for this type of device using CQC.
If you aren't very good with electrical stuff you may not want to try this. You will need to open the main panel and make low voltage connections to a terminal block but there is also high voltage present. Best to shut off the power before fooling around.
There is a connector block on the lower left side of the main circuit board that has connections for a spa side remote. To turn items on and off you simply need a momentary contact to any of these connectors to toggle items on and off. Can't remember if you need a contact to ground or a voltage but your documentation should tell you that. The spa side remote can be configured to control most any of the pool or spa functions and not just the ones that may be hooked up at the moment. All you need is a momentary relay closure from the Elk to toggle things. Even if you don't have a spa the spa side remote connections are built into the panel and are a great way to control stuff.
At the moment I am only controlling an automatic fill line timer with mine but I ran enough wires to control anything I want. To be honest I found controlling most of the pool functions from a HA system to be overkill. The Compool controller can be programmed to handle most anything and can be expanded to handle additional features like fill lines or water features. If you need to control things from other places in the house or via phone then I can see the need for a HA panel but the built in panel is pretty complete.
I'm curious on what functions you want to automate with the Elk.
Dale
There is a connector block on the lower left side of the main circuit board that has connections for a spa side remote. To turn items on and off you simply need a momentary contact to any of these connectors to toggle items on and off. Can't remember if you need a contact to ground or a voltage but your documentation should tell you that. The spa side remote can be configured to control most any of the pool or spa functions and not just the ones that may be hooked up at the moment. All you need is a momentary relay closure from the Elk to toggle things. Even if you don't have a spa the spa side remote connections are built into the panel and are a great way to control stuff.
At the moment I am only controlling an automatic fill line timer with mine but I ran enough wires to control anything I want. To be honest I found controlling most of the pool functions from a HA system to be overkill. The Compool controller can be programmed to handle most anything and can be expanded to handle additional features like fill lines or water features. If you need to control things from other places in the house or via phone then I can see the need for a HA panel but the built in panel is pretty complete.
I'm curious on what functions you want to automate with the Elk.
Dale
toymaster458
Active Member
I was told there was a serial connection you could connect to.
You can use multiple control panels with these units so I suppose it would be possible to connect via a serial port. Will Pentair provide the information on how to control this?
I'm sort of old fashioned and when I saw I could control almost everything via the spa side remote using relays I jumped at the solution. Ran one cat5 to the contoller and that was it. In my case running anything to the inside control panel would have been near impossible without creating a very ugly wiring situation or running the serial cable through the attic for a hundred feet and then via conduit to the panel for another 75 feet.
I'd probably agree that contoling this via serial port might be a more complete solution if you could find out how to do it and the runs were a reasonable length. If you get the poop from Pentair on how to control this via serial port I'd sure like to have it.
Dale
I'm sort of old fashioned and when I saw I could control almost everything via the spa side remote using relays I jumped at the solution. Ran one cat5 to the contoller and that was it. In my case running anything to the inside control panel would have been near impossible without creating a very ugly wiring situation or running the serial cable through the attic for a hundred feet and then via conduit to the panel for another 75 feet.
I'd probably agree that contoling this via serial port might be a more complete solution if you could find out how to do it and the runs were a reasonable length. If you get the poop from Pentair on how to control this via serial port I'd sure like to have it.
Dale
toymaster458
Active Member
I have sent two emails too them already with no response. I will have to contact my customers pool installer and have him get them.
