Swimming Pool and/or Spa automation

[shenandoah75]

Anyone made any progress on this front yet?

I've got my contactor setup ready to go for the pump. I just need the thermistor/temp integration in order to drop the the Goldline controller and move to elk-based control... I still think there are a few options here:

1) find some thermistors that would work with the elk analog voltage input (0-12V) or temp (0-5V)(goldline has 10K versions but i
2) add an ocelot / secu16 / bobcat (or other thermister/temp). Bobcat only as an 18" lead which would be a problem at both the pump and the panel so i think i need another option.
3) elk + 1-wire (not sure exactly what's needed there on either side of the equation)
4) some other I/O device like the ocelot in line with the elk ?

So :
- Any updates on Elk & 1-wire ?
- anyone using some other method already?


fyi - To David's posting on the ML offering, it is appreciated but i just don't want a Windows-based pc controlling something like this (at least not without a hardware based backup). I know i sound like a broken record, but i won't budge on this


thx
-brad

 

[shenandoah75]

I think i might have just found my solution for the solar aspect.. i'm going to call and discuss later today with them. This is a bit overkill for what i need, but it would work i think

http://www.exqheat.com/howitworks.html

Thought is to use the elk serial exander to send raw commands for the set points (as well as turn on / off) to this unit (using custom setting for desired temp) and raw commands (which i think should works based on the built in menu... anyway, i'm going to see if they'd be interested in building a slimmed down option just for solar , etc


I still think there's got to be a way to get the output of two thermistors into an input registered as analog on the elk, i just don't know enough electronics to figure out how to get the output into the right range...


-brad

 

[fleetz]

Steve,

From a earlier question, when ELKRP is online to the M1XEP, the M1XEP does not communicate to the outside world including emails. The reason is that settings could be in the process of being changed and the M1XEP could send bad information during the changing process. For that reason we chose not to allow the M1XEP to communicate to the outside world except for a command that says it is in programming mode. When the programming mode is completed and ELKRP signs off, a command is broadcast that says it is back online.

I recommend you put a piece of sealed heat shrink tubing on the temperature probe to insure water will not enter it.

I am working on a Oregon Scientific wireless interface for temperature probes and a floating temperture transmitter for pools and hot tubs. I do not have a time table of when it will be ready.

I need to add a command so that an external device can set the temperature probe information. That way a PC could set the temperature and you could display it on keypads or write rules using that information.

The current temperature probe is a 0 to 5V signal proportional to the temperature and calibrated for -60 deg F to 140 deg F.

Hi Spanky,

I was doing a search on the forum on swimming pool temperature monitoring....and look what I found!

The swimming pool I am putting in will have a solar collector on the roof where water can be pumped through to warm the pool temperature in the winter. Not that we get a real winter in the place I am building but the water can get cool.

I want to be able to monitor the pool temerature and switch in and out the collector pump under ELK rules. This is the application I was alluding to on my recent post "The new M1KAM ELK 1 Wire module?" (sorry about the length of the post!) http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=7151

Wireless monitoring would be neat what every happen and or where is the following currently at?

"I am working on a Oregon Scientific wireless interface for temperature probes and a floating temperture transmitter for pools and hot tubs. I do not have a time table of when it will be ready."

Didn't realise you were already on the job when I penned my post

Regards,

Fleetz

Hi Spanky,

OK I have given you a couple of years to respond to this.....OK Rocky hand over da bird!

Regards,

Fleetz

 

[electron]

Time to revive an old thread

fleetz, did you ever get your setup going? I have a solar collector as well, and would like to automate the valves and monitor temps just like you mentioned, so I am interested in seeing what you came up with.

Hi Spanky,

I was doing a search on the forum on swimming pool temperature monitoring....and look what I found!

The swimming pool I am putting in will have a solar collector on the roof where water can be pumped through to warm the pool temperature in the winter. Not that we get a real winter in the place I am building but the water can get cool.

I want to be able to monitor the pool temerature and switch in and out the collector pump under ELK rules. This is the application I was alluding to on my recent post "The new M1KAM ELK 1 Wire module?" (sorry about the length of the post!) http://www.cocoontec...?showtopic=7151

Wireless monitoring would be neat what every happen and or where is the following currently at?

"I am working on a Oregon Scientific wireless interface for temperature probes and a floating temperture transmitter for pools and hot tubs. I do not have a time table of when it will be ready."

Didn't realise you were already on the job when I penned my post

Regards,

Fleetz

 

[fleetz]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for asking

No I never did get this going......still waiting for Spanky to cough up da birdie

Regards,

Fleetz

 

[electron]

Have you decided on what valve you were going to go with?

 

[tmbrown97]

don't most of these systems use the standard 2" jandy valves? The ones I've seen either have a manual valve, or a control system that monitors temperature (only while water is flowing!) and just use the Jandy actuator on the valve to open or close it. It would be very easy in theory to automate this process.

1. You need a temperature sensor connected to something
2. You need to know if water is flowing (and has been flowing for about a minute so water temp stabilizes)
3. You need a mechanical actuator - they come in 12 or 24 volt versions.

Once the pump kicks on, delay for a minute or so for water temp to stabilize (stagnant water in a black pipe will get hotter generally) - then after a minute, take a temp reading... depending on the temp, rig up a relay and power supply to open or close the valve as needed.

For detecting water flow, it depends on how the pump is controlled; you could use a relay inline with the pump's power supply; or if the pump's power is switched by automation already, you could take the lazy route and just set a timer after the pump turns on.

If you want to get fancy, possibly also monitor the temp of water that's coming out of the solar heater to make sure you're getting the desired result (generally hotter water, unless you live in AZ and run your solar collector at night to cool your pool).

 

[electron]

It does look like a Jandy valve is the most popular option. I guess I need to research the different models out there, and see who sells it. I don't have any temp sensors yet, but that's something I want to do as well now, since I have to redo the plumbing for this new valve. The pump is automated via a UPB relay, but since I need to change the pump from Lo to Hi when including the panels, I'll need to automate that part as well.