I'm just launching on HA, and have a specific problem. I have a hot water circulation pump to minimize my hot water wait time at the taps because my house is old and large, and the bathrooms are scattered. The pump currently runs on a timer which I can transfer to my HA controller software, but I'd like to do something different: detect flow from the supply line to the tank (indicating hot water demand somewhere in the system) to send a signal to my HA controller to trigger the pump to run long enough to charge the circuit with hot water and then shut off. This would reduce my energy usage by both limiting the pump hours and the parasitic hot water losses from the circulation (it's insulated but far from perfectly). This way someone could turn a tap on for a few seconds, turn it off, wait for the pump lag time (30seconds or so) and not have to trigger an event with a switch, remote, etc.. That is, of course, my other option, but I think this idea is a bit more elegant if it can be done cost effectively. My controller computer, by the way, is in the boiler room, as is my network, from a standpoint of considering signalling. I happen to have decided on using zwave with Indigo, as I have an old Mac laptop.
The problem is that the options I found in the forums (sprinkler flow detection, for example) aren't sensitive enough (4gpm seems typical), plus the supply pipe is only 3/4 copper, which is pretty small for this type of solution.
In a perfect world, I wouldn't have to solder in a new fitting, but expect I will have to.
Any ideas?
The problem is that the options I found in the forums (sprinkler flow detection, for example) aren't sensitive enough (4gpm seems typical), plus the supply pipe is only 3/4 copper, which is pretty small for this type of solution.
In a perfect world, I wouldn't have to solder in a new fitting, but expect I will have to.
Any ideas?