Wasn’t sure if this would be the right place to post this…
If you’ve done any pool automation, what have you used? I know there are “systems” and dedicated controllers for this but they are rather expensive and really more than what I would want as most use a variable speed pump which I do not currently have.
My pool is rather small, no solar or heat and no spa. There is a subpanel in the back, and I have a single light controlled by a switch completely covered on my patio. The pump is currently a 2 speed ~1.5hp. I wired in a manual spdt switch which allows me to switch speeds. All of my valves are manual so no need to control those. I typically only switch speeds now when I run the vacuum. The whole system currently is controlled by a intermatic manual timer.
Really, all I would really like to do is control the pump speed and potentially run time via automation as well as the light switch. For the light switch, though not exactly the right thing to do as it is outside, I could just replace with a smart switch. I see very little that I can do for the pool pump/timer though outside of the expensive controllers and variable speed pumps.
What hub/system are you using? I‘ve seen people post questions/solutions like this on hub specific forums like Home Assistant (https://community.home-assistant.io/). Hope that helps.
Thanks. I’m using smartthings. I’ve been on their forums for a while. Some talk of this but not much. GE has something I could use but it would only control on/off and not pump speeds. As technology etc progresses, I keep searching every year to see if anything has changed lol.
I’m new to the Inovelli forum. I have my pool fully automated.
Pump and booster pump - Aeotec Heavy Duty Switch
Heater, valves, and lighting - Qubino dry-contact, and Qubino dual + SPDT/DPDT relays.
Qubino has built-in temperature probe and sensor inputs, perfect for heater support.
I use Functional Devices relays (both Qubino and FD relays support 24vdc)
Thanks. I have not heard of some of these items. What valves do you have? That heavy duty switch just controls on/off correct? Do you have a variable speed or multi speed pump?
Yes, Aeotec Heavy duty is power on/off. I could have just left power to the pump on and used the remote control on/off on the pump, but I need to control the booster pump as well and it is a dumb pump. I use the remote control speed inputs on the pump via the Functional Devices relays, driven by the Qubino dual switches.
I have a Hayward EchoStar SVRS variable pump that supports remote speed control via dry contacts, three inputs in combination offer eight pump speeds. I use the DPDT relays to simultaneously control pump speeds and valve position (waterfall, spa jets, floor drain, etc.)
For the heater I use a Raypak Professional programmed for remote control and use the Qubino Flush 1D Relay as it has the dry contacts for the heater, a temperature probe, and an input for flow control.
All working with an Indigo hub with Homekit support.
Hope this answers your questions.
Yes, thank you. My setup is a bit less complicated. I have no heater, spa or waterfall. I have a 2 speed pump that has a manual switch for high and low speeds. The pump on/off is controlled by an intermatic timer. My valves are currently manual jandy valves. With that simplicity, all I really want to do is control the on/off and speed of the pump through automation. However, I am finding that because I do not have a variable speed pump, it may be difficult. On/off I could to with a heavy duty switch but the speed I am not sure of.
A simple SPDT or DPDT relay (depending on the pump wiring) to replace the dual speed switch on the pump, coupled with an Aeotec Nano or Qubino single switch module will take care of the remote dual speed pump. That should all fit in a single gang polycarbonate electrical box. That’s pretty much all you can do for remote speed control of that pump.
For the on/off, again I would recommend the Aeotec Heavy Duty. BTW, I put the Aeotec Heavy Duty right inside my Intermatic pool timer box (replacing the mechanical timer, same size), but since the box is metal it really shortens the z-wave range.
I will admit my wiring and automation knowledge is novice level. The current speed switch is a spdt switch that I wired in myself years ago using advice from a pool forum (trouble free pool.) In what you describe, it would be replacing that switch with a spdt relay and that relay would be controlled by the nano or qubino module? My switch is center off as I read it was not wise to switch directly from hi to low and vice versa so I always stop in the middle to turn it off then change the speed. Would that functionality be achievable through the automation (ie, if switching from low to high, have it turn off first through a delay)
Exactly as you described. If you want the delay function, you would just program your hub to turn off the pump, and delay the switch for hi/lo/hi while the pump spins down, then delay restart the pump. Not sure what hub that you have, but simple delayed triggers and/or scene.
I put this on the backburner for a while. Yesterday the motor went out on my intermatic mechanical timer so I am looking more into this instead of replacing/fixing that timer.
It appears the aeotec heavy duty unit is out of stock anywhere I can find it. I have found a GE unit that seems to be similar but more expensive. Anyone use this for this purpose?
All I want to be able to do is control the on/off and pump speed of my 2 speed pump via smartthings. I think I understand the heavy duty switch controlling the on/off but am having a hard time understanding what relays and/or switches I would need to control the speed. Currently, speed is controlled by a spdt manual switch that I wired in. Up is high speed, middle is off and down is low speed.
@Blivit - I’m not sure on the automation of the speed. Most people seem to use Intellicenter/control or something like that. the GE unit would work for the on/off, but not for speed control. You could always get a VSP that has a built in scheduler for speed…but $$$. You may be able to ask some folks on www.troublefreepool.com . Some smart folks over there!
Thanks, I do read on TFP as well. Most of their setups are pretty complex; mine is very simple…at least I think it is. I hadn’t checked over there in a while though.
I got tired of those little clips falling off the wheel of my old analog timer, so I ripped that sucker out this year. I designed a little circuit with a Shelly 2.5 (could’ve used a 1 but I had a 2.5 sitting around and will eventually wire in my pool light too once I get a roundtoit).
The Shelly 2.5 has a regular old dumb toggle switch in the project box with it, and a contactor relay with a 120v coil. The idea here is that you use a regular 120v circuit to switch it on and off, and the two wires that carry the total 220v to the pump are switched by the relay. This is because the pump likely draws more than the internal Shelly relay can handle (I think 16A, the pump is on a 30 or 40 amp circuit, can’t remember at the moment).
The Shelly is flashed with ESPHome firmware and connects to my Home Assistant server.
I have it set up with a local scheduler, 8 hours/day in the winter and 6 hours/day in the “winter” (Florida). With the dumb switch, the pool maintenance guys can easily switch it off and on when they need to. The embedded timer handles the automation. And since it’s in Home Assistant, I can turn it on and off from my phone, and through a scene on one of my Inovelli Reds inside the house.
Total cost: about $50 (not including the server or Inovelli dimmer).
If not that then any dual output module you want to use and 2 relays to switch the motor. The module switches the coils of the relays so its low power and doesn’t need to be rated for the motor. The relays control the motor. Also handy because if the relay fails you just replace it, not the expensive module.
Heck, two inovelli switches could be used if you wanted to spend that much to do it.
Not familiar with Shelly, but reading now. Doesn’t appear to work with smartthings unless I just haven’s gotten that far. 2 channel; does that mean I could wire for on/off and speed control?
Many off-the-shelf pool automation systems use this relay (Omron G7L-2A-BUBJ-CB). I comes in a 24vdc or 120v coil. Then you can drive it from any z-wave switch/module, both for the motor starter and the speed control as it’s a DPDT relay. You’d need two relays, one for each function. You can drive them from a dual switch module from Aeotec or Qubino, or any smart switch. I used this method prior to installing the Aeotec Heavy Duty. It worked great.