Recent content by SteveH

Wow, sounds cool - sounds pretty complex though. I take it the PC would be on all the time? I knocked up a controller to do my pool. Using a single chip (FPGA). There might be a few idea's for yours or vise versa. www.applelogic.org/PPPhome.html steve

I read exactly the same thing - that although the intelliflo was made for all weather, it was still was susceptible to water ingress. Considering the price, and how useful it is to me now, I didnt want to take any chances. I ended up building this little shed for ours with a see through...

Hi All, Sorry about the very late reply to this post, ive been quite busy with my work. I have had the chance to update the PPP site with more info for those who might be interested. Hopefully the pool pad partner website is beginning to reaching a point where it is able to help answer most...

Hi Geri, My intention was to do something with a more limited scope. Automated back washing seems like overkill, but my hat is off to you. --> The jandy backwash valve was 80 bux - and the actuator i got off ebay for $60. In my book that was a total bargin, since backwashing the filter was...

Hi Durk, This may or may not be beyond my tech level. I currently use a DIY X10 system to control lights outside including in and around the pool from my PC, but the pool itself just has an Intermatic T104. I did run my home network out to the pool pad (Cat 5e), where it currently connects to a...

Hi All, With the new house we bought, we got a pool with it - but the pool was entirely manual maintenance based. I went to automate as much as I could but found the controllers on the market were just ridiculous priced for what you got - and none did everything. Since I work in the product...

Im at the stage in my rebuild to put a controller onto the pool. Something to take care of pump times, solar vac, water feature filter etc, but they all seem very expensive. The aquarium controllers dont handle the jandy valves. Jandy have some great gear, but as you say, it seems to be for pool...

wow, thats some pretty expensive kit. Looks very interesting though and gives me lots of idea's. The management of something as strait forward as pool water sure does come at a high cost. Is there such a thing as an open pool controller idea? It seems the typical cost of a pleb grade pool...

I agree - thats a great idea. This way you can plan out the pad you want to build. If i hadnt have done it this way also, I dont think I would have got the result I did. Its also a great reference for the future. My pump pad schematic and layout was done in an electrical CAD package. Google...

The polycarb came from the local hardware (bunnings) shop. Its a brand called laserlite. Its very tough, lets just the right amount of of light in, but also blocks UV which, with the intense summers nowdays is a must as the equipment seems to get damaged by UV just as much as the other elements...

Our little pump house is all covered over with polycarb and located in the far corner of the property. We bought an intelliflo and although its an amazing bit of gear, it does not like being exposed to the elements at all (its got a fan that easily sucks water into the electronics if you dont...

Are your lights for the pool from the same circuit? Are your lights 120V? Either way, anything short of an RCD/GFCI is precarious. Fuses are the worst of the lot. Steve

I found the intelliflo simply perfect for the vac. At 2500rpm (from memory its around ~800watts) the barracuda does easy laps of our in ground pool. I lashed out and automated everything, and not only am I very, very happy I did spend the extra bucks to do it, i just _love_ the pentair VF pump...

It looks like its coming along well. Im not sure if your close to completion, but a suggestion is to design in automation for your backwash. We did this and just love it. The electronic gauge on the sand filter hits 65kpa and the pool controller shuts off the pump, moves the Jandy back was valve...

Clear is very cool. I didnt realise how much fun it was going to be until it was done. I put clear piping in so the kids could see where the water was flowing as they always loved looking into the clear top of the pump filter basket. With the solar system, quite a few bubbles get into the line...