Fiberstars Autoleveler/Autofill?

[rowdy93]

I'm still waiting on my new pump to get here, so I have alittle time to decide on this. Once I redo my equipment pad, I'm going to have to replace most of my plumbing. I wanted to put some kind of autofill in and have found the fiberstars auto-level wireless to retro fit existing pools. It has a sensor that goes into the skimmer, which controls the valve, wirelessly, on the return pipe. My question is, does anyone have experience with these? Are they reliable? It will cost approx $300. Does anyone have there own way of constructing one? Cheaper?

Thanks for the input

 

[JasonLion]

The wireless remotes tend to not be reliable enough. They are fairly good, but they only need to fail once with the water turned on to make it a bad choice.

 

[rowdy93]

Yeah, was thinkin wireless could be a problem. To me it seems wired would be a hudge pain to get into the skimmer. Suggestions? Also I'm new to the forum and loving it, but got a couple of stupid, maybe obvious questions. What is a sticky? And concerning some profiles, What is the Mod Squad and some of the other ones mean? :?

 

[smccull]

If you have a water supply line anywhere close, connect it to your system via a sprinkler valve (put in a shutoff as well) and wire it to a cheap controller (or use a wireless) - then program it to fill a preset time every day/week/etc - doesn't take too long to hone in your time and water is cheap if you overfilled a bit every week. Sprinkler valve are pretty robust.

 

[rowdy93]

Sounds like a good idea. No water supply close, but I'd have to put one in with your sys or the Fiberstar sys, so not a big deal. When you say install a cheap controller, are you talking about a cheap sprinkler sys controller?

 

[smccull]

Yes, just an inexpensive sprinkler controller - if you look online there are a bunch of cheap outdoor safe controllers - some even have the controller/single valve integrated

 

[chiefwej]

My pool has an auto fill built in. But I do have a fountain in front of my house that I have connected by a small "spaghetti line" to my sprinkler system. It only puts out 2 liters per min, so it runs about 10 min each morning to replace the 5 or so gallons that evaporate. If you run a larger line you can get about 7 gallons per min flow.

I find it easy to adjust up or down to maintain the level as seasons and evaporation rates change, since my controller has a quick seasonal adjustment from 50% to 150% of what ever time you have programed.

 

[rowdy93]

Smccull

Copy on the outdoor sprinkler control, will start shopping for them and when my other equipment gets here will start redoing my equipment pad. Probably couple of weeks. Thanks for the inputs, looking forward to hanging up the hose

 

[smccull]

Yeah, at least if it breaks you can replace valve from one at home depot - that bring said in 15 years I've never had a valve fail in the open position

 

[rowdy93]

Grabbed a orbit valve and indoor comtroler today, $32 total. Going to put controller in a water proof box, better then $300 and some for fiberstar sys. Feelin confident w this sys. Thanks for the advice

Seth

 

[smccull]

if that controller will handle an extra circuit or two they sure are handy to run an extra valve connected to drip lines to water the patio plants - down here in Texas those are life savers - forget to water a couple days in this heat and all your patio plants are toast! Could even connect a circuit to patio misters if you wanted. I guess it all depends on how close your equipment is.


Good luck!