If I swap my 3/4hp Tristar pump for an Ecostar pump, I can ditch one of my Intermatic timers ( keeping the one for the booster pump ). When I get a suction cleaner I will only need to automate one Jandy valve to control the time & amount of cleaner operation. The only other timed operation I might add, would be a salt water chlorine generator. All the off-the-shelf pool feature controllers I could find were way over-blown for my needs ( remote wi-fi, multi-program, multi-feature units ), and far more expensive than I want to shell out. Besides, I have the urge to build one more controller of my own, before I check out.
I did a quick check of the parts I would need, and got price checks from the online electronics supply houses, and found that I could put together a control unit for about $70 that can manage one Jandy valve ( 3-wire 24vac ) and one additional feature that also requires either/or 24vac and additional 5v, 12v or eithernet drive connections. The major parts required are:
o 24vac wall transformer -- $12
o 115vac x 12vdc wall power supply -- $12
o 2-line 16 character LED display -- $33
o Z86C91 40-pin DIP Microprocessor -- $5.70
o Hobby-box & perf component board -- $10
Most of the small parts I have on hand ( resistors, capacitors, EEProms, push-buttons, wire, sockets etc. ). I figure the build will take about a week, and the programming about two weeks.
The best price I could find for a Jandy actuator, was $80 ( Intermatic PE24VA ).
I did a quick check of the parts I would need, and got price checks from the online electronics supply houses, and found that I could put together a control unit for about $70 that can manage one Jandy valve ( 3-wire 24vac ) and one additional feature that also requires either/or 24vac and additional 5v, 12v or eithernet drive connections. The major parts required are:
o 24vac wall transformer -- $12
o 115vac x 12vdc wall power supply -- $12
o 2-line 16 character LED display -- $33
o Z86C91 40-pin DIP Microprocessor -- $5.70
o Hobby-box & perf component board -- $10
Most of the small parts I have on hand ( resistors, capacitors, EEProms, push-buttons, wire, sockets etc. ). I figure the build will take about a week, and the programming about two weeks.
The best price I could find for a Jandy actuator, was $80 ( Intermatic PE24VA ).