You can get a Spot style robot or an Atlas Style robot or you can custom design a robot for your specific needs.
The Ultimate Thermometer
- Thread starter Dirk
- Start date
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
That's actually an interesting idea. The telemetry could go back out through the power cable. The robot would supply the power to the array. No batteries, no Wifi. Me likey.
Except our robot owners are reporting typical lifespan for these monstrosities is 3 to 5 years, so there's that. Adding more electronics is certainly not going to improve that.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Scary stuff. These guys surely have watched all the Terminator movies, which begs the question: what are they really up to?
That second video was completely unrealistic. It'll be the robot up top, and the human running around serving it!!
Katodude
Silver Supporter
- Aug 22, 2017
- 2,712
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Just a dumb question, and it has been a while since I have read this full thread. Why not just plumb the probe in your plumbing. I think I remember something about if you pump is not running you wont get an accurate reading. But I have a VSP and just run the pump 24/7.
With my NodeJSPoolController I have it all interfaced with HA as well. @MyAZPool has taken this to a new level with his bypass.
I created a dashboard on HA that I have running on a $30 Amazon fire tablet (refurbished) with some Kioskmode software. It is mounted just outside my backdoor. Here is a screenshot of the dashboard, I am traveling so I cant take a picture of the actual tablet.
With my NodeJSPoolController I have it all interfaced with HA as well. @MyAZPool has taken this to a new level with his bypass.
I created a dashboard on HA that I have running on a $30 Amazon fire tablet (refurbished) with some Kioskmode software. It is mounted just outside my backdoor. Here is a screenshot of the dashboard, I am traveling so I cant take a picture of the actual tablet.
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The thoughts about telemetry are spot on Dirk. The robot doesn't have to be electronic - a little sensor block zip tied to a $10 vacuum head would work as well. If you don't want any batteries or wifi involved, you could run the cable through the pole
Pools are not rockets or heart surgery - it doesn't have to be complicated the way it is in residential pool equipment.
Pools are not rockets or heart surgery - it doesn't have to be complicated the way it is in residential pool equipment.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
The only way to get accurate 24/7 temp sensing in the plumbing is to run the pump 24/7. I don't do that, and don't want to, and certainly not just to get a temperature reading. (Though I once or twice started my pump during its off hours just to get pool temp without having to go outside to read the floatie!)
And to be clear, with the pump off, plumbing-based temp sensors won't just get a less than "accurate reading," it can be wildly off, as much as 30 degrees or more. The water in a pad plumbing pipe is subjected to ambient air AND the sun's rays, so without the pump running it very quickly changes temperature. Relative to the pool, that trapped pipe water will be way colder at night and way, way hotter during the day.
More to the practical aspect (for me), my pump shuts off at 4:00PM in the swim season. I more often than not swim in the late afternoon or early evening. Without the pump running, I had no easy way to determine if I should go swimming or continue watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. I would have to go out to the pool and find the floating thermometer (always in a different place) and bend AAAAALLLLLL the way over to fish it out and then squint at it... I'm getting warn out just thinking about it. Now that I can always know my pool temp, 24/7, from any device, from my couch, I can make a more informed decision.
Sidebar. The correct answer to any trivia question about Gilligan's Island is always: Mary Ann.
And to be clear, with the pump off, plumbing-based temp sensors won't just get a less than "accurate reading," it can be wildly off, as much as 30 degrees or more. The water in a pad plumbing pipe is subjected to ambient air AND the sun's rays, so without the pump running it very quickly changes temperature. Relative to the pool, that trapped pipe water will be way colder at night and way, way hotter during the day.
More to the practical aspect (for me), my pump shuts off at 4:00PM in the swim season. I more often than not swim in the late afternoon or early evening. Without the pump running, I had no easy way to determine if I should go swimming or continue watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. I would have to go out to the pool and find the floating thermometer (always in a different place) and bend AAAAALLLLLL the way over to fish it out and then squint at it... I'm getting warn out just thinking about it. Now that I can always know my pool temp, 24/7, from any device, from my couch, I can make a more informed decision.
Sidebar. The correct answer to any trivia question about Gilligan's Island is always: Mary Ann.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Also, my thread explains how I'm using my pool temp sensor for analytical and predictive stuff too, not just determining if I want to go swimming on any given day.
For example, I'm tracking daily high and low temps and plotting them on a chart. I now have years old data, and I've been using that while monitoring these last few days to decide if I should turn off my solar heater for the season, or hope that I might get a few more weeks of summer out of my pool. (It's not looking good this year.)
I used this same MO earlier this year to determine when to start running my heater. I use the same MO for determining when to expect to turn on and off my SWG. Stuff like that. I could have done the same with a plumbing-based sensor if I was willing to run my pump 24/7, but while that's not what I need in the swim season (for various reasons), it'd be wildly cost ineffective in the winter, when I only need to run my pump a few hours a day to maintain my pool.
It was a pain to get the sensor installed in the pool, of course, but in reality I'm using it multiple times a day, every day of the year, and will for the next several decades. For me, it was a worthwhile investment of effort.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I just taught my house (via iDevices and the temperature sensor system described above) to tell me the various temperatures around my house. So in any room:
Me: "Hey Siri, pool temperature."
Her: "Pool temperature is 54 degrees."
Me: "Hey Siri, outside temperature."
Her: "Outside temperature is 57 degrees."
Etc for my office, garage, master bedroom and living room.
These temperature readouts are not related to my pool automation temperature sensors, nor local weather (or whatever Siri uses when you ask her the temperature where you live). The readouts are from the temperature sensors in my house or pool or yard, and are not dependent on the internet.
Me: "Hey Siri, pool temperature."
Her: "Pool temperature is 54 degrees."
Me: "Hey Siri, outside temperature."
Her: "Outside temperature is 57 degrees."
Etc for my office, garage, master bedroom and living room.
These temperature readouts are not related to my pool automation temperature sensors, nor local weather (or whatever Siri uses when you ask her the temperature where you live). The readouts are from the temperature sensors in my house or pool or yard, and are not dependent on the internet.
Last edited:
Katodude
Silver Supporter
- Aug 22, 2017
- 2,712
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Well, all I can say is if your pool is 54 degrees and the outside is 57 degrees you are living much too cold.
Pfffffffffft. That's shorts and flip flops weather. I saw 22 a couple times last night.
Katodude
Silver Supporter
- Aug 22, 2017
- 2,712
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
What is this!? End of Days? The icons at the bottom of my bedside weather and temp display are all lit up!
Rain warning, wind warning, flood warning, citrus trees temp warning, freeze warning and two weather advisory warnings!!
Maybe I'll be here in the morning. Maybe I won't!
Rain warning, wind warning, flood warning, citrus trees temp warning, freeze warning and two weather advisory warnings!!
Maybe I'll be here in the morning. Maybe I won't!
The floating house icon is entirely self explanatory but what is the lemon/lime icon ?
Pour yourself one last margarita and kiss your butt goodbye ?
Pour yourself one last margarita and kiss your butt goodbye ?
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Ha, ha! I had a blue wave representing a NOAA local flood warning, but I never liked it. I got inspired last night and made the houses floating down the river to replace the wave. Thanks for noticing! 
I have a lime tree and two lemon trees that I cover with plastic over PVC frames during the winter. Like mini green houses. I added infrared warming lights a couple years ago to heat up the air inside a bit. They bump up the air temp about 10°. The lemon and lime icons indicate when the warming bulbs are on. It's actually two icons. The lime for the lime tree heater. And the lemon for the two lemon tree heaters (same circuit). They trigger on based on my outdoor temperature sensor.
The trees aren't doing well. My area is right on the threshold of where citrus can grow. But they've been struggling. Hardling growing. Yellow leaves. Leaves falling off. Near-zero fruit yield. I think it's two things. I'm not fertilizing correctly (but still don't know exactly how to). And the winter temps. My citrus heaters were triggering on at 35° and off at 38°. I figured I just had to keep them from freezing. But I just read a few weeks ago that citrus trees don't like any temps below 45°. So I reset my triggers to on at 45° and off at 48°. And I'm going to try new fertilizer and start it this month. We'll see.
I haven't gotten any lemons and only a few pithy limes. Considering the trees, fertilizer, water, greenhouse materials, bulbs and fixtures and electrical runs, I've got it down to about $50 per lime.
I just wanna sit by my pool with a glass of ice cold real lemonade or a gin and tonic with a home-grown lime in it!! Is that too much to ask!!
I have a lime tree and two lemon trees that I cover with plastic over PVC frames during the winter. Like mini green houses. I added infrared warming lights a couple years ago to heat up the air inside a bit. They bump up the air temp about 10°. The lemon and lime icons indicate when the warming bulbs are on. It's actually two icons. The lime for the lime tree heater. And the lemon for the two lemon tree heaters (same circuit). They trigger on based on my outdoor temperature sensor.
The trees aren't doing well. My area is right on the threshold of where citrus can grow. But they've been struggling. Hardling growing. Yellow leaves. Leaves falling off. Near-zero fruit yield. I think it's two things. I'm not fertilizing correctly (but still don't know exactly how to). And the winter temps. My citrus heaters were triggering on at 35° and off at 38°. I figured I just had to keep them from freezing. But I just read a few weeks ago that citrus trees don't like any temps below 45°. So I reset my triggers to on at 45° and off at 48°. And I'm going to try new fertilizer and start it this month. We'll see.
I haven't gotten any lemons and only a few pithy limes. Considering the trees, fertilizer, water, greenhouse materials, bulbs and fixtures and electrical runs, I've got it down to about $50 per lime.
I just wanna sit by my pool with a glass of ice cold real lemonade or a gin and tonic with a home-grown lime in it!! Is that too much to ask!!
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Well, I lived. The freeze warning lifted, but I'm in for more of the rest, it seems. It's good for my evergreens, I guess.
I love my new flood icon, but now it makes my wind icon look out of place (style-wise). I'm going to work on it. How do you draw wind?!?
I love my new flood icon, but now it makes my wind icon look out of place (style-wise). I'm going to work on it. How do you draw wind?!?
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,034
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Apple emoji... better.
Looks more in line with my others, which are mostly or modified Apple emoji. Emojis? Emojii? (What is the plural of emoji?)
Hmmm, my office still isn't clean and my year-end file archiving isn't done, either. I guess I'll have to find some other distraction and see if it cleaned itself up later. Just can't get good help these days.
Looks more in line with my others, which are mostly or modified Apple emoji. Emojis? Emojii? (What is the plural of emoji?)
Hmmm, my office still isn't clean and my year-end file archiving isn't done, either. I guess I'll have to find some other distraction and see if it cleaned itself up later. Just can't get good help these days.