I'm down in the Caribbean and always wanted a pool. Recently, while doing some much needed renovations, I sprang for the pool. The following are my notes on what I've done so far:
For the last two years the ENTIRE house is controlled by SmartThings, with voice interface using Echo Dots (Alexa), this has worked flawlessly for me. I also converted to 100% LED lighting and found my power bill has decreased some 22%
I chose the Intex Ultra Frame 18x9x52 pool as that's the available Rea Estate I've got available for this project. Pump and filter have been upgraded to a larger 16" unit, Intex Saltwater system, Inted induction coupled in-pool light, Hayward skimmer and Intex LED Waterfall.
I wanted a dedicated pump house away from the pool, to house the pumps along with chemicals and pool accessories, so I chose the Suncast BMS2500 Horizontal Storage Shed. Plumbing is a combination of original Intex hoses and 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe and valves (2" to mitigate drag in the 20' water-runs I created).
I designed a power bank in the pump-house using GFCI outlets and a number of individual SmartThings power outlets so I could automate the periods when various things come on and go off, and also facilitate voice control of the entire pool and deck using Alexa (after all, I am a semi-retired electronics engineer).
A layout of the slab positions was created in AutoCAD so that I could pre-lay and level everything using a Bosch Laser Level. Intex recommends 1.5" x 15" x 15" wooden slabs under each frame upright, some people I see have used standard pavers. I chose to cast my own 2"x15"x15" rebar reinforced concrete slabs. Criticl is the need to level these pavers/slabs to within 0.25" of each other and then level the sand floor as best you can to these. his ensures that your rails end up nice and straight when the pool fills completely.
Ground prep was: 2" construction sand, two layers of black poly sheeting, one layer of black geotextile (felt) and then the Intex supplied tarp. Ground prep takes all the time and any extra time and care spent on this pays big dividens in the final outcome. The pool erection was a breeze with my daughter and a friend assisting and a cold six-pack of the finest local brew and some Bob Marley hits on the speakers.
I am quite pleased with the project as it turned out, and we're on to constructing the deck now.
Since having the pool up, I notice about 1/4" of daily water-loss to evaporation. Well, I concocted a fix for that too. A simple Instapark PWT-07 Outdoor Waterproof Digital Programmable Single Outlet Automatic On Off Water Faucet Hose Timer with Rain Delay and Manual Control dumping via a neatly run hose, directly into the skimmer. I've found a water timing cycle of 2-minutes per day takes care of my evaporation-loss adequately. It's also timed to add freshwater into the skimmer, just AFTER the chlorination period, to prevent a false "low-salt" warning on the generator.
The original pump (without filter) was then used, to run the Intex LED Waterfall from an individual Smart outlet, so I've got voice control of that too.
Topping it off, with a nice pair of dual outdoor speakers under the eve of the house, and music supplied by Alexa and Amazon Prime.
My voice control options (I also have access to these via my Samsung phone):
FILTER: Starts/stops the main filter pump.
DECK: Starts/stops all the deck lighting
WATERFALL: Starts/stops the Intex LED Waterfall.
POOL: Starts/stops all the above simultaneously.
MUSIC: Of course Alexa will play anything I wanna hear!
So, Here's a bunch of pics of what I've done so far:
For the last two years the ENTIRE house is controlled by SmartThings, with voice interface using Echo Dots (Alexa), this has worked flawlessly for me. I also converted to 100% LED lighting and found my power bill has decreased some 22%
I chose the Intex Ultra Frame 18x9x52 pool as that's the available Rea Estate I've got available for this project. Pump and filter have been upgraded to a larger 16" unit, Intex Saltwater system, Inted induction coupled in-pool light, Hayward skimmer and Intex LED Waterfall.
I wanted a dedicated pump house away from the pool, to house the pumps along with chemicals and pool accessories, so I chose the Suncast BMS2500 Horizontal Storage Shed. Plumbing is a combination of original Intex hoses and 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe and valves (2" to mitigate drag in the 20' water-runs I created).
I designed a power bank in the pump-house using GFCI outlets and a number of individual SmartThings power outlets so I could automate the periods when various things come on and go off, and also facilitate voice control of the entire pool and deck using Alexa (after all, I am a semi-retired electronics engineer).
A layout of the slab positions was created in AutoCAD so that I could pre-lay and level everything using a Bosch Laser Level. Intex recommends 1.5" x 15" x 15" wooden slabs under each frame upright, some people I see have used standard pavers. I chose to cast my own 2"x15"x15" rebar reinforced concrete slabs. Criticl is the need to level these pavers/slabs to within 0.25" of each other and then level the sand floor as best you can to these. his ensures that your rails end up nice and straight when the pool fills completely.
Ground prep was: 2" construction sand, two layers of black poly sheeting, one layer of black geotextile (felt) and then the Intex supplied tarp. Ground prep takes all the time and any extra time and care spent on this pays big dividens in the final outcome. The pool erection was a breeze with my daughter and a friend assisting and a cold six-pack of the finest local brew and some Bob Marley hits on the speakers.
I am quite pleased with the project as it turned out, and we're on to constructing the deck now.
Since having the pool up, I notice about 1/4" of daily water-loss to evaporation. Well, I concocted a fix for that too. A simple Instapark PWT-07 Outdoor Waterproof Digital Programmable Single Outlet Automatic On Off Water Faucet Hose Timer with Rain Delay and Manual Control dumping via a neatly run hose, directly into the skimmer. I've found a water timing cycle of 2-minutes per day takes care of my evaporation-loss adequately. It's also timed to add freshwater into the skimmer, just AFTER the chlorination period, to prevent a false "low-salt" warning on the generator.
The original pump (without filter) was then used, to run the Intex LED Waterfall from an individual Smart outlet, so I've got voice control of that too.
Topping it off, with a nice pair of dual outdoor speakers under the eve of the house, and music supplied by Alexa and Amazon Prime.
My voice control options (I also have access to these via my Samsung phone):
FILTER: Starts/stops the main filter pump.
DECK: Starts/stops all the deck lighting
WATERFALL: Starts/stops the Intex LED Waterfall.
POOL: Starts/stops all the above simultaneously.
MUSIC: Of course Alexa will play anything I wanna hear!
So, Here's a bunch of pics of what I've done so far:
he is the search king.............He found TFP, darn his hide LOL We got a new pool and we BOTH love it AND I became a MOD here............life is funny like that!
