Haha, no problem. I'm glad someone out there benefitted because I was really nervous pulling things together and wondering if it can work at all. Yeah the wireless on the slug is one of the biggest hurdles I had to take care of. I have to change all my documentation because it's wrong for later versions of slugos.
DIY Automated Controls - Advice Solicited
- Thread starter piku
- Start date
Just to update on this, I've made numerous refinements to this and am really close to going commercial with it. I'm hoping to have everything ready to go, both the open free portions and the commerical portions by early spring. This will be an affordable amazing product whose only requirement is an electrician or someone with electrical know how to install the contactors and a wireless router. 
I'm hoping I get a lot of early adopters and the website and demos should inspire a lot of confidence. I have a much nicer pool/house that I'll do my demo videos at than my own.
I'm hoping I get a lot of early adopters and the website and demos should inspire a lot of confidence. I have a much nicer pool/house that I'll do my demo videos at than my own.As a Linux geek, I love what you've done there! And as a licensed electrician, I do have a few suggestions.
-You may want to consider putting a few fuses in place. A fuse is cheap insurance, and easy to replace if you have a short somewhere. The most logical place would be on the 120v side of your control transformer. There probably is an online calculator somewhere to help you choose the correct fuse size.
-As you mod your pools electrical equipment, make sure you maintain the bonding (ground wire) to the pumps and metal boxes. It should be a solid #8 copper wire.
-Make sure that outlet you have inside your box is on a GFI breaker. It appears from your pictures that it is.
-When we install line voltage wiring in the same cabinet low voltage controls, we try to maintain separation between the two systems, keeping the line voltage wiring in one bundle, and the low voltage in another separate bundle.
If you find yourself making a few custom parts from PVC fittings, you might like this stuff: http://www.plast-aid.com
It's very strong, and unlike JB Weld, it will chemically bond with PVC as well a mechanical bond. It sets up very quick, (<5 min) so I cool mine in the fridge before mixing to help slow down the reaction.
Keep up the good work!
Is a SWG next?
-You may want to consider putting a few fuses in place. A fuse is cheap insurance, and easy to replace if you have a short somewhere. The most logical place would be on the 120v side of your control transformer. There probably is an online calculator somewhere to help you choose the correct fuse size.
-As you mod your pools electrical equipment, make sure you maintain the bonding (ground wire) to the pumps and metal boxes. It should be a solid #8 copper wire.
-Make sure that outlet you have inside your box is on a GFI breaker. It appears from your pictures that it is.
-When we install line voltage wiring in the same cabinet low voltage controls, we try to maintain separation between the two systems, keeping the line voltage wiring in one bundle, and the low voltage in another separate bundle.
If you find yourself making a few custom parts from PVC fittings, you might like this stuff: http://www.plast-aid.com
It's very strong, and unlike JB Weld, it will chemically bond with PVC as well a mechanical bond. It sets up very quick, (<5 min) so I cool mine in the fridge before mixing to help slow down the reaction.
Keep up the good work!
Is a SWG next?
Ah a professional in our midst. I researched for a while before I decided to install the contactors that way. Really I neeed a new box bit I don't know where to find a suitable one. That plastAid stuff looks pretty cool. I could solvent weld little brackets to hold everything.
But the serious question that I haven't been able to find an answer for. Do I need to get licensed as a plumber and an electriciAn just to install these professionally. Seems like a lot of effort for very little use of the trade skills.
But the serious question that I haven't been able to find an answer for. Do I need to get licensed as a plumber and an electriciAn just to install these professionally. Seems like a lot of effort for very little use of the trade skills.
I've added the phase II instructions and moved it to a separate website... http://www.markduckworth.net
Good Job 
Thanks for the update! Nice looking site! Your project got me all fired up to do something on my own, but I ran out of steam. I've been tinkering with my Intex SWG control replacement project, where I've utilized the Arduino to replace the SONIX mcu and kept it looking stock. It operates very much the same, only minus the salinity tests and loss of programming with power, which is all I really wanted. I have found the Arduino fun and easy to work with, but I've never had enough serious time to put into the NSLU2 and 770. If anyone is interested, I will give you a good deal on them!
Thanks for the update! Nice looking site! Your project got me all fired up to do something on my own, but I ran out of steam. I've been tinkering with my Intex SWG control replacement project, where I've utilized the Arduino to replace the SONIX mcu and kept it looking stock. It operates very much the same, only minus the salinity tests and loss of programming with power, which is all I really wanted. I have found the Arduino fun and easy to work with, but I've never had enough serious time to put into the NSLU2 and 770. If anyone is interested, I will give you a good deal on them!
Any plans to use a raspberry pi in place of both the Arduino and the Linksys NSLU2? That would get the cost down quite a bit! I havent been following too closely. Can your code also create schedules for the equipment to run? At first glance of the code, I didn't see it.
I haven't disappeared though it looks like it. I have an infant son and he is unexpectedly (well expectedly if you're being realistic) taking up much more of my time than I thought. I am wrestling a couple of bugs which is preventing me from putting up the store and releasing everything. The biggest show stopper is that the web interface halts loading on the iphone and for the life of me I can't figure out why. Luckily it does so in the simulator so I should be able to figure it out when I have time.
Anyway, the current system that I am planning to sell is based on the SheevaPlug as a server and a custom made board attached to an arduino at the pool. They communicate using a proprietary (inexpensive) 900MHz wireless star network. I had dreams of making everything very inexpensive, but man the components list really adds up when you do it right. Good water proof connectors are really expensive, and it takes a TON of my time to build just one kit. Thus, the resulting price is around $900. Still cheaper than all of the other professional solutions and can do WAY more than they can, but certainly well out of the impulse buy range.
The nice thing is that it is *extremely* reliable. My pool has been open for over a month. Solar control is working and the pump protection engaged once when tree goop clogged my skimmers. The link to the beta page is in my sig, but I already have several beta testers so we're basically just waiting for the final issues to get solved, my inventory to be big enough and then I'll roll out the store and begin business in earnest.
Anyway, the current system that I am planning to sell is based on the SheevaPlug as a server and a custom made board attached to an arduino at the pool. They communicate using a proprietary (inexpensive) 900MHz wireless star network. I had dreams of making everything very inexpensive, but man the components list really adds up when you do it right. Good water proof connectors are really expensive, and it takes a TON of my time to build just one kit. Thus, the resulting price is around $900. Still cheaper than all of the other professional solutions and can do WAY more than they can, but certainly well out of the impulse buy range.
The nice thing is that it is *extremely* reliable. My pool has been open for over a month. Solar control is working and the pump protection engaged once when tree goop clogged my skimmers. The link to the beta page is in my sig, but I already have several beta testers so we're basically just waiting for the final issues to get solved, my inventory to be big enough and then I'll roll out the store and begin business in earnest.
My advice for an inexpensive DIY solution is as follows:
NEMA 6P enclosure. Raspberry pi with USB wifi dongle and an arduino. Custom arduino board with relays for contactors. Software would have to be efficient. Mono/C#, PHP or python wouldn't be fast enough for this little board, I would recommend C++ as the best high level language to use. Most inexpensive connectors would be liquidtight conduit with CAT5 cable going to sensors/contactors. Electrical tape seals the ends up where the wires come out of the box very efficiently. Doing it right costs hundreds of $$ in high priced connectors.
In terms of my current solution, the details and software aren't free, but advice for doing it yourself is
NEMA 6P enclosure. Raspberry pi with USB wifi dongle and an arduino. Custom arduino board with relays for contactors. Software would have to be efficient. Mono/C#, PHP or python wouldn't be fast enough for this little board, I would recommend C++ as the best high level language to use. Most inexpensive connectors would be liquidtight conduit with CAT5 cable going to sensors/contactors. Electrical tape seals the ends up where the wires come out of the box very efficiently. Doing it right costs hundreds of $$ in high priced connectors.
In terms of my current solution, the details and software aren't free, but advice for doing it yourself is
Hi,
Was doing searches for Linux and Arduino pool automation and came across this thread. Any more work on it so far?
Les
p.s. I know it's an old thread but it looks like it could be interesting.
Was doing searches for Linux and Arduino pool automation and came across this thread. Any more work on it so far?
Les
p.s. I know it's an old thread but it looks like it could be interesting.
I'm still around but I decided to focus on my consulting and release everything as open source. I haven't gotten around to making the release yet but I will. PCB's, wireless stuff, arduino firmware and mono MVC site. It's not perfectly complete but it would make a good platform for someone to build their own setup on and cusotmize.