Help with automation

[lborne]

I have a pool with a spillover spa but only a single pump. I have solar panels, but no automatic controller for them, just an actuator for the valve.

My pump is on a mechanical timer and runs from 10am till 5pm. All valves have Jandy valve actuators with I control with mechanical switches.

At about 3pm, I'd like the valves to turn such that only the spa is being filtered and it is not in spillover mode, and to make sure that the solar valve is opened. That way, the spa will warm up to about 100 - 105 degrees on most days.

I was thinking of a sprinkler timer, but they supply power and I need something that simply flips from NO to NC.

Any ideas?

 

[Bama Rambler]

So you already have a power supply for the actuators?
If that's the case you could use something like a PE1353 to switch the valves and turn on the pump.

 

[jblizzle]

I think most of the pool automation systems will do that. I know the Hayward Pro Logic should be able to do everything you asked ... it would have a built in timer and you could set how long to run in pool mode and spa mode and it will control the solar actuator and you can set a different solar temperature for the pool vs the spa.

Not sure how you would go about hacking a DIY system though ... or maybe Dave sees that it is easier than what I was thinking.

 

[lborne]

I do have a power supply for the valves, and now that I think about it, if I used a sprinkler timer, I would not need the external power supply. IIRC, the way the valves work is that you supply 24 VAC to two of the wires and it runs the valve until the internal switch shuts it off. Then you have to power the other side for it to turn back. Spinkler timers might use 24 VDC - something I need to look into, because that would not work.

I also learned the hard way that 2 valves must be switched using separate switches. I tried operating 2 valves on a single switch and it would occasionally screw up.

I'm sure I could use any pool automation system, but I don't want to spend the money on them. I was looking for a cheap alternative.