Switch so sheer decents cannot turn on while cover is closed

[AuroraB]

I am asking my pool builder to add a failsafe switch so that my 3 sheer decent waterfalls cannot turn on while my cover is closed, however he doesn't see the need for this, and isn't being very helpful in finding out how it would work.

My equipment is all pentair, and my cover is from Aquamatic, can anyone tell me how this would work? My pool gets plastered on Tuesday, so we are under a bit of a time crunch.

 

[Donny]

Aren't the sheer decent's controlled by a valve?? I must be honest here, it doesn't seem necessary as your PB suggested. Do you close the cover every night etc ?? You just have to make sure the valve is off, seems simple enough no ?? Leave yourself a reminder at the open/close switch of the cover.

 

[tim5055]

I like your thought process and feel they should be able to make it work. Even something as simple as a magnetic switch (thing the alarm contact on the front door of your house) wired in to a relay and the valves for the sheer descents. But, this is predicated on you having automation. With manual valves it wouldn't work. The most you could have with manual valves is a red light next to the valve showing that the cover was closed. This is the kind of thing a pool builder may not think of often, but a low voltage electrician (alarm/access/CCTV) deals with issues like this daily.

Donny, Many people use a safety cover in place of a fence around the pool, so yes - it would be closed a lot of the time if this is the case.

 

[Donny]

Thanks Tim. Around here, no fence = no pool LOL.

 

[AuroraB]

Thanks! Where I live it is normally no fence = no pool, however there is an exception if your property is over 2.5 acres, so we have a cover in lieu of a fence.

I worry about the waterfalls accidentally being turned on while the cover is closed, and destroying the cover. In fact, when we got bids for the pool, the other company (who at this point I daily regret having not gone with) as well as a local pool cleaning company, have told me stories of that very thing happening.

 

[Bama Rambler]

As Tim eluded to, even a magnetic switch energizing a relay with the waterfall valve(s) power running through it should be easy to accomplish.

I'm not familiar with your cover, but it may have an aux switch that could be used for that purpose.

 

[savagesix]

We have an auto cover that is run by a key switch on the wall. If the cover is open and the key is turned to start closing the cover the valve for our deck jets shuts. On the opposite spectrum, if the cover is closed and the key is turned to open the cover the valve opens to run the deck jets as the cover gets to fully open. It's great to keep the jets from spewing on the cover and also convenient to turn the jets on and off by just giving the key a bump to open or close while the pump is running. When the builder explained it to me during construction it seemed weird to me to use the pool cover key to control the deck jets, it makes perfect sense though as a safety feature for the cover and an easy way to run the jets because I do not have an automation system. Obviously if the pump is not running no water is going to the deck jets either way. The valve is wired to contacts in the pool cover and the key switch.

J.

 

[jblizzle]

Do you have an automation system?
Is the cover controlled by the automation system?
Are the sheers controlled by an actuated valve?

If any of those is No, then I am not sure how this could be accomplished.

- - - Updated - - -

Although sounds like what Savegesix has is possible without the automation somehow.

 

[tim5055]

A friend has an electrically actuated valve to be able to turn the flow off to his solar panels on the roof. He has no automation. I would think you could do the same thing here. It would be nice as Dave said to have an aux switch as part of the cover do it, but you can add a magnetic switch to trip a relay and close the valve on the return pipe going to the sheer. Now, that is based on the return pipe for the sheer being a home run, and not tied in with all the ruturns under the pool deck.

 

[bmoreswim]

We do not have waterfalls of any type but do have an autocover. Our Pool School guy was the best ever. A former Hayward regional service manager (oversaw and trained techs). He knows everything about Hayward's equipment. In our conversations he mentioned lockouts that are a built in software feature of the automation can be set to only operate water features (i.e. certain electronic valves) if the cover is reporting as open.
Similar to how a cleaner booster pump will only work if the circulation pump is on.
Also check out the Coverstar website (I know you have Aquamatic) because they have a new feature/product that is for exactly this purpose that I believe works independently of automation systems. Same concept could likely be used on yours if the automation isn't for some reason available. But by all means investigate the automation lockout feature as I'm almost certain it will address the issue.
I look forward to hearing your findings.

 

[savagesix]

The valve for my water feature has an actuator and is in the pool return line. The valve can shut water feature off 100% or divert any percentage of flow to the water feature and/or pool returns.

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