Automated Liquid Chlorination system

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Sure - glad to help. All I know, I've learned from this site and @bdavis466 and @Jimrahbe were both helpful several years ago with how the Easytouch works and diagrams. This thread is likely one that I used a few years ago - Stenner wiring However I understand your initial hesitation, I was afraid of messing something up. Once you understand the flow of electricity through the Easy Touch and relays, it is pretty easy to conquer. I'm will search for a couple of pictures I know I have and another post with more details to help out. It's really pretty straight forward.
 
As to the feed tube from the Stenner to the injection point, I use a length 3/4 flexible conduit to encase the feed tubing. The injection point is just the right size to fit snugly in the 3/4 conduit. Keeps the sun out...
 
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I found this drawing, it is from @bdavis466 - it shows the wiring from one relay to another and then wiring to the Stenner. Note this if for a 220 Stenner. It has two hots. If your pump is 110 then you only need one of the hots.

What I did with these was not to directly wire the Stenner pump. I took these outside the Easytouch to a 220 outlet and then plugged the Pump in to the outlet. Then just turn the outlet on and off from the relay (programmed to run automatically every day for a set time from the Screen logic software) when I want to pump chlorine.

stenner wiring.jpg
 
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GDN said:
I found this drawing, it is from @bdavis466 - it shows the wiring from one relay to another and then wiring to the Stenner.

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This is PERFECT! Thank you so much! I figured (was hoping) it would be simple, but this makes it very clear.

The specs sheet on the Stenner pumps doesn't say how much amperage it draws. I'm assuming very little, but have you had any problems having the Stenner on the same breaker as your pump?

Did you kill the power to your EasyTouch before doing this? If so, did it lose all of the programming?

GDN said:
Note this if for a 220 Stenner. It has two hots. If your pump is 110 then you only need one of the hots.
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I'm sure I would have had that question, so thanks for preemptively answering. :)

GDN said:
What I did with these was not to directly wire the Stenner pump. I took these outside the Easytouch to a 220 outlet and then plugged the Pump in to the outlet. Then just turn the outlet on and off from the relay (programmed to run automatically every day for a set time from the Screen logic software) when I want to pump chlorine.
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I was also thinking about wiring up to an outlet as well for more flexibility/ease of replacement if needed later.
 
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thephatp said:
In pics of Stenner pumps I've seen, the tubes look clear (for example, here on Amazon), which isn't good. Did you guys buy different tubing to use with your pumps? Also, I've seen some pumps come with only 1 tube (at least that's what it shows in pics). Did you have to buy extra? And I'm assuming you just used the 1/4", correct?

@jonpcar - What material did you use to build the covering over your equipment? I really like that idea!
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Stenner pump kits come in a variety of different configurations both on Amazon and other sites...here is an example of the model you highlighted with options to select color/size of tubing:

45MPHP10 - Buy Stenner pumps chemical feeders - $327.00

45MPHP10 Buy Stenner Pumps 45MPHP10 classic series single head fixed rate chemical feeders, peristaltic pump, chemical feed pump online
www.lockewell.com

You want the UV resistant black tubing if it is going to be in the sun (or you need to encase it as @colonelkirby showed...I did the encasing in addition to having the black tubing). Disadvantage is that you cant see inside it. You can buy all the stenner parts separately including tubing...I've bought a number of items from an authorized dealer on EBay, including a 50-foot roll of tubing.

Here is the thread where I describe my pool equipment shade:

Retractable, Removable Pool Equipment Cover / Sun Shade / Protection

When I recently was working on my pool equipment pad (I replaced my old Fiberstars fiber optic lights with SR Smith Treo LED lights), I realized that my pool equipment and plumbing that I put in 4 years ago as part of our pool remodel was getting pretty beat up by the Arizona sun. So, last...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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Wiring to an outlet just makes it really easy if there are problems down the road or when you want to remove the Stenner to put new tubing in each year or two (you will have some maintenance to keep it running good). There was also talk a few years ago that if you cut the plug off the Stenner to direct wire it, that would void the warranty, so this just made it very convenient.

I've never had any problems with Amperage or power at the pump. It was noted in my documentation thread, that my electrician didn't do the best job of wiring. I assume I am to code, but they put no breakers in my ET8. They have a run from my main panel in the garage out to the pool. The main panel had a 240 and a 120 breaker added. Those are run to the 2 switches in this picture. The switches are the ones with lift covers. One of them will shut off the 110 and the other will shut off the 240 at the pad. The 120 is simply for the outlet above on the wall and the pad light. The 220 runs everything else. The pool lights are only 120, but they also get their power out of the ET8 from just a single leg of the 220 if I recall.

Bottom line, story on the wiring is that all I need to do when working on the panel or most anything out there is to shut the power off at the two switches out on the wall. That cuts the power to the panel and pump. The ET8 does not lose its setup when that happens, those settings are stored in some sort of safe RAM that survives a power outage.
 
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A simpler option would be a venturi to pull from the bulk tank instead of pumping. Run it with a timer to control how long the valves are open to draw from the tank. Venturi goes in the same spot a swg would so it doesnt touch the pump or the filter and goes straight out the returns. 90% of farmers use a manual venturi for chems so only clean water touches the pump1C483205-B7A3-4C70-97F6-112E35126DED.png
 
Perfect! For the Banjo Venturi model you posted (49 gpm), I should be able to inject my pool’s peak summer daily chlorine needs in about .4 seconds, in the winter of course it would be much faster...maybe about .05 seconds. Now, just to find that quick valve I need to control it. ;)
 
Quant said:
All,

I have this idea to automate pumping liquid chlorine into my pool with a Arduino driven set up. This has probably been done before but I am looking for comments particularly related to safety and if this is a bad Idea for some reason I might not realize.

The Arduino would command the driver to open a 12v DC power circuit to the pump for enough seconds to move 1/2 gal of 12.5% CL every night at 3am while the filter pump is on. I would test water about twice a week and fill the CL tank on weekends.

It is all 12V DC power but I am wondering if I should think about Any special grounding of the tank even though AC arcing through the driver board is unlikely. The pump would get it's power from the Driver, and not its own connection. The driver itself gets power from a 12V 30A supply.

Also, I looking to only store a about a weeks worth of 12.5% CL and am wondering about degradation of chlorine over time do to heat as it will be fairly exposed to heat in the Arizona Sun. Though UV light will be blocked using a black plastic tank.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

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Why not convert to salt water pool? Much more reliably and convenient for automation.
 
jonpcar said:
Perfect! For the Banjo Venturi model you posted (49 gpm), I should be able to inject my pool’s peak summer daily chlorine needs in about .4 seconds, in the winter of course it would be much faster...maybe about .05 seconds. Now, just to find that quick valve I need to control it. ;)
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49 gpm would be the through flow. My 3” setup pulls 10-15 gpm. They make smaller ones was just showing a full setup
 

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yangcha1 said:
Why not convert to salt water pool? Much more reliably and convenient for automation.
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I've got a ton of stone all around my pool, and I don't want to have to seal it every 6 months. I also don't want the look of it being sealed all the time. I like seeing a dark contrast when it's wet, and light when it's dry. I have a friend a couple miles away that put int a pool after me, and he did SWG. I'm jealous, but I wouldn't do it differently if I could do it again--I love the look of my stone. :) Also, I can have the same effect by installing this automatic liquid chlorinator. :p
 
Are you worried about the salt on your stone? There is a lot of discussion around that here on this forum. The amount of salt in a salt water pool is 1/10 that of the ocean. Your pool probably already has a bunch of residual salt from LC and other chemicals that you add.
 
The buried tanks look like a good idea. I am in Arizona and had to abandon using a Stenner for NaCl due to degradation issues as well as continuing fluctuations in demand. I converted my Stenner to MA and have found it MUCH easier to “automate” than liquid chlorine. With chlorine injection I found I was always behind the amount needed due to degradation, pool use, hot days, organics, etc. I’m interested to hear if your experience in Arizona is different, particularly if you bury the tank.
 
spoonman said:
The buried tanks look like a good idea. I am in Arizona and had to abandon using a Stenner for NaCl due to degradation issues as well as continuing fluctuations in demand. I converted my Stenner to MA and have found it MUCH easier to “automate” than liquid chlorine. With chlorine injection I found I was always behind the amount needed due to degradation, pool use, hot days, organics, etc. I’m interested to hear if your experience in Arizona is different, particularly if you bury the tank.
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Hey spoonman...I have one of the buried tanks...but I don’t yet know how well my chlorine Stenner system will work (long term) as I haven’t been religious about keeping records, etc...until now. Previously I have been dosing daily (probably overdosing), but I haven’t had issues like you describe. My chlorine dosing has simply been set to a daily “timed” value, injected once a day. My pool probably doesn’t get as much use and it also doesn’t get a lot of debris, so circumstances could be different.

So what are you doing for chlorine now? Hand dosing, or did you go to a SWG?
 
@jonpcar, @GDN, @RonsPlc (and anyone else using a tank outside), does the tank require a breather hole of some kind?

If all of the barrel plugs are sealed, but the pump is trying to suck water out, does it need to replace that space with air, or risk burning up the pump? I have two plugs in my barrel, and I have them both sealed off (smaller one with a rubber plug that I bore a 1/4" hole in and fed the pump tube through, and the other is the larger 2" hole where I pour in the chlorine. Both are sealed off right now.

I sealed them, because I don't anything getting into the barrel, obviously, but now I'm wondering if I need to figure out another way to allow air, but still protect from water/debris/etc.
 
I drilled a hole in the barrel that just barely let the tube go through (tight fit).
I figured that way, if the yard flooded, it was less likely to get into the barrel.
Thankfully, the yard has not flooded to that level... yet. :)
 
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