Help! Do I need a $2500 automation system for the functionality that I need?

[zagoren]

Hello TFP people!

I will be having paid weekend guests this summer in my New England home. We have a 4' deep 20x40' pool . We have a Hayward 406a propane heater. Guests will arrive on Friday night and leave Sunday night. They want the pool heated during the weekend.

I want them to arrive at the house and turn on the heater. They can turn off the heater when they leave.

The ONLY functionality I want is for the setpoint to change AUTOMATICALLY from 85 degrees to 82 degrees at 9PM (and back to 85 degrees at 7AM) . WHENEVER the heater is on.

Thats it. I dont need any other automation. I tried talking to an electrician about his but wasn't able to get anywhere.

If I do need an automation system, do I need to spend that kind of money? What functionalities would i be getting with that level of expenditure?

Thanks!

 

[CJadamec]

Does your heater have a pool/spa mode? Usually that would allow you to set the heater for two different temps and switch between those two temps generally with a relay input signal. If your heater can do that and has an external relay control all you need is a programmable 7 day electronic timer.

You would just set the timer to activate fore the weekend and switch the heater to "spa" mode which would have you higher temp setpoint. During the week the heater would run in "pool" mode and run at the lower setpoint.

There really isn't any need for you to get a full blown automation system for that. Also your superflo VS pump doesn't integrate with automation very smoothly.

 

[PoolGate]

Being remote from your property wouldn't you like to be able to go to a website or phone app and see exactly what the pool is doing?

 

[zagoren]

Does your heater have a pool/spa mode? Usually that would allow you to set the heater for two different temps and switch between those two temps generally with a relay input signal. If your heater can do that and has an external relay control all you need is a programmable 7 day electronic timer.

You would just set the timer to activate fore the weekend and switch the heater to "spa" mode which would have you higher temp setpoint. During the week the heater would run in "pool" mode and run at the lower setpoint.

There really isn't any need for you to get a full blown automation system for that. Also your superflo VS pump doesn't integrate with automation very smoothly.

Hi there.

Yes I do have those two modes. That doesnt really solve my Night/Day requirement which I only want on the weekends. Could I take your solution of a 7-day programmable timer and be able to have the following two states:

1. Heater on with 2 set points. Spa (night) and Pool (day)
2. Heater completely off

Thanks!

- - - Updated - - -

Hi-

Yes I suppose this would be a good thing. But being able to just monitor the set temperature of the heater doesnt seem worth all that expense. I don't know what other things I get from automation.

 

[ps0303]

If there is one thing I have learned thru my years is that if you try to rig something, it could cost you in the end.

Do you run your pump 24x7? If not, you don't need to worry about two different temps. Just one temp and be done with it. I know people love their variable speed pumps but in order to run your heater properly, you need it at a higher speed to begin with. So if you are setting the speed low at night, the heater might not have enough flow to fire. Also, the amount of temp you will lose at night is a few degrees, if that, during the warmer months. So setting it down three degrees for the night sort of doesn't make sense. So I would suggest you just set the temp and be done with it.

It would still be nice to control the heater remotely for guests. Thus automation comes into play.

 

[CJadamec]

When the heater is set up for remote operation it is normally off and only turns on when the timer picks a mode for it to run in. The power will be on to the unit but it won't operate unless the timer tells it to.

There are ways to do this with a WiFi enabled timer that you can program from your phone. I can change my pump speeds, turn my pool light on and input to my heater from my phone. It's not perfect but it only cost about 200 in parts and wire.

It's not a good fit for a lot of people but it works for me.

 

[PoolGate]

Hi there.

Yes I do have those two modes. That doesnt really solve my Night/Day requirement which I only want on the weekends. Could I take your solution of a 7-day programmable timer and be able to have the following two states:

1. Heater on with 2 set points. Spa (night) and Pool (day)
2. Heater completely off

Thanks!

- - - Updated - - -

Hi-

Yes I suppose this would be a good thing. But being able to just monitor the set temperature of the heater doesnt seem worth all that expense. I don't know what other things I get from automation.

It isn't just monitor, you can totally control it.