Looking for ways to add automation to my pool

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BlueWRXPride

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2020
131
Syracuse, NY
I recently was successful in automating my pool lights by wiring in a Shelly smart relay so that it turns on at sunset and off when I set it, or I can manually control with my phone. Now I've got the automation bug and want to see what other kind of automation I could do with something like Home Assistant and potentially some nodeMCU boards. List of equipment I have is in my signature.

I know the v-green pump I have has some digital inputs, but I don't see a ton of value in getting remote control of the pump since it just runs its schedule for 24 hrs. It would be nice to have remote control of the heat pump so I could monitor the temp and turn it on and off. Remote access to the pool pilot could be nice just to monitor things like the salt level. I'm hoping for some nice DIY style solutions rather than spending hundreds on something that realistically I don't really need. Any suggestions?
 
Take a look at the Low Budget Automation link in my sig for some ideas. I'm not smart enough to figure out Home Assistant and I don't know what a node MCU board is, so I just used basic Wifi relays controlled by Amazon routines. Works for me.

I don't know of any DIY systems that can remotely monitor salt levels. You can use a relay to to turn the SWG on/off.

I do use a Sonoff TH-16 Smart Temperature switch to monitor water temps and for automated control of the heater. You would need to install a temp probe for remote temp control, which really isn't that difficult. Here's a link that shows the install of the probe in a thermowell.

Wifi Water Temperature Sensor

I am looking to add a WIFI pool water sensor so I can remotely check my water temp from my iPhone... Doing research... it looks like I can use a Sonoff TH16 and a ds18b20 sensor plumed into my system to achieve this... I am not looking to do any type of automation... just read water temp... I...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Sonoff replaced the TH-16 with a better unit that now provides dry contacts for connection to the fireman's switch. It's controlled by the eWeLink app which is compatible with Alexa/Google Home apps. It looks like you need to order the probe separately. Here is the updated unit:

https://www.amazon.com/SONOFF-Origin-Temperature-Humidity-Monitoring/dp/B0B5GM1LTG?th=1

If you have some tech skills, this may be up your alley...

github.com

GitHub - tagyoureit/nodejs-poolController: An application to control pool equipment from various manufacturers.

An application to control pool equipment from various manufacturers. - tagyoureit/nodejs-poolController
github.com github.com
 
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I always read about these items and wish I had ran a cat6 cable out to my pool and put a hub out there.
My pool is to far from my ISP router for wifi. Uhg. Hindsight....been looking to get something to put a blink on demand camera to check in on my pump screen to see what mode it's in. (Intex = hard to automate with their system.)
Thanks for the ideas and links in your signature.
 
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I see. I had been thinking about trying to use the RS485 connection on the heat pump to control the set point and read the water temp. But what you're suggesting is instead to add my own water temp sensor, and hook that to a wifi sensor which would use the fireman switch to simply turn on/off the heat pump. It's simpler in that I don't need to get a device to speak on RS485 (which I haven't found the protocol information), but does mean I need to cut into the plumbing to add a tee somewhere so I can add the sensor.

Realistically, getting the water temp on my phone and controlling the heat pump on/off is probably all the control I need. Like I noted, the pump runs its own schedule just fine, and I never really need to touch the salt water system
 
BlueWRXPride said:
does that mean that the heat pump would essentially run when the two pins are shorted, and ignore the internal controls?
Click to expand...
This is the way it works on my Pentair Master Temp heater. The heater is set to max temp (104 degrees). When the fireman's circuit is closed by the Sonoff switch, the heater operates until the Sonoff opens the circuit. The fireman's circuit carries its own 24 volt power source. The new version of the Sonoff switch features dry contacts.

I can't offer much help with how the controls operate on your heat pump.
 
I have a home assistant page for my pool.
It includes controlling my pump, SWG, and provides water temperature for my pool and separate spa.

I like having control of my pump, but I don't run it 24/7. I use HA to run it on a schedule.
I also use it to turn the pump to a higher speed to vacuum.
Pump is controlled a three relays, which are controlled by an ESP32.

Here is how I added a temp sensor to my pool
I no longer use ESPEasy. I use esphome now, which is made to integrate with HA so it was pretty easy to setup the esp with HA. I run a MQTT broker for talking between HA and my ESPs.
Pretty sure esphome will run fine with HA without MQTT.

I expect the 2 wire heater control will work as you expect. I setup my spa for 3 wire control. I can turn on the heater remotely, and it goes to the set temperature. I don't have to implement a thermostat function with the 3 wire function.

It doesn't look like your SWG has any remote control capability. One reason I went with Hayward even though it costs a bit more was it supports remote control.

If I remember correctly, I have three ESPs and a Pi sitting in a waterproof sprinkler controller housing to control and monitor my pool and spa.
Obviously some work to implement, but not much money required, and works great now.

I buy ESPs, and wire them up to relay boards. They also sell relay boards with ESPs, so you don't have to connect yourself. Might be easier depending on your skill level for this type of project.

Randy
 
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I wonder if there 12-36 VDC or VAC available somewhere in the heat pump to power a device like this? Shelly Uni

With that, I could directly connect a DS18B20 temp sensor, and hook the outputs to the firemans switch on the heat pump. Then I could connect via my wifi and control through the Shelly cloud, or directly integrate it into Home Assistant.
 

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I took a look at the control panel of the heat pump, and now I'm really excited! The wiring diagram was on the back of the panel, see below. Turns out there is 24VAC available from the board, so I could tap into those wires to power the Shelly Uni. In addition, I found where the existing water temp sensor goes into the control board. I'm wondering if that temp sensor follows the same protocol as the DS18B20, if so I could just tap into there at which point this is completely self contained, and I'm just adding the shelly uni.

Any thoughts as to if those temp sensors would all be similar?
Anyone know what these electrical connectors are called so I could buy some mating ones and avoid cutting any wires?
1685583341909.png1685583356068.png

1685583269362.png
 
BlueWRXPride said:
I wonder if there 12-36 VDC or VAC available somewhere in the heat pump to power a device like this? Shelly Uni

With that, I could directly connect a DS18B20 temp sensor, and hook the outputs to the firemans switch on the heat pump. Then I could connect via my wifi and control through the Shelly cloud, or directly integrate it into Home Assistant.
Click to expand...
I too use Alexa and either esp8266 (I haven’t upgraded to the newer esp32 which I should) or I use Alexa smart plugs to automate my pump/lights/irrigation. One thing you could do with the Shelly you are talking about above is find an old power adapter that supplies correct voltage/current for the Shelly that would plug in to a smart plug. Set up a timer/routine for the plug or control it with your phone via Alexa. When the plug comes on the power adapter powers your Shelly and connects to whatever relay needs activating to turn on your heater. This is basically how I control my pool pump.

Another note for your lack of Wi-Fi is either adding an access point to extend your Wi-Fi or if it is too far for that you can add a point to point wireless bridge to extend your network to your pool area.

This is an interesting topic. Enjoying reading about how others are automating. I would love to know how to read the salinity level and report it to a server with an esp device. I have yet to find a good sensor to do this.

For that matter, I’d like to have sensors that would tell me the ph level/ hardness/ etc.

Anyone doing this?
 
BlueWRXPride said:
I took a look at the control panel of the heat pump, and now I'm really excited! The wiring diagram was on the back of the panel, see below. Turns out there is 24VAC available from the board, so I could tap into those wires to power the Shelly Uni. In addition, I found where the existing water temp sensor goes into the control board. I'm wondering if that temp sensor follows the same protocol as the DS18B20, if so I could just tap into there at which point this is completely self contained, and I'm just adding the shelly uni.

Any thoughts as to if those temp sensors would all be similar?
Anyone know what these electrical connectors are called so I could buy some mating ones and avoid cutting any wires?
View attachment 498714View attachment 498715

View attachment 498706
Click to expand...
Those connectors appear to be 2 prong molex like these:


Can you check the dc voltage at the temp sensor? The DS18B20 runs off of 0-5v supply from microcontrollers I think. If the voltage tests between this, it may be possible it’s plug and play, but I know I wouldn’t get that lucky. Good luck.
 
Georgia088 said:
I too use Alexa and either esp8266 (I haven’t upgraded to the newer esp32 which I should) or I use Alexa smart plugs to automate my pump/lights/irrigation. One thing you could do with the Shelly you are talking about above is find an old power adapter that supplies correct voltage/current for the Shelly that would plug in to a smart plug. Set up a timer/routine for the plug or control it with your phone via Alexa. When the plug comes on the power adapter powers your Shelly and connects to whatever relay needs activating to turn on your heater. This is basically how I control my pool pump.

Another note for your lack of Wi-Fi is either adding an access point to extend your Wi-Fi or if it is too far for that you can add a point to point wireless bridge to extend your network to your pool area.

This is an interesting topic. Enjoying reading about how others are automating. I would love to know how to read the salinity level and report it to a server with an esp device. I have yet to find a good sensor to do this.

For that matter, I’d like to have sensors that would tell me the ph level/ hardness/ etc.

Anyone doing this?
Click to expand...
FYI powering the shelly on a smart outlet seems to be redundant. The Shelly has the smarts in it so it would provide all the automation you might need.
Georgia088 said:
Those connectors appear to be 2 prong molex like these:


Can you check the dc voltage at the temp sensor? The DS18B20 runs off of 0-5v supply from microcontrollers I think. If the voltage tests between this, it may be possible it’s plug and play, but I know I wouldn’t get that lucky. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I guess I'd need to find a 3 way mating connector to that molex to be helpful so that probably won't work. I'll probably just use a T tap connector like this: link
Good point about the voltage for the temp sensor. Based on the key for the wiring diagram, all of those sensors are 24VAC, so I'll probably just need to add my own temp sensor, but that shouldn't be an issue.
 
BlueWRXPride said:
I took a look at the control panel of the heat pump, and now I'm really excited! The wiring diagram was on the back of the panel, see below. Turns out there is 24VAC available from the board, so I could tap into those wires to power the Shelly Uni. In addition, I found where the existing water temp sensor goes into the control board. I'm wondering if that temp sensor follows the same protocol as the DS18B20, if so I could just tap into there at which point this is completely self contained, and I'm just adding the shelly uni.

Any thoughts as to if those temp sensors would all be similar?
Anyone know what these electrical connectors are called so I could buy some mating ones and avoid cutting any wires?
Click to expand...
Heater likely has a thermistor to measure temperature. You can't tap into it without messing up the temp reading.
Even if it did have a 18b20, pretty sure only one device can interface with it.
 
I took another look in the control panel. Turns out that the 2 pin header for a 3 wire high pressure switch (which is not connected to anything) has 22 vdc on it, so I can power the shelly that way without cutting wires. I also disconnected the existing temp sensor and measured 3 vdc so maybe that will be the same protocol as the 18b20.

My only issue is that I tried to test the firemen's switch. I went into the menu and changed it to a two-wire control, and the control panel showed it was under remote control. But when I tried shorting pins y and z, it didn't activate the heat pump. Shouldn't that have simulated the thermostat closing the switch activating the heat pump?

Connecting Two-wire Controllers (with internal thermostat)

www.aquacal.com
 
I'm not sure if you're heat pump operates the same way, but with my Pentair heater, the heater needs to be on and heating at the time that the fireman switch is opened. I set thermostat at 104 degrees. When the switch closes, the heater resumes heating based on the previous setting.
 
Mission accomplished! I was able to tap into the 28VAC on the control board to power the shelly uni. I added the temperature probe to a tee fitting I put in-line for the pipe between my filter and the pump. And then I wired the dry contact switch of the Shelly onto the external 2-wire control of the heat pump. I have the Shelly integrated in Home Assistant and was able to create a thermostat interface. Now I can control it all via the phone, and also get some nice data about the temperature of the water vs how long the heater has been running, see how frequently it runs to maintain temperature overnight, etc.
1686595756864.png
 
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