Looking to add automation

[old_monk]

Hi, please see my signature for the pool equipment setup. I have 0 automation right now and not liking it a bit, PB's site manager screwed me up big time. Anyway, looking to eventually add automation so that I can control following things:

• WiFi App access
• Control Panel Display with long wired run to be mounted in screened porch
• Control/change pump speed from App (auto rpm change if heater is On, drop rpm when heater is off)
• Control pool lights from App
• Control heater, turn it on/off, set temp
• Monitor SWG is functioning properly, change SWG settings
• Turn on/off air blower to spa
• Inject MA on need basis

I looked at Hayward website and seems like I need this kit. Would that address my goals fully or do I need to look at a different setup?
Thanks!

 

[Jimrahbe]

old,

Show us some pics of your equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[old_monk]

old,

Show us some pics of your equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

old,

Thanks for the pics..

I just wanted to confirm that all your valves were Jandy valves and they are.. So automation is a good deal.

Let's see if we can get one of our Hayward guys to chime in..

This guy knows a lot about everything, so let's ask him.. Calling @1poolman1

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

Hi, please see my signature for the pool equipment setup. I have 0 automation right now and not liking it a bit, PB's site manager screwed me up big time. Anyway, looking to eventually add automation so that I can control following things:

• WiFi App access
• Control/change pump speed from App
• Control pool lights from App
• Control heater, turn it on/off, set temp
• Monitor SWG is functioning properly, change SWG settings
• Turn on/off air blower to spa
• Inject MA on need basis

I looked at Hayward website and seems like I need this kit. Would that address my goals fully or do I need to look at a different setup?
Thanks!

That is the kit the will (should) give you the control you want. With 2 high-voltage relays it will control the blower and lights, but the lights will have to be turned on and off as a pair, the pool and spa together. There is also a provision for Hayward's "Smart Relays" which are controlled through the RS485 connector and should allow for another 2 high-voltage relays (I've never used those so can't really comment). That would allow the lights to be separate. Will also need 2 valve actuators.

 

[old_monk]

Hi, looking for some recommendations on pump speed setting to go with my SWG. Aquarite S3 owner's manual doesn't list any minimum rpm needed to keep cell generating the Cl. Any best practice recommendations for my setup? I can see from pool math that if I run my pump 24 hr then I get 3.2ppm FC at 50% cell. My question is what that rpm should be for 24 hour.
Then next part of this question is, I'm already seeing LO code thrown by the heater if my pump is at default speed #3 of 2300 and works fine if I pick default speed #4 of 2875rpm. How do I balance the two things? I have no automation right now.
thanks!

 

[mas985]

Hi, looking for some recommendations on pump speed setting to go with my SWG. Aquarite S3 owner's manual doesn't list any minimum rpm needed to keep cell generating the Cl. Any best practice recommendations for my setup?

Trial and error. Every pool is different so there is no one setting for all pools. Basically, you look for the lowest RPM where the SWG and Heater do not alarm with low flow rate/pressure.

I can see from pool math that if I run my pump 24 hr then I get 3.2ppm FC at 50% cell. My question is what that rpm should be for 24 hour.

For energy consumption, as low as possible.

Then next part of this question is, I'm already seeing LO code thrown by the heater if my pump is at default speed #3 of 2300 and works fine if I pick default speed #4 of 2875rpm. How do I balance the two things? I have no automation right now.

If you are willing to try different settings, reprogram the default RPMs for something else. Increase speed #3 or decrease speed #4.

 

[old_monk]

If you are willing to try different settings, reprogram the default RPMs for something else. Increase speed #3 or decrease speed #4.

Heater's OM says minimum GPM needs to be 25, is there a way to correlate that to pump rpm?

 

[mas985]

Heater's OM says minimum GPM needs to be 25, is there a way to correlate that to pump rpm?

Not really without a flow meter. But for most heaters, they sense pressure not flow rate so it really doesn't matter. What matters is the pressure switch in the heater that needs to be closed. Again, your best option is trial and error.

 

[old_monk]

Not really without a flow meter. But for most heaters, they sense pressure not flow rate so it really doesn't matter. What matters is the pressure switch in the heater that needs to be closed. Again, your best option is trial and error.

Thanks, I'll lower the default speed #4 by 100 rpm at a time until it triggers LO and then keep a notch above. Anyway for pump to not do VS thing and auto change the rpm from what I set? I observed that even though I had it at #4 for heater to run, pump speed lowered itself and heater ran into LO.

 

[mas985]

What is the model# of your pump.

Some have schedules and/or timers which will control which speed runs during a particular time of day. You should familiarize yourself with the manual and the functions used to program the pump.

 

[old_monk]

What is the model# of your pump.

Some have schedules and/or timers which will control which speed runs during a particular time of day. You should familiarize yourself with the manual and the functions used to program the pump.

It's Hayward 1.85THP VS pump, I did do timer configuration and all that. I couldn't see an option to override timers if say I pick speed 4, not sure if that's even feasible.
What I don't want to do is run my pump all the time at, say, 2500 rpm because that's what heater needs (and I'm not using the heater all the time).

 

[Dirk]

I'll lower the default speed #4 by 100 rpm at a time until it triggers LO and then keep a notch above.

That is exactly how we all do it. Same for the SWG. The SWG won't squawk when you're at heater RPM, so you only need to deal with SWG RPM for when you're not running the heater.

Keep in mind that flow rate and pressure can change throughout the season/year based on the condition of your filter. As the filter gets dirtier, the flow rate will drop, which could affect your settings. That's what the "notch above" buffer is for, but sometimes even that's not enough, depending on how dirty the filter gets.

 

[mas985]

It's Hayward 1.85THP VS pump

That is not a model#. There should be a badge on the wet end. It may say TriStar VS W3SP3202VSP, 1.85THP is not enough to identify the pump. Should be on the manual cover as well.

, I did do timer configuration and all that. I couldn't see an option to override timers if say I pick speed 4, not sure if that's even feasible.
What I don't want to do is run my pump all the time at, say, 2500 rpm because that's what heater needs (and I'm not using the heater all the time).

You may not have much of a choice without an external controller. An external controller can change speeds when heat is called for.

 

[Dirk]

It's Hayward 1.85THP VS pump, I did do timer configuration and all that. I couldn't see an option to override timers if say I pick speed 4, not sure if that's even feasible.
What I don't want to do is run my pump all the time at, say, 2500 rpm because that's what heater needs (and I'm not using the heater all the time).

You may not be ready yet, or may never be, but that's one of the niceties of a pool automation controller. It manages and coordinates all the components, more so than just scheduling them. For example, you might need 6 hours of heating and 12 hours of SWG. The controller will set the pump RPM to "SWG speed" at first, then ramp up your pump to "heater speed" when you've scheduled for heat. But when the pool reaches your thermostat temp, the controller will keep your heater on standby, but turn off the heating, and ramp your pump back down to SWG speed. If the pool cools, the controller will fire the heater back up and ramp up your pump to match. Like that.

Then there is remote operation, controlling other things in your yard (like bug zappers or bistro lights), turning off the pool light automatically after X hours, etc.

So a controller might have more value than you first think.

 

[old_monk]

That is not a model#. There should be a badge on the wet end. It may say TriStar VS W3SP3202VSP, 1.85THP is not enough to identify the pump. Should be on the manual cover as well.


You may not have much of a choice without an external controller. An external controller can change speeds when heat is called for.

Model is SP32900VSP. And that's what I suspected, without automation I may not any option other than to run it 24x7 to keep heater happy.

 

[old_monk]

You may not be ready yet, or may never be, but that's one of the niceties of a pool automation controller. It manages and coordinates all the components, more so than just scheduling them. For example, you might need 6 hours of heating and 12 hours of SWG. The controller will set the pump RPM to "SWG speed" at first, then ramp up your pump to "heater speed" when you've scheduled for heat. But when the pool reaches your thermostat temp, the controller will keep your heater on standby, but turn off the heating, and ramp your pump back down to SWG speed. If the pool cools, the controller will fire the heater back up and ramp up your pump to match. Like that.

Then there is remote operation, controlling other things in your yard (like bug zappers or bistro lights), turning off the pool light automatically after X hours, etc.

So a controller might have more value than you first think.

edit - thanks for the thread merge, I refined my original bulleted items from your inputs.

 

[old_monk]

Another aspect for me to keep in mind for rpm, spa spillover. It gets to trickles around 1800rpm.

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks, I'll lower the default speed #4 by 100 rpm at a time until it triggers LO and then keep a notch above. Anyway for pump to not do VS thing and auto change the rpm from what I set? I observed that even though I had it at #4 for heater to run, pump speed lowered itself and heater ran into LO.

The only way a Hayward pump changes speeds is because of a program telling it to do so. If you don't want the pump to change speeds, don't program a speed into a timer. Just set the speed you want, using #1 is easiest, set the duration, set all other speeds to 0, run time 0. No speed change. Hayward interface controls on the pump have changed very little since their first VSP, the EcoStar.

 

[old_monk]

The only way a Hayward pump changes speeds is because of a program telling it to do so. If you don't want the pump to change speeds, don't program a speed into a timer. Just set the speed you want, using #1 is easiest, set the duration, set all other speeds to 0, run time 0. No speed change. Hayward interface controls on the pump have changed very little since their first VSP, the EcoStar.

Yeah figured that, turned off all timers and have pump running at default speed #4 to keep heater on.