Pool pad automation/monitoring

[uraceulose]

Got these items coming. Should allow acid dosing with a 4-5 gallon tank that will show level from anywhere and allow water softener to fill off of the valve actuator timer/wifi control. Will also have redundant shut off systems in the event the main pump stopped, power to the pump/dosing system was cut, water flow is restricted or tank runs dry.

$260 Hanna BL100
$90 3 saddle valves
$30 240V wifi timer
$35 Injector
$20 tubing
$20 Aspiration Filter
$20 tank Amazon.com
$20 lid Amazon.com
$12 vent Amazon.com
$50 level sensor Amazon.com
$20 flow sensor
$25 Wyze V3 wifi pan/tilt security camera

$200 RV Water Softener
$10 leader hose
$25 misc pipe/fittings Amazon.com
$35 wifi water valve actuator Amazon.com

Battery operated version came out recently... Amazon.com

$475 for an acid dosing system including PH probe, tank, timer, dosing pump and controller. $75 extra for flow sensor, tank level sensor & wifi security camera. The Hanna branded 63mm saddle valves are the correct size for 2" PVC. They are also the best deal I can find at about $25-$30 each direct through Hanna. If you can score a BL100 somewhere...the rest of the parts can be obtained fairly affordably without sacrificing functionality or quality.

 

[uraceulose]

Got the softener all setup, added a wifi gallon counter to the outlet of the softener so it will monitor gallons into the auto top off and get an idea of how many gallons evaporate as well as when it's time to regen the softener. Was able to gain a bit more floor space changing the top off inlet to the other side of the main pump in between the main pump and booster pump.

 

[uraceulose]

The ChemCheck is really cool. Very accurate. The correlation is pretty simple after awhile to figure out where you're at on FC level. The PH and ORP will report 24 times per day if I flow the 750 RPM through the heater at all times...if I go to bypass the heater, it changes the flow enough to where there is not enough pressure to close the valve in the ChemCheck. The cool part is that it still only using 37-38 watts to flow 23 GPM @ 750 RPM and that's through the heater (no bypass), chemcheck, filter etc...the bummer is that I'd really really prefer to find a way to get it to meet the flow requirements of the ChemCheck while still being able to set the heater on a 75-80% bypass as to not keep full water flow running through the heater we use 10-15 days per year. Will keep tinkering there. I ordered a Pentair IntelliValve to replace the Jandy style exising one. It will provide a backup valve on hand by keeping the Jandy and an easier method of fine tuning the bypass % without pulling it apart to make any type of adjustment.
The PH is my pool is VERY stable at 7.5 now for a week or so. I'm still adding the dosing system but at this rate...the 3-4 gallon reservoir will probably last 3-6 months. It's crazy now I don't even have to do anything. My filter pressure is 0-1 psi 22 hours per day then gets up to maybe 5 at 2000 rpm...this is running through DE mind you.

I also added a firehose quick connector to my backwash port and added about 8 ft of 1.5" PVC with a couple of elbows for a backwash/drain system...I can now use the pump to drain the pool right to a drain pipe that runs down to the golf course behind our house and have it setup within about 2 minutes very easily. Shut 2 ball valves at the skimmers, open main drain valve, move multi port valve, hook up quick connector, stick hose in drain pipe and fire up the pump

Also cleaned up the pump this afternoon.

 

[uraceulose]

Got the new bucket/reservoir sealed lid today..gonna work sweet with the pour spout opening. It has a raised edge along the inside and is made of a rubber similar to a horse stall mat. So it should seal up very well although that bucket will likely never get bumped or disturbed.

 

[uraceulose]

After starting with the electrical panel, FNS+60 DE Filter, Laars Lite Teledyne Gas 399K BTU heater, 011056 VSF Pump & Pentair Booster Pump.

I've been able to add the IC60 (hunted for a bit) for $750, power center for $50, IntelliConnect for $250, ChemCheck for $275 including 15 ft usb cable, Acid dosing system for $550, water softener for $300, some misc relays, transformers, valves, fittings, wiring etc for probably $300...so $2500 ish including the extra router out in the pump house...not too bad to completely automate and monitor everything.

Used a TON of great information thanks to this forum and will be upgrading my membership here very soon. It could EASILY be $7500-$10000 to add the exact same features and functionality if I called a local pool contractor

Edit: Added one of these antennas on Amazon. Both IntelliConnect & ChemCheck now showing 40ish DBM WiFi signal strength. PH has been rock solid steady now for 3 weeks or so and FC levels barely barely dropping...the ORP is very simple to use as a FC "gauge" although I still check FC once or twice per week at this point. It's likely it will only take a check every 2 weeks in the winter and we shall see in the summer. If I didn't adjust anything for the last month...I'd have been at 60 TA, 10 FC, 50 CYA, 3000 Salt, 325 CH & 7.5-7.9 PH without touching a thing. I added a bit of calcium, CYA and baking soda to bring a couple items up a bit.


I'm also going to be adding one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KQUVJH6/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A2IQLUXL6F3Z99&psc=1 to each of our hot tubs in preparation for the upcoming summer. Went ahead and got one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BJ2QTP54/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A3FC6IK4BEZ58R&psc=1 and found a dosing pump that will do as low as 1 ML per minute for about $25...my plan is to run those items and power the dosing pump off of the controller. Should be a nice little SWCG and Ph dosing/monitoring system all via wifi for about $450 and all hidden in behind cabinet.

 

[uraceulose]

Will add some more photos. The Hanna BL-100 and setup is very nice. The dosing pump works perfect, replacement parts are available and affordable. There is an option for a 1 point or 2 point calibration of the PH probe. The 63 mm saddle clamps work perfect for 2" PVC pipe and seals great, I added o ring lube and torqued to the spec'd 96 in lbs and everything sealed right away. The injector and probe both include o-rings so no teflon tape was necessary. I used a 7/8" Milwaukee Hole Dozer hole saw bit on low speed. Drilled about an 1/8" pilot hole to get it started dead center on the top of the pipes.
You can set the pump to allow .1 or up from there to either side of your chosen set point...so mine is at 7.9 right now and it will begin dosing right around 8.0 then stop dosing around 7.8 with a "hysterical" of .1

The wifi timer with a wifi camera aimed at the screen allows control from anywhere and easy viewing of acid tank level.

I was able to get water temp, air temp, heater control, SWG control, salt level, booster pump, vsf pump rpm/gpm/watts (with 4 schedules + pressure vaccum cycle as a 5th), heater bypass valve & chemcheck with Ph/ORP levels controlled and monitored via the IntelliConnect. The BL-100 acts as a redundant PH "gauge" which is super nice to help see if one or the other acts up. The ORP should kind of do the same when I can use the SWG when the water warms up...but I still may add a Hanna BL-101 for winter time liquid chlorine dosing and have yet another way to very accurately check the ORP probes against one another while still saving time in the winter plus having it set in case the SWG goes down or can't keep up..

Should be able to go months now with nothing but an occasional taylor test for fun with the kids or to check probes real quick and topping off the acid tank every so often.

Now on to salt/dosing systems for the hot tubs..

 

[uraceulose]

Pretty much final configuration.

Moved wifi router up over right pretty equally in between the intelliconnect & chemcheck, ran some cords/wires through the wall into the pool storage room on other side to hide wires a bit better and get farther away from potential water intrusion if something ever were to spring a leak. Cleaned up some of the wiring as well as got everything up off the ground that would have an issue if it ever got wet.