Remote/Mobile controls for variable speed pumps

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Tinaja

Well-known member
Jul 15, 2013
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I have the first Hayward TriStar VSP that came out, so it has a big, heavy control box that hangs on the fence. I am wanting to replace it with a pump that has built-in controls and an on board timer. But isn't it a pain to bend over and program a VSP?

The pool (and the box) are considerably far from my back door, down steps and down a slope and across a patio... I haven't kept up with pool tech as I have the rest of my house. I want a pump that I can program from inside without having to walk all the way over in the rain or occasional snow. Looking at threads I see some you can program from a computer and from anywhere. I think both Hayward and Pentair have these? The only other thing I have is a Pentair Intellibrite. I don't have the control box for that, though I wish I did. I just switch it on and off to get to the pattern I like (but magenta is not working!). It would be nice if that could be on a remote also, but not so important.

I think some of these programs also monitor water? Are those accurate? Oh, and I am also looking for built in freeze protection.

My Tri-Star has six speeds, but I think the most I have seen on newer models in 4?

Anyway...Sorry for being long-winded but maybe someone has a set up like what I am describing and can just recommend what they have...Thanks... I will keep looking at the threads.
 
Tina,

In theory, all the things you want to do are pretty standard on most automation systems. The downside of course is the cost. $$$..

I have a Pentair system and like it, but all the major brands operate about the same way. The one major problem with different brands is that they all "talk" different languages, so it is very important that any VS pump, any SWCG, and the automation system all be the same brand.

Here is how my system works..

1. I can control everything via my PC, Tablet, or phone.
2. I can run my pump at any speed I want... either by an automatic schedule, or by just clicking an icon on the screen
3. I can adjust the output of my SWCG or see the salt level
4. I can add water to my pool by clicking an icon.
5. I can control my pool light.. I have a simple light, but if I had a color LED, I could adjust the color at will.
6. The system has built-in freeze protection.
7. In my case, the system controls a water fall. It will automatically turn it on a few minutes a day to keep the water fresh, or I can turn it on with an icon.
8. It also controls my landscape lighting.
9. I just bought a standalone Spa, and my plan is to use the automation system to turn it on and control the heat as well.

So, in short an automation system would do all the things you want.... except.. monitor your water... You still have to test and balance your water manually. We have found that automated chemical systems are complex, prone to errors, and require constant calibration, making them not well suited for the average pool owner.

For reference I have a Pentair EasyTouch automation system, with built-in SWCG power supply, an IC40 SWCG, an IntelliFlo VS pump, and ScreenLogic, which allows remote access/control of the system.

I love it and would recommend it to anyone.

Good luck with your quest..

Jim R.
 
Thanks that's what I am getting. But I did not know it came with another big box...I was trying to get the boxes off the fence. What about the Dophin, that does not work with it, does it?
 
Tina,

Well it is a big box, but just one big box..

It is the load center where all your circuit breakers are..

It is the power supply and control center for the Salt Cell

It has all the electronics for controlling external devices

It has controls all automated valves..

Etc.

The only thing 'pool related' on my wall is the EasyTouch Enclosure and the transformer for my landscape lighting.. Everything else is inside the EasyTouch.

I lied... I also have the power supply for my Dolphin pool cleaner. The cleaner is self contained and is not connected to the EasyTouch control system.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Thanks...I was just trying to get all the weight off the cheap, new fence. It weighs it down. My salt cell is Hayward so it still has a separate box. We'll have to figure out some way to mount the boxes on poles or something. Meanwhile, I am looking forward to the automation. BTW I am in North Richland Hills!
 
Tina,

Just so that we are both on the same page... The EasyTouch is designed to control the Pentair IntelliFlo pump and the Pentair Intellichlor Salt System. It will not control your Hayward pump or salt cell.. It can turn your salt system on/off, but it can't control any data coming from or going to the cell..

Here is an example of what Salt Cell parameters the ET can control using ScreenLogic..

dbtgallery.php


Here is an example of pump speed control using ScreenLogic..

dbtgallery.php


The first rule of automation is that the automation system, the VS pump, and salt cell all have to be the same brand if you expect them to talk together.. Just want to make sure you know what your are getting and what it can and cannot do..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Yes, that is it, but I can not afford to replace the salt system now. So it is for my pump, waterfall and light. As it stands, can't connect screen logic to antenna!
 
Tinaja said:
Yes, that is it, but I can not afford to replace the salt system now. So it is for my pump, waterfall and light. As it stands, can't connect screen logic to antenna!
Click to expand...

My ScreenLogic is hard-wired because my ET is just outside my office, so I'm not much help with that problem..

Some thoughts....

How far is it between your outside antenna and the inside transceiver?

Does the signal have to pass through many walls?

Do the TX and RX lights flash or do anything?

I would try adjusting antenna to point in different directions.. I'm talking about rotating the clam shell looking base but keeping the pointed end up..

How do you know it is the link between the antenna and the transceiver and not something else?

Let's hope one of the guys with the wireless link will chime in...

(I saw your other post.. Although this is a wireless connection, it is not Wi-Fi, so an extender will not work..)

Jim R.
 
I meant one that could also be configured as an access point. The router is in my basement and the pool is far away from the house. However I think it was interference. I got it to connect but it's not turning off and it is scheduled to run 9 - 6. The installers are gone of course. Lights not working either. Yikes. I have been without a pump for one month and now this one might run non-stop! I'm going to try to find a manual and figure out why it is not running according to schedule.
 
Tina,

Can you do a screen capture of the flow rate settings like the example above and one of your schedule...???

Like this...

dbtgallery.php


Jim R.

- - - Updated - - -

Look at the pump's control panel and make sure it says... "Display not Active" which means the pump is being controlled by the EasyTouch. If not, it is being run by the pump itself and not the ET...
 

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Thank you. The panel does not say "Display not active". Says some other stuff...My screen looks like yours but only shows one thing - pump - Start time 9 Stop time 6 every day. Since we could not connect, he just programmed that on the panel. Nothing else was programmed. But why didn't it turn off at 6? Is there a clock on the pump that should be set so it will know what time it is?
 
Do you have any wired ethernet in your house on the first floor in a room closer to the pool? Since you note your router is in the basement I assume that is where your "brick" is - the part of the Screen Logic that plugs in to the ethernet. It doesn't have to be plugged directly in to the router, but does need to be plugged in to the ethernet network. If you have any wired ethernet connections on the main level of the house, in a room closer to the pool you can move the brick up there and it might have better connectivity out to the pump area of the pool.

Do you know in feet how far the pump is from the house? How many steps? I don't know the true range of the Screen Logic antenna / connectivity, but it is proprietary and it is not a Wifi signal as Jim noted. If you don't have any wired connectivity upstairs and the distance from the house to the pool isn't excessive, you can still buy Wifi wireless access points for the first floor of your house and plug the brick in to the access point. It might have a better chance of communicating out to the pool.

Your PC or Smartphone connects to your local network and communicates to the brick over ethernet. The brick then communicates out to the antenna by the pool over it's own proprietary wireless connectivity. You've got to do something to make sure those last two can communicate - there is a limitation, but I don't know what is advertised and it will be affected by any buildings, walls, etc in the way. It can be hardwired as Jim noted, but then you've got a wire to bury. The key is to get the two close enough they can communicate.

Hope that helps some, but the key is that brick has to communicate out to the pump for you to have remote access.
 
Tinaja said:
Thank you. The panel does not say "Display not active". Says some other stuff...My screen looks like yours but only shows one thing - pump - Start time 9 Stop time 6 every day. Since we could not connect, he just programmed that on the panel. Nothing else was programmed. But why didn't it turn off at 6? Is there a clock on the pump that should be set so it will know what time it is?
Click to expand...

I suspect that it is not running on a schedule, but rather on something called an egg timer.. the egg timer just runs a preset amount of time. Not sure what he set it for...

I assume the installer is coming back tomorrow to finish the job... In the meantime, you can use the up/dn arrows to adjust the speed to something like 1200 or 1500 rpm. You can run at that speed 24/7 for $20 bucks a month, so one day of running will not even be noticed..

Try to watch him program the unit... It is pretty easy once you see if for yourself one time. A little hard to explain without pictures.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Thanks again...No, I wasn't available today and won't be for a week. This morning I noticed it was off after 6 am. Then it came on at nine and went off at 6 pm. Now my problem is that I need to add chemicals with the pump running...Please can you tell me how to change it to start at 7am instead of 9? So I can add chemicals before I go... This automation is not timely!
 
Tina,

Select "Settings", then "Schedule" (may already be there) then click the line you want to change... a bunch of Icons will show up at the bottom of the screen and it is pretty obvious from there. Just adjust the time to what you want.

Then just click to another screen and it will automatically save.. Do not select Add or Delete program unless you want to add a whole new program or to delete the line selected...

Let me know if this does not make sense to you and I'll try again...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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