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how to control swimming pool

khurramkhurram Posts: 31
in AMX Hardware
Hi all
Anybody try to control swimming pool if anybody did so plz help us witch hardware we can use.
I have NI-3100 and MVP-8400 I want to show on panel water temperature and control

Comments

  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    Well, for my pool I have an underwater temperature sensor from RCS. It is polled every second by the system for the temperature. On the filter, I replaced the dial guage with a 0-60 pressure transducer that I purchased from Automation Direct. It provides an analog voltage proportional to the head pressure of the pump. The analog voltage is sampled by an AXC-VAI2 card in an Axcent 3 Pro. The pool pump is energized through a contactor that is turned on by an Axcent 3 Pro relay. As an added bonus in this setup, when the pump head pressure gets too high (filter medium clogged) the pump is turned off and a message is sent to my cell via iEquipmentMonitorOut. Works quite well.
  • ericmedleyericmedley Posts: 4,177
    Perhaps there's an

    EVERYONE_OUT_OF_POOL,EVERYONE_IN_POOL keyword...
    :D
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    khurram wrote: »
    Hi all
    Anybody try to control swimming pool if anybody did so plz help us witch hardware we can use.
    Jandy and Pentair are two manufactures that offer pool and spa control/feedback via RS-232.
  • John GonzalesJohn Gonzales Posts: 609
    We use the Jandy with good results also. Feedback is good, reliability has been good for us though I understand others on the forum have had occasional issues with the RS232 protocol adapter locking up. The Jandy is pretty commonly used among the pool builders and pool maintenance contractors too, so they're familiar with setting it up and servicing it. You just have to link to it using the RS adapter and let them do their thing.

    Part numbers are Jandy Aqualink and Jandy Aqualink RS Serial Adapter.

    Link to Manual

    --John
  • John GonzalesJohn Gonzales Posts: 609
    Just wanted to emphasize my comment about how the other trades are familiar with the Jandy piece. To me this can be an important thing. If you spec or install a piece that they're not familiar with then you tend to end up with all kinds of conflict if there's a problem.

    Take for instance a simple Aprilaire or Viewstat thermostat. You would think that any mechanical contractor would know how to properly install one of those, but you'd be amazed at how many contractors will screw it up. Then they complain to whoever will listen about the piece of crap you spec'ed and every time there's a problem they point to you. When you choose a piece they're familiar with then things tend to go smoother and you don't end up being the company that has to service every thing to do with their subsystem.

    When it's possible I prefer to go with a device that's simpler and familiar to the trade responsible for installing and servicing the device rather than an exotic piece that causes them to point fingers the first second they get confused.


    --John
  • glr-ftiglr-fti Posts: 286
    I have also had success with Jandy and Pentair. I have recently started playing with Goldline Aqua Logic as they just came out with a RS232 box. A quick look shows a very limited command set. Looks like lots of parsing of the LCD display to get any data and emulating every keypad push to get a command. Very unfriendly and rather worhless since there are better options. That said a Goldline controller is about half the cost of the others.

    I would also agree with John on getting a device that other trades are familiar with. I even take it so far as to let them acquire it so that they don't think my hand is in their pocket.
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    ericmedley wrote: »
    Perhaps there's an

    EVERYONE_OUT_OF_POOL,EVERYONE_IN_POOL keyword...
    :D

    I hear all they do is link to SET_OUTDOOR_TEMP. ;)
  • davegrovdavegrov Posts: 114
    Goldline Aqua Connect

    Does anyone have the command set parsed out or some basic code to get started? I inherited a job where they put Goldline Aqua Connect in lieu instead of Jandy or Pentair.
  • glr-ftiglr-fti Posts: 286
    Don't waste your time with the current implementation of Aqua Connect. All you can do is emulate a couple of keypad presses. There is no feedback. I have contacted their Director of Engineering and he agrees that in its current state it is useless to us. He was going to attempt to work on an upgrade or new product late this fall. No guarantees with that though. He is supposed to contact me when there is something ready for some beta testing. I'll post if there is ever any update.
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