Home
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Home
Forums
Main category
Main forum
Pool Automation Controller
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="travelbug" data-source="post: 188" data-attributes="member: 52"><p>Hi Guys,</p><p></p><p>As per your email, I know something about pools (my dad used to sell and install them, and was an electrician and plumber to boot).</p><p></p><p>I am an electrical engineer, that dabbles in home automation and digital control systems. My comments are as follows.</p><p></p><p>This might be a great idea, but you might want to target a slightly wider audience/customer base. Pools have a lot of similarities (but simpler), than aquariums!</p><p></p><p>There are a LOT more aquariums out there than pools, but the combination is a large market. Yes there are aquarium controllers out there already, but they are mostly closed, proprietary non expandable /non-customizable. You might kill two birds with one stone if you take this into your design considerations,</p><p></p><p>Some features of both pool and aquarium controllers:</p><p>monitoring:</p><p>Temperature monitoring (pools can use multiple temps if they have a solar heater loop.... If temp in loop is greater than temp in pool, turn on loop pump..etc</p><p>loop inlet/loop outlet/main temp/ outdoor (air) temp</p><p>PH monitoring (should be able to use off the shelf scientific / industrial pH sensors - calibration etc.</p><p>ORP monitoring</p><p>Sunlight? monitoring ( for day /night determination)</p><p></p><p>REAL TIME CLOCK</p><p></p><p>Control:</p><p>circulating pumps (2 at least?) main pump aux pump, solar loops?</p><p>heater on/off (timer, or setpoints (from temperature monitor, or logic driven)</p><p>pH doser control (can be dosing pump? or just relay to control) dosing motor (generally a peristaltic pump)</p><p>ORP control ( relay output, generally for OZONE generator).</p><p></p><p>Lighting control (pools - underwater lights, outdoor lights etc)</p><p>lighting controls /(aquarium: LED/HID, etc) timer based, generally 2 -3 outlets for staging (separate timers for moonlight.daylight etc. BONUS - dimming of LED lights for ramp up ramp down.</p><p></p><p>Aquarium only:</p><p>FEEDER output: feeder timer set for 1,2,3,4 times per day. Relay output. Logic also turns of certain circulation pumps.</p><p>Filter (sump) pump control (logic, and timer).</p><p>4x Circulation pumps (timer on/off, cyclical, logic triggers)</p><p>Protein skimmer pump control (relay on off, timer, logic driven)</p><p></p><p>Logic circuitry.</p><p>Simple logic for on off</p><p>Alarm conditions (overtemp, pH out of range, ORP out of range, no circulation</p><p></p><p></p><p>Display/notifications (from software)</p><p>Email, SMS, local display, phone app?</p><p>WiFi enabled? WiFi reprogrammable (OTA)</p><p></p><p></p><p>Hope this helps getting your creative juices flowing.</p><p></p><p>Best will be open design, expandable, customizable.</p><p></p><p>Let me know what you think...!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="travelbug, post: 188, member: 52"] Hi Guys, As per your email, I know something about pools (my dad used to sell and install them, and was an electrician and plumber to boot). I am an electrical engineer, that dabbles in home automation and digital control systems. My comments are as follows. This might be a great idea, but you might want to target a slightly wider audience/customer base. Pools have a lot of similarities (but simpler), than aquariums! There are a LOT more aquariums out there than pools, but the combination is a large market. Yes there are aquarium controllers out there already, but they are mostly closed, proprietary non expandable /non-customizable. You might kill two birds with one stone if you take this into your design considerations, Some features of both pool and aquarium controllers: monitoring: Temperature monitoring (pools can use multiple temps if they have a solar heater loop.... If temp in loop is greater than temp in pool, turn on loop pump..etc loop inlet/loop outlet/main temp/ outdoor (air) temp PH monitoring (should be able to use off the shelf scientific / industrial pH sensors - calibration etc. ORP monitoring Sunlight? monitoring ( for day /night determination) REAL TIME CLOCK Control: circulating pumps (2 at least?) main pump aux pump, solar loops? heater on/off (timer, or setpoints (from temperature monitor, or logic driven) pH doser control (can be dosing pump? or just relay to control) dosing motor (generally a peristaltic pump) ORP control ( relay output, generally for OZONE generator). Lighting control (pools - underwater lights, outdoor lights etc) lighting controls /(aquarium: LED/HID, etc) timer based, generally 2 -3 outlets for staging (separate timers for moonlight.daylight etc. BONUS - dimming of LED lights for ramp up ramp down. Aquarium only: FEEDER output: feeder timer set for 1,2,3,4 times per day. Relay output. Logic also turns of certain circulation pumps. Filter (sump) pump control (logic, and timer). 4x Circulation pumps (timer on/off, cyclical, logic triggers) Protein skimmer pump control (relay on off, timer, logic driven) Logic circuitry. Simple logic for on off Alarm conditions (overtemp, pH out of range, ORP out of range, no circulation Display/notifications (from software) Email, SMS, local display, phone app? WiFi enabled? WiFi reprogrammable (OTA) Hope this helps getting your creative juices flowing. Best will be open design, expandable, customizable. Let me know what you think...! [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Home
Forums
Main category
Main forum
Pool Automation Controller
Top