Automated controllers are the most sophisticated pieces of equipment found in the pool and spa industry, hands down.
Over the last few years, manufacturers have made considerable strides to simplify the units, so they’re more intuitive for professionals and users alike, largely through the integration of the internet and mobile devices. The following tips should go even further to help ensure success when replacing or servicing these units.
DON’T SPARE ON THE FUNCTIONS
One of the biggest selling points for automatic controls can be, ironically, one of its most neglected, experts say. Specifically, some professionals don’t program controllers with as many functions as possible.
Don’t forget: Some devices can control things outside the pool, such as landscape lighting and irrigation. Explore those options before deciding how many functions the controller should accommodate.
Landscape lighting often goes ignored, as does the external input for an automatic pool cover. This safety feature can detect when an auto cover is closed and keep the waterfeature pump off.Add a few spare relays for functions that could be added in the future.
PERFORM ADVANCED INTEL
Make sure the controller has all of the needed sensors. For instance, it probably will come with a water-temperature sensor. But is it equipped to read the air temperature? If not, check with your customers to see if they want that capability.
Additionally, if you’re installing a controller for the first time, or are new to a particular model, do some legwork before actually going to the site and installing it. Read the manual ahead of time. Take it out of the box and look at it.Also, learn about the pool’s and/or spa’s hydraulics and use ahead of time. This will help you program the unit to meet the needs of the owner and circulation system.
Carefully locate the antenna
Antennae send signals from the home’s internet connection, allowing the user to control via a smartphone, tablet or computer.
The antenna, also known as a transceiver, should be placed to provide the best signal possible. Some installers mistakenly will put them directly on or inside the controller housing, or load center. They do this to create the cleanest-looking installation or in the belief that having the two components right next to each other will guarantee the best signal. But reception can be hindered by this practice, as the high voltage inside the automation box can cause interference and degrade the signal.
Adding to the challenge: The Federal Communications Commission only allows controllers to emit approximately ¼ watt of power, making it crucial that professionals strategically place the transceiver.
For the best reception, place the unit at least 10 feet from the load center. Also try finding a place with the fewest solid obstacles possible between the antenna and modem. This eases the signal’s path and minimizes the possibility of interference.
Keep the transceiver away from metallic elements, which also can cause interference. This includes stucco walls, since the wire mesh underneath will act as a ground plane and send incoming signals to ground rather than the receiving load center. In such cases, consider mounting the units on poles, fences or other nearby structures.If there is no good, obstacle-light location, units with longer cables can be placed in the attic, since signals transmit more easily through wood framing and shingles.
Also think in terms of the antenna’s exposure where it’s placed. For instance, try to avoid putting it on top of a wall or other location where a gardener trimming bushes might inadvertently cut it.
Don’t rely on FACTORY SETTINGS
Many controllers come with default programming to operate primary functions. However, the scheduling will probably be wrong because it isn’t customized to the homeowner’s pool or spa. The set point, alarms and feed event timers likely will need adjustment to meet the demands of the specific vessels — particularly when it comes to chemical levels.
Relying on default settings can result in system problems. For instance, a pump may be scheduled to run at a lower speed — say, 20 or 30 gallons per minute — at a time when the heater may turn on. Generally speaking, heaters need at least 40 gpm to protect it from overheating. If the water moves too slowly, copper heat exchangers can melt or other damage occur.
Avoid conflicting and redundant programs
Sometimes homeowners or less-experienced pool and spa professionals accidentally program redundant or conflicting functions into the controller. They might, for instance, set more than one pump schedule without realizing it. This can happen if the pro thought a program didn’t go through and re-entered it.
This can cause confusion for the end user. To avoid redundancy, check to see if the correct number of functions have already been programmed before adding another.
Automation
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Locate the antenna, also called a transceiver, in a spot that’s visually and physically unobtrusive. The antenna for this backyard poolscape (1) is very subtly placed behind the raised rock wall (2). Another is set on a wall (3).
Play slideshowRespect the electronics
When working with controllers, you’ve moved from electrical to electronics. The systems are much more delicate, so they should be handled with the same caution as a computer, or as we show when opening the back of a television set.
Simple mistakes can have major consequences. For instance, installers and technicians have been known to wedge chips in the wrong way, rather than treating them like a phone jack that only goes in one direction. If a connector doesn’t insert easily, don’t push on it. Check to make sure you’re putting it in the right direction.
Don’t treat the controller like a more durable piece of equipment such as a metallic pump. For instance, don’t throw it in the back of a truck and leave it there exposed to the elements for long periods of time. Handle them like computers.
Another key error occurs when low-voltage wires are involved. Some technicians try to work with the unit plugged in because they know there is no fire hazard. But you wouldn’t plug or unplug the boards in a computer that’s turned on, and you shouldn’t work like that here — or you could cause a short and blow the chip.
Check the internet signal
Occasionally, especially if the internet router is a few years old, a controller may not be able to connect with the wireless cable modem. Check the signal with a smartphone: Connect the device to the homeowner’s internet and see how many bars show on the phone. If you have one bar, there’s a weak signal.
This can be fixed by purchasing a booster and plugging it in the wall between the router and pool equipment. The wireless cable modem will pick up the signal and strengthen it. It’s a $50 fix. This also can help when the transceiver and modem are extraordinarily far apart, or have too many walls or other obstacles between them. If your smartphone shows a signal near the modem but not near the pool, that could be the problem.
Get creative with compatibility issues
Sometimes, you may be told that a controller isn’t compatible with the equipment the customer already has. The components may not speak the same language.
But many clients won’t consider purchasing new equipment if they don’t have to, and they should be able to use the control that best meets their needs.
Some creativity may be required when addressing these issues. For instance, if a variable-speed pump can’t communicate directly with the control, try running a data cable directly from the pump to the control. It likely will fix the problem. The controller communicates with the internet, then directs the pump to change speeds when needed.
TRY TO AVOID SPLICING
If a wire is too short to reach its destination, replace it with a new, longer one. Each splice creates extra resistance on the lines. If the splice isn’t done just correctly, lines or data can be dropped, signals can be compromised, and inaccurate readings could result.
Even if spliced wires work after installation, they may deteriorate prematurely when exposed to moisture or humidity. It’s possible for a project that’s only a few years old to have connections that are weak or nonexistent from splices. In those cases, replacing the wires should fix the problem.
Sometimes splices can’t be avoided. This can prove especially problematic for temperature sensors. For instance, a solar temperature sensor likely will have to go on the roof with the panels, thereby needing extra wiring. Most temperature sensors on the market today work on resistance. As it receives voltage from the controller, it will resist the flow of electricity a certain amount, depending on the temperature. The colder the water, the more it resists the voltage. The controller then translates this amount of resistance into a temperature and makes the proper adjustment to achieve the optimum.
For the controller to properly monitor the water’s heat, it must receive a pure resistance reading. So when installing the sensors, one goal is to prevent extra resistance from entering the system. If splicing is absolutely necessary, installers should use weatherproof splice cap connectors in those cases where the connection must be extended past what the provided wire allows.
Without weatherproof splice cap connectors, extra resistance can gradually enter the system: Air will reach the connections, slowly oxidize the copper and, ultimately, compromise the connection.
PAY ATTENTION TO ELECTRICAL SAFETY
Anything metallic on the equipment pad needs to be bonded, and anything using electricity should be grounded. The panels for controllers are subject to the same bonding and grounding requirements as other pieces of equipment. Be sure that each panel is treated accordingly.
Some boxes are made of plastic, so the component may not need bonding. If the unit does not have a bonding lug, verify that it doesn’t require this electrical safeguard.
Many of the electrical panels for control systems combine low- and high-voltage wiring, which need to remain separate from each other. That is why these housings contain individual compartments.
Unfortunately some professionals cross wires or even run them in the same conduit or enclosure, creating a serious hazard: If a high-voltage conductor were to become hot enough to melt the insulation of a low-voltage wire, then the bare wires could touch, causing high voltage to transfer into wires intended to send low voltage. High voltage then could be sent to a low-voltage light.
Finally, when choosing a panel housing, make sure it is listed for use near pools and spas. If they are built to withstand the environmental conditions, then corrosion is less likely to occur.
Avoid overcalibration
When it comes to commercial pools and spas, codes often dictate that automated controllers be calibrated with a test kit to insure the unit is correctly monitoring the chemistry. But it’s easy for conscientious operators to become overzealous. If three people work on the site in a day, they each may calibrate the unit. But readings will differ as conditions evolve through the day and different eyes view the results.
Conflicting readings may cause users to constantly adjust the controllers, even when there may not be anything wrong.
Calibrate the unit the same time each day, so usage and lighting conditions are more consistent. The fewest people possible should calibrate, to minimize conflicting translations. If results fall in the permitted parameters, let the controller do its job.
