A while ago we talked about my search for the perfect clock chip to
use for a swimming pool controller. After a lot of scratching designs
on paper and running the various systems manually to see what I really
needed, I came up with a very close to perfect solution. It is an
irrigation timer picking relays instead of zone valves. The timer I
have allows one minute to 999 minute intervals on 6 events with two 7
day programs. With 3 pole DT relays, controlled by the timer, a water
thermostat and an ambient air thermostat I can make all the decisions
necessary to run the solars efficiently and maintain a desired
temperature with no extra logic. (sun cooperating) It can also make
the decision to run at night and cool the pool.
You get the timer packaged in a rain tight, U/L listed package with
the display, battery backup and switches.
It passed the "wife test" in that a mere mortal might actually be able
to figure out what I was doing and fix it when I die. That was why all
of the CMOS and PIC solutions were eventually doomed. She did not want
some one of a kind thing that couldn't be figured out by your average
electrician.
Thanks to all who helped me in the thought process. Being worried
about the 120v side did edge me to a U/L listed "front end" although
the line voltage never really gets out of the input transformer box.
(probably why U/L likes it) Actually trying to write the program a
processor would use allowed me to flowchart the problem and reduce it
to the lowest common denominators so it was a valuable step.
use for a swimming pool controller. After a lot of scratching designs
on paper and running the various systems manually to see what I really
needed, I came up with a very close to perfect solution. It is an
irrigation timer picking relays instead of zone valves. The timer I
have allows one minute to 999 minute intervals on 6 events with two 7
day programs. With 3 pole DT relays, controlled by the timer, a water
thermostat and an ambient air thermostat I can make all the decisions
necessary to run the solars efficiently and maintain a desired
temperature with no extra logic. (sun cooperating) It can also make
the decision to run at night and cool the pool.
You get the timer packaged in a rain tight, U/L listed package with
the display, battery backup and switches.
It passed the "wife test" in that a mere mortal might actually be able
to figure out what I was doing and fix it when I die. That was why all
of the CMOS and PIC solutions were eventually doomed. She did not want
some one of a kind thing that couldn't be figured out by your average
electrician.
Thanks to all who helped me in the thought process. Being worried
about the 120v side did edge me to a U/L listed "front end" although
the line voltage never really gets out of the input transformer box.
(probably why U/L likes it) Actually trying to write the program a
processor would use allowed me to flowchart the problem and reduce it
to the lowest common denominators so it was a valuable step.
