Upgrading manual pool timer to Z-wave, need advice

Other Devices & Integrations Water, Pool & Irrigation
#1

I?ve had Z-wave switches in my home since 2011 and installed a VeraEdge controller in 2015. So I have some experience with Z-wave and basic exposure to Vera.

I?m moving into a house with manual pool controls and want to Z-wave-ify the pump, cleaner, and light. The pool doesn?t have a heater and I don?t plan to install one. I?m upgrading from VeraEdge to the new VeraSecure and wanted to know pros/cons of some of the different options and ask if anyone had other suggestions. I plan to use a pool contractor or at least an electrician to do the install.

I have read about the Intermatic PE653 and understand some have had success making it work with VeraEdge. I had a plan to use 2 Aeon Labs ZW078-A switches to control the pump and cleaner at my last house but decided to sell before I could get it installed. I had also looked at the GE-12726. I would be willing to spend the money on the Intermatic 653 assuming the Vera setup wouldn?t be too complicated. Anyone know of any other/better solutions?

Thanks for your patience with a relative Vera newbie and first time poster.

#2

There’s plug ins for both Pentair and Jandy Controllers using the Autelis Control unit. I use the Jandy one and it works great but the problem right now is that Autelis is out of the controllers.

I don’t know anything about the intermatic system except that there’s some reports of issues with it.

#3

Another option would be several Fortrezz MIMO 2 Plus contact relays, especially if you don’t need to control a heater thermostat.

I use two of them (total of 4 relays) to control the speeds on my Variable Speed Pool Pump.

#4

Switches don’t work for controlling pumps. You need to use a relay. Try: GoControl Z-Wave Isolated Contact Fixture Module - FS20Z-1. Use one of these per device you wish to control - filter, spa, polaris, heater.

#5

Seems the OP vanished?

#6

I use the GE 12726 for my pool pump and it has been rock solid since I installed last year. Works wonderfully! Only issue was that my pool guy at first would sometimes toggle the switch into the non-RF mode and the unit would stay on until I could switch it back again.

My pool guys suggested that I didn’t have to run my pump as long during the winter as I do in the summer (I live in Florida). So I set it up (using PLEG) to automatically start my pump 2 hours and 45 minutes after sun-up and to turn off 2 hours and 45 minutes before sundown. So, the pump now naturally increases or decreases the amount of time it runs by a few minutes every day.

The result is that during the longest day of summer it runs around 8 hours and during the shortest day of winter it runs about 5 hours. Doing stuff like this is one of the many advantages of using HA instead of just a timer.

#7

[quote=“andrewgarfield, post:6, topic:197790”]I use the GE 12726 for my pool pump and it has been rock solid since I installed last year. Works wonderfully! Only issue was that my pool guy at first would sometimes toggle the switch into the non-RF mode and the unit would stay on until I could switch it back again.

My pool guys suggested that I didn’t have to run my pump as long during the winter as I do in the summer (I live in Florida). So I set it up (using PLEG) to automatically start my pump 2 hours and 45 minutes after sun-up and to turn off 2 hours and 45 minutes before sundown. So, the pump now naturally increases or decreases the amount of time it runs by a few minutes every day.

The result is that during the longest day of summer it runs around 8 hours and during the shortest day of winter it runs about 5 hours. Doing stuff like this is one of the many advantages of using HA instead of just a timer.[/quote]

I run my VS pump 12 hours plus some every day, most of the time at 1400 RPM. My bill went way down over running a 3450 RPM Pump for 6 hours a day.