Digital Pool Controls


Our client
A family who owns a high-end private residence with a large swimming pool and spa area.
Problems
Despite almost daily maintenance, with considerable ongoing expense, the pool water quality kept fluctuating and was frequently unsatisfactory (water turning green, unbalanced PH, etc). As a result, it was necessary to frequently add various chemicals in order to improve the water quality. In addition, the pool system was consuming a substantial amount of electricity to circulate water.
Strategic goals to achieve
  • Have perfect water quality all the time.
  • Reduce ongoing maintenance efforts and cost.
  • Reduce energy consumption by the pool system.
What we did

First, we designed and implemented a system to continuously monitor all relevant water measurements digitally (PH, free chlorine, redux potential, temperature, turbidity) and automatically dispense necessary chemicals to keep all parameters within a defined range. For this, we leveraged industrial measurement solutions as well as controls originally targeted for commercial pools.

Then, we designed and implemented a centrally-controlled digital system that enables all pumps to run at the optimal fractional power for each circulation setting (Variable Frequency Drives). We added current sensors to all pumps to monitor their power consumption, as well as pressure and flow sensors.

Finally, we created an easy-to-use dashboard, usable on a smartphone and a touchscreen tablet in the pool area, to monitor the status of the pool (PH, temperature, chlorine level, etc) and control/adjust features of the various pool elements (spa, waterfalls, heating, lights).

Benefits
The pool and spa area have perfect water quality every day of the year. The pool servicing effort and cost was cut by 90%, the electricity consumption by 55%, and the chemical costs by 95%.