Automatic Pool Chemical Controllers
Pool chemical controllers use a special microprocessor as their source of operation that is the brain of the unit. Automatic pool controllers are devices that can be simple in design set up, limiting you with the ability to only adjust your pH and pool disinfectant level. On the other hand, these automatic pool monitoring devices can also be overly complex in design.
This depends on the amount of special features and/or options that are available from the manufacturer.
Automatic pool controllers that are more complex in their design set up, have the ability...
- To incorporate remote computer communication.
- To do data logging.
- To control other pool water parameters beside your pH and sanitizer levels.
Automatic swimming pool chemical controllers are devices that can control and monitor more than one swimming pool or spa at a time. If you decide to go with the more basic design in an automatic pool controller, you will be very limited in carrying out your pool water analysis.
With the simple swimming pool automation controller design, you do not get an actual pH and ORP reading display. Instead of giving you a digital readout, a simple pool chemical controller have a few small indicator lights. These indicator lights will inform you or the pool operator whether or not the probe measured values are within your set limits.
As manufacturers add more special functions to their pool chemical controllers, the more complex these chemical control systems become. Automatic swimming pool controllers that are of the complex design, can be incorporated to perform a number of different pool monitoring tasks.
An automatic pool control system can be programmed to provide the user with information on anything pertaining to his or her pool or spa water. The information provide can be anything from digital readouts, to sounding special alarms whenever something is seriously wrong. Using an automatic pool automation controlling system, can provide data storage that will not be corrupted or affected by a power interruption.
Swimming pool and spa chemical automation is now being highly recognized as an absolute must for many swimming pools and spas around the world. Especially in commercial swimming pool automation.
You can even see controllers being used on cooling towers, and industrial water treatment process plants as well.
Using a special advanced microprocessor, an automatic swimming pool or spa chemical controllers introduce a new standard of sophistication in controlling your pool disinfectant, oxidizers, ORP, and pH levels.
Most automatic pool chemical controllers come with standard features that were added during their construction or design. Some of these standard features include:
- ORP control of your pool sanitizer/s and or oxidizer activity.
- pH control with a choice of controlling an acid or a base feed.
- Programmable shock treatment and chemical saving cycles.
- Langelier saturation index for water balance.
- Automatic data logging.
- Full screen menus that can be displayed in different languages.
- Record your pool's circulation or filtration line pressures.
As you can see from the listings above, it is clearly indicated that having an automatic pool controller can be extremely useful and cost effective in many ways. Manufacturers of most of these automatic chemical controllers, also offer other options that you can have added. Some of these very sophisticated options include:
- Having your pool sanitizer concentration displayed in either ppm or mg/l.
- Having a programmable pool heater control added.
- Having control of conductivity or total dissolved solids (TDS).
- Being able to remotely access your automatic controller from a computer anywhere in the world and see the data displayed in graphical form.
One important fact that we should always remember, it does not matter if a swimming pool controller is of the simple basic or complex multi-functional design.
There will always be one particularly important requirement that is common between the two.
All chemical feed systems, manual or automatic, must be able to shut down if there is a lost in circulation to your pool or spa. This is an important safety feature that will prevent over-feeding of your pool disinfectant, which can lead to the temporary closure of your recreational facility.
Furthermore, if any of your swimming pool chemical controllers have any malfunctions such as false readings from your probes, the fail-safe mode will stop or prevent any activation of your chemical feeders
Initial Setup Automatic Pool Chemical Controllers
When you initially set up your new pool chemical controller, you have to determine the correct size of your swimming pool or spa. This process is necessary if you are going to choose the right type of feed cycle. For instance, many homeowners who have small pools or spa systems would rather have a more precise chemical control delivery system.
The best choice for them would be a proportional control method. Using a proportional feed method will prevent over-feeding from over-sized chemical feeders. Basic chemical controller designs use a simple on/off control signal, which controls your chemical feed pumps.
However, using a simple controller design setup, can result in greater changes to your pool or spa water chemistry. More than a well-trained pool/spa such as yourself would want. Using these types of swimming pool chemical controllers will cause your pool water chemistry to fluctuate from highs to lows and back again; thus, giving you that unwanted yo-yoing effect.
On the other hand - an automatic swimming pool controller that has a proportional feed, measures how far off your readings are from the desired set point. Using this type of controller feed method for your chemical will activate your chemical feeders for a short time when your pool readings are closer to their set points.
Now if your pool readings are far away from their set points, your chemical feeders will be activated for a longer time period. This feed process will continue until your set points have been reached and maintained. This feature when used correctly, will minimize the swings from highs to lows in your pool water chemistry.
Advantages of Installing Automatic Swimming Pool Controllers
As I mentioned earlier, automatic swimming pool and spa controllers can be programmed to notify a pool or spa operator on the other side of the world...concerning issues about their pools. This special feature helps to solve small problems before they escalate into bigger ones. This advantage will help minimize any down times for any of your pools or spas.
Despite the many different advantages that a chemical pool controller can give you, it is still vital to have someone who is well trained.
This trained person will be capable of diagnosing and fixing your pool water problems.
The truth of the matter - it is ineffective to notice an alarm situation and not be able to diagnose or fix the problem.
As a pool operator or pool owner, your thinking and acting is still an absolute must, even though your swimming pools are being monitored by automatic pool chemical controllers.
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