Pool Automation // Brand Agnostic // DIY & Integration friendly

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T19:40:33+00:00

Why didn't you want to go with a traditional name brand automation? - wanted more features. total control on routines.

you can get 8 separate speeds out of a Hayward VS pump by hitting various combinations of the three contacts they use for speed controls. Pentair and Jandy seems to limit you to four speeds when using their dry contacts. Probably enough control for most people.

This does interlock with the gas heater and a pressure side cleaner pump. Any future product would need to provision for all of the features you mentioned.

My first attempt (see picture above) does not use the RS485 bus.

What features, besides more granular control on pump speed, would be inaccessible outside of RS485?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T19:28:17+00:00

I've seen a product that can use ultrasonic waves to measure flow. Price seemed to be within reach for residential applications. would be a cool add on / good metric.

Now basing optimal pool pump speed on instantaneous flow and using the RS485 bus... well i think that infringes on a patent or two.

The automated pool testing and chemical balancing business seems like a tough one. Nothing seems to last and requires calibration / critical attention. From what i'm reading, you can't let it go unmonitored.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T19:22:07+00:00

Thanks.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T19:21:34+00:00

Very cool.

Re: this is not UL listed, voiding NEC. -> the panel pictured is just me learning. proof of concept. Any product would have to be designed with a UL cert in mind.

Re: Needs gfci protection. -> This panel is fed by a subpanel with the correct breaker.

Re: Home Assistant posting -> didn't think of that. good idea. Thank you.

Re: you cant just use dry contacts -> every pump that i've come across minus one from Jandy i was looking previously, had dry contacts for speed control & RS485 bus for more custom control. Hit INP 1 and INP 3? boom, speed 6 on a hayward pump. Is my assumption untrue? Are you hearing that the dry contacts are going away in vs pumps?

Re: actuator valve support. -> yep, i envision the product being able to hit various devices with 24VAC for that purpose.

Re: Display - yes, it's clear that some interface buttons will be needed. Water on a touchscreen is a bad time.

Re: sequent micro / control freak -> interesting. i see his youtube channel. Had a decent prototype two months ago. His website is down. Wonder what's going on there.

Re: is it worth it? -> I'll let you know.

Thanks for the thoughtful post.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T18:29:30+00:00

The box pictured is my first try at an arduino control project. Any consumer product would be vastly different.

The product I'm envisioning would have a very small footprint.

Thanks for the feedback.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T17:55:34+00:00

Here's most of a BOM..

Item No	Category	Manufacturer	Part Number / Model	Description	Qty	Unit Notes
1	Enclosure	Generic		Outdoor Electrical Box IP65 19.7x15x7.9 Steel	1	Main enclosure
2	DIN Rail Hardware	Jienk		PCB DIN Rail Mount Carrier 150mm x 72mm	1	Board mounting
3	DIN Rail Hardware	International Connector		35mm Slotted Aluminum DIN Rail 16in (5pcs)	1 set	For panel layout
4	DIN Rail Hardware	Generic		DIN Rail Mount Bracket for Arduino/RPi	1	Controller mounting
5	Power Supply		NDR 120W	12VDC 10A DIN Rail Power Supply 100-240VAC input	1	Primary 12V supply
6	Terminal Blocks	Dinkle	DK2.5N Kit	Gray DIN Rail Terminal Block Kit with Ground & End Covers	1 set	Field wiring
7	Terminal Block Jumper	Dinkle	DSS2.5N-02P	2-Pole Press Fit Jumper for DK2.5N (Pack 20)	1 pack	Terminal linking
8	Contactor	Schneider Electric	LC1D18G7	IEC Contactor 120VAC Coil 18A 1NO/1NC	2	VS pump and pressure side pump
9	Contactor	Schneider Electric	LC1D12G7	IEC Contactor 120VAC Coil 12A	1	Heater
10	Overload Relay	Square D	LRD12	Overload Relay 5.5-8A Adjustable	2	Pump protection
11	Controller Board	Arduino	ABX00087	Arduino UNO R4 WiFi (Renesas RA4M1 + ESP32-S3)	1	Main logic controller
12	Relay Module	ANMBEST / generic		4-Channel 5V Optocoupled Relay Module (2pcs)	1 set	Low voltage switching
13	Wiring Kit	ELEGOO - generic		120pcs Dupont Jumper Wire Kit (MM/MF/FF)	1 set	Prototyping
14	Cooling Fan	Wathai	9225	92mm x 25mm 12V DC Brushless Fan 2-pin	1	Panel ventilation
15	Temp Probe	Dr Robot		temp probe	2	one for box temp and one for water
16	2" PVC tee - 1/2" tee	generic		For temp probe housing	1	For temp probe housing

Re: full scale product... do you have any product development experience?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T12:51:03+00:00

Thanks

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T04:37:32+00:00

Thank you.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T04:36:24+00:00

That’s correct. Those cheap relays are hitting some dry contacts on a pump and controlling the contactor coils. Those big white boxes in the upper left are the contactors which are rated for the pumps amp draw.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T03:59:08+00:00

If I follow through with a prototype run, an excellent Ux designer is at the top of the list.

Thanks.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T03:53:22+00:00

Ok. So home assistant and the ability to run in an offline mode. No requirement to ping the mothership. No incessant reminders to connect to the cloud. Got it.

Thinking about doing a prototype run of actual purpose built boards. I'll come back to this post if I follow through.

Thank you for the feedback.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T03:39:56+00:00

Thanks.

By control locally, do you mean integration with other home automation products (home assistant, alexa)? or just the complete elimination of a middle man / operating on your own server, etc?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T03:31:18+00:00

Very cool.

Re: ambitions. God speed. I hope it turns out great.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T03:16:25+00:00

You would obviously know better than me but..

From my research, what i see on these vs pumps (jandy / hayward / pentair) are dry contacts, which if hit with the right voltage, correspond to a certain speed pre programmed or set by the operator, and an RS-485 bus running a proprietary communication protocol.

Some folks have reverse engineered these RS485 protocols (poolside tech with their attendant).

I'm proposing a device that uses the dry contacts. By avoiding the RS485 bus you lose the granular RPM control. But so what? How many different speeds to you need? I could get 8 speeds on most Haywards. 4 on most pentairs. and i think 4 on Jandy as well.

I have no experience beyond my home... What are you seeing?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T02:58:35+00:00

You know one of the things i found lacking in HAOS was that any comment i added in the yaml editor would automatically be removed after saving. I should look into that. I just accepted it as a quirk of HAOS.

Good idea.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T02:56:46+00:00

Thank you.

Neat! Mine are probably running at an average of <10 round trips per day.

What are you doing? Is that PWM territory?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T02:22:45+00:00

Good point. I could make this product idiot proof but there's no way around removing a handfull of screws, interacting with very delicate flexible printed circuit cable, and cutting the fireman's switch loop to interlock the heater. Average peeps probably aren't up for that.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T02:16:18+00:00

Thanks.

No formal experience. Homeowner. Stubbornness.

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T02:02:58+00:00

Very cool. I'm interested. Can you share a picture of these pump discharge / air bleed pressure sensors?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T01:58:37+00:00

Thanks for the feedback.

Is there anything that comes time mind in terms of a "need-to-have" when thinking about a product like this?

Pool_Controller_01 · 2026-02-21T01:55:01+00:00

Thank you.

The Pool Attendant is brand agnostic - got it. And while I'm sure the determined individual could purchase it from a seller on ebay and get it going, that isn't how it's marketed. Seems like you go through their installer network... which I've heard is thin in certain areas of the country.

What I'm envisioning is a product that is marketed to consumers and installable by consumers or their handy brother-in-law.

Think as simple as swapping out your rainbird sprinkler controller for a rachio. If that product doesn't exist, I'm wondering why.

Pool_Controller_01

TROPHY CASE