Z-Wave Pool Thermostat with Water Temperature Sensor
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Posted by Richard Kaplan on September 23, 2007, 8:09 pm
Please log in for more thread options home automation system. The Homeseer website lists a Z-wave thermostat (TZ40) from a company called RCS, which also makes an optional remote pool/spa temperature sensor (RSP2). My thought is that I would install the TZ40 and RSP2 very close to my pool pump/plumbing. Then I would set up a computer with home automation software and a z-wave receiver elsewhere in thse house (probably Homeseer with the Maestro Heat & Air Plug-in. I got a technical service reply from RCS, however, saying that the RSP2 is discontinued and RCS no longer offers any type of pool/spa control. Also RCS suggets that "this may not be too practical a use for z-wave topology since it's a mesh network type of RF transmission and requires retransmitters out to the pool pad area." Are there other manufacturers who make a z-wave thermostat with a pool water sensor? Is it true that z-wave is not a practical use for this application? If so, what other design would be better? -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com | |||||||||||||
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Posted by b_weijenberg on September 24, 2007, 1:54 am
Please log in for more thread options You can use an Oregon Scientific water temp sensor THWR288. The Homeseer xAP plug-in supports this type of sensor already and the ACRF2 plug-in will support it in the near future. To receive the Oregon sensors you need an RFXCOM 433.92MHz receiver. RFXCOM has USB connected receivers and using the newest Ethernet connected receivers you can put your Home Automation receivers and transmitter now on the optimum location for receiving all sensors in your property. No longer problems with RF noise radiated by the PC. Simply put the receiver at a larger distance from the PC with a LAN or WLAN connection and it makes the receiver now more sensitive. If the Ethernet interface is connected to the Internet it enables you to add remote locations to your Home Automation system. Connect your holiday home to receive the security sensors, temperature and humidity and switch X10 or control Harrison curtains or even control and check the home of your grandmother. All existing Home Automation software that runs on a Windows platform and has interfacing software for the W800RF receiver or the RFXCOM receiver can use the RFXCOM Ethernet interface without any modification in the HA software thanks to the CPR (COM Port Redirector) software. This CPR software emulates a standard COM port in Windows. On other platforms like Mac and Linux, the communication protocol is via TCP/IP with the receivers and transmitter. Of course, TCP/IP communication is also possible on the Windows platforms. All RFXCOM receivers have a W800RF compatible receiving mode and the RFXCOM receiver translates all received non-X10 RF packets (like Visonic, SecureLinc, KlikOn-KlikOff, Domia Lite) to an equivalent X10 packet. This makes it possible to process those non-X10 sensors and remotes by all X10 oriented Home Automation software without any modification in this Home Automation software. There are 4 different types of RFXCOM Ethernet interfaces. 1. LAN with 1 COM port and connections for 1 or 2 receivers OR 1 transmitter, 2. WLAN with 2 COM ports and connections for 1 or 2 receivers AND 1 transmitter, 3. LAN with 2 COM ports and connections for 1 or 2 receivers AND 1 transmitter, 4. WLAN+LAN with 2 COM ports and connections for 1 or 2 receivers AND 1 transmitter. http://www.rfxcom.com/receivers.htm Bert | |||||||||||||
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Posted by Richard Kaplan on September 24, 2007, 2:15 am
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> You can use an Oregon Scientific water temp sensor THWR288.
> The Homeseer xAP plug-in supports this type of sensor already and the > ACRF2 plug-in will support it in the near future. > To receive the Oregon sensors you need an RFXCOM 433.92MHz receiver. Thanks... it looks like that would work as a standalone thermometer. What I am looking for though is a thermostat, not just a thermometer. I would like this thermostat to sense the temperature in my pool and then control my pool heater. Any idea how I can do that? -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com | |||||||||||||
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Posted by Dave Houston on September 24, 2007, 6:42 am
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>Also RCS suggets that "this may not be too practical a use for z-wave
>topology since it's a mesh network type of RF transmission and requires >retransmitters out to the pool pad area." > >Are there other manufacturers who make a z-wave thermostat with a pool >water sensor? Is it true that z-wave is not a practical use for this >application? If so, what other design would be better? Let me understand this - a manufacturer of a Z-Wave thermostat has told you this is not a good application and you still to use Z-Wave for this? While you may find greedy dealers who neither know nor care about suitability, you should give a lot of credence when a manufacturer indicates you should look elsewhere. In general, Z-Wave and all other FCC-compliant RF devices have limited range (although, outdoors with no obstructions is "best case"). Z-Wave and some other mesh networks overcome this by using multiple units to relay the signals but Z-Wave has a maximum number of hops (4 in the standard setup) which limits the maximum distance even with multiple units. There are also some issues with feedback from Z-Wave devices and Z-Wave devices relay the signal sequentially so there are delays proportional to the number of hops. I would not recommend RF as the heart of the system for this application. There are numerous companies that specialize in automated pool controls. Google using "pool automation" and you will be overwhelmed with choices. | |||||||||||||
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Posted by Richard Kaplan on September 24, 2007, 9:31 am
Please log in for more thread options On 2007-09-24 06:42:13 -0400, nobody@whocares.com (Dave Houston) said:
> Let me understand this - a manufacturer of a Z-Wave thermostat has told you
> this is not a good application and you still to use Z-Wave for this? While Yes and no. They NO LONGER manufacture z-wave thermostats. Granted, maybe that means it didn't work well. > In general, Z-Wave and all other FCC-compliant RF devices have limited range
> (although, outdoors with no obstructions is "best case"). Z-Wave and some But the distance involved here is no more than for any other devices in my house. Is distance the only concern? > I would not recommend RF as the heart of the system for this application.
> There are numerous companies that specialize in automated pool controls. > Google using "pool automation" and you will be overwhelmed with choices. Yes and no. Jandy's system for example is apparently proprietary and cannot be operated over the Interernet except with some major hacking. And Intermatic uses z-wave technology on a dedicated pool automation system - so why does it work there? What "official" or dedicated pool automation system which doesn't use z-wave can be operated via the Internet? -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com | |||||||||||||
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> home automation system.
>
> The Homeseer website lists a Z-wave thermostat (TZ40) from a company
> called RCS, which also makes an optional remote pool/spa temperature
> sensor (RSP2).
>
> My thought is that I would install the TZ40 and RSP2 very close to my
> pool pump/plumbing. Then I would set up a computer with home
> automation software and a z-wave receiver elsewhere in thse house
> (probably Homeseer with the Maestro Heat & Air Plug-in.
>
> I got a technical service reply from RCS, however, saying that the RSP2
> is discontinued and RCS no longer offers any type of pool/spa control.
> Also RCS suggets that "this may not be too practical a use for z-wave
> topology since it's a mesh network type of RF transmission and requires
> retransmitters out to the pool pad area."
>
> Are there other manufacturers who make a z-wave thermostat with a pool
> water sensor? Is it true that z-wave is not a practical use for this
> application? If so, what other design would be better?
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com