What's the best way to set seasonal variables

[zaphod]

I have some Control4 Schedulers that control various aspects of my pool.  But my pool is now closed for the season.  What is the best way to turn a switch to off in a manual way for a number of months.  Right now I am just manually setting the variable in the Agents section of Composer.  You could do this based on months, but the pool is not opened or closed on the same time each year.

Then in my code I use If PoolSeason=True Then ...

Is there a better way to do this?  I guess I could put a switch that shows up in Navigators but then it might be changed accidentally when using something like the phone app.

[DLite]

13 minutes ago, zaphod said:

I have some Control4 Schedulers that control various aspects of my pool.  But my pool is now closed for the season.  What is the best way to turn a switch to off in a manual way for a number of months.  Right now I am just manually setting the variable in the Agents section of Composer.  You could do this based on months, but the pool is not opened or closed on the same time each year.

Then in my code I use If PoolSeason=True Then ...

Is there a better way to do this?  I guess I could put a switch that shows up in Navigators but then it might be changed accidentally when using something like the phone app.

For stuff like this, either I tuck the button away in, say, the “listen” menu of a “system” room that nobody other than me will access, or I require a triple tap on a button to avoid accidental triggering. I use physical keypad buttons for the triple tap, but I guess this could also be done with experience buttons using timers if you want to keep it on the navigators.

[BDavisNJ]

I have the same use case.  I installed the PIN Code Protect driver.  This driver displays on the Navigator and requires a PIN code to access buttons which set the season.  Easy to make the seasonal changes for authorized users while preventing unintentional tinkering.

Once the season is set, the "season" flag is changed and an icon / button is displayed on the Navigator.

[msgreenf]

X4 should make this easier 

[RAV]

Use an experience button. As a backup, send push if variable made true between October and May.

Wire a physical toggle switch to a contact. “Pool automation” on/off.

[ekohn00]

10 hours ago, zaphod said:

I have some Control4 Schedulers that control various aspects of my pool.  But my pool is now closed for the season.  What is the best way to turn a switch to off in a manual way for a number of months.  Right now I am just manually setting the variable in the Agents section of Composer.  You could do this based on months, but the pool is not opened or closed on the same time each year.

Then in my code I use If PoolSeason=True Then ...

Is there a better way to do this?  I guess I could put a switch that shows up in Navigators but then it might be changed accidentally when using something like the phone app.

I shut off breakers for the pool in the off season. If you're doing the same,  using anything that would monitor power you could change the code to code I use If PoolSeason=True AND power=True Then ...

[zaphod]

4 hours ago, ekohn00 said:

I shut off breakers for the pool in the off season. If you're doing the same,  using anything that would monitor power you could change the code to code I use If PoolSeason=True AND power=True Then ...

Yes, breaker is shut off so my scheduler turning the pool pump on and off doesn't actually do anything but it does send me notifications and it tries to toggle smart switches.  I am just a bit OCD and don't want it to even try to flip a switch.  But I am not sure that I want the smart switch to be powered off for six months either. So I might actually power on the breaker but disconnect the pump's power cords or something like that.

[C4_MCG]

Sinope makes a zigbee load controller designed specifically for Control4 with a 50 amp rating. Although the Control4 model must be purchased through a Sinope/Control4 dealer they would allow you to keep the breaker on and use a non-smart switch if you need to. Just place the load controller in between the breaker and switch. 

[zaphod]

I likely don't need that - I can just under two screws and put wire nuts on the end, and then reverse that in May when the pool opens.  I am using a Sonoff Elite switch with a 20A rating for my pool pump.  The pump uses about 1kW when running - and it is 120V so that is about 8A, but I believe pumps pull more of a load when starting.  And there is a dry contact relay on that device that controls the fireman's switch for the heater.

 

[Matt Lowe]

Just use the scheduler agent. There are options to check for month days weeks and everything in between. So you could do this one of two ways scheduler timer to flip a variable status or use scheduler conditionals to condition the programming script. Great point on this use case, and now i have a new video idea!

 

1 hour ago, C4_MCG said:

Sinope makes a zigbee load controller designed specifically for Control4 with a 50 amp rating. Although the Control4 model must be purchased through a Sinope/Control4 dealer they would allow you to keep the breaker on and use a non-smart switch if you need to. Just place the load controller in between the breaker and switch. 

These are pretty slick. I made my own version with a c4 switch and a heavy duty contactor. It works but may not be to code for electrical.

[zaphod]

21 minutes ago, Matt Lowe said:

These are pretty slick. I made my own version with a c4 switch and a heavy duty contactor. It works but may not be to code for electrical.

Why wouldn't it be to code?  I have had a heavy duty contactor controlled by a C4 relay for about a decade that controls a small water heater in my pool cabana.

[RyanE]

The main reason IMHO it may not be to code would likely be it's enclosure and/or wiring issues.

I also have some ice cube relays controlled via Control4 relay outputs that have been working for nearly 20 years.

As long as you install them properly, with the correct enclosure, etc., they should be up to code.

RyanE

 

Edited to Add: I'm not an electrician and don't play one at work.  Standard disclaimer: see your AHJ for what is acceptable and up to standards of local code / NEC.

[Matt Lowe]

40 minutes ago, zaphod said:

Why wouldn't it be to code?  I have had a heavy duty contactor controlled by a C4 relay for about a decade that controls a small water heater in my pool cabana.

Ryan hit it on the head. I just grabbed an junction box for my water heater and shoved the contactor in there. For my pool it had the old mechanical dial style so i took that out and shoved in the contactor. It seems to be a tad more covered than what the mechanical timer did with its connections. Same for me i am not an electrician by trade just know enough to be dangerous in my own home.

[Matt Lowe]

1 minute ago, Matt Lowe said:

Ryan hit it on the head. I just grabbed an junction box for my water heater and shoved the contactor in there. For my pool it had the old mechanical dial style so i took that out and shoved in the contactor. It seems to be a tad more covered than what the mechanical timer did with its connections. Same for me i am not an electrician by trade just know enough to be dangerous in my own home.

Also I don't know what the requirements about 220 and 110 being in the same box. the contactors obviously can handle both and even low voltage i believe if i wanted to. For LV with what i deal with at my actually job the boxes that share have dividers to seperate our LV wiring and the HV from the electrician.