Getting external temperatures into OmniPro

[JonW]

I have a Jandy pool/spa system that I will be interfacing to my OmniPro. I'm determined to be able to utilize the temperatures that are in the Jandy system from within the OmniPro one way or another. I've seen the instructions on using custom messages, but that is way too limited. You would need to have a receive message for every possible temperature combination, which is not feasible.

The Jandy system has temperatures for the following: Spa Temp (and setpoint), Pool Temp (and setpoint), Solar Temp (and setpoint) and Air Temp. I'm looking for a way that I can somehow emulate the data being fed to the OmniPro (like it was being driven from a thermostat) so I can have these items come up on my temperature screens. The serial and TCPIP protocols only let you read temps and set high/low points, they don't allow you to set a current temperature for any sensor or thermostat.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to accomplish this? I can program a serial gateway between the OmniPro and the Jandy system (via a micro) or I can write a server based app that talks to the Jandy system via serial and the OmniPro via TCPIP. I just need a method to get the external data into the OmniPro. Ideas anyone??



PS: I'm finding the whole serial interfacing in the HAI world incredibly limiting.

 

[JonW]

Anyone??

 

[jharrell]

I want to try and do this with my Pentair Intellitouch.

The main issue is that you can't create a dummy thermostat and then set it's value with code.

My thoughts are with v3 firmware you could store the pool/spa temp in a user setting with a temperature type and in v2 firmware you could use a flag.

Of course this means it won't show up as a temp on normal interface, but you could display it on a 5.7e with automation studio and use it in programming.

With the Pentair and their i-Link serial interface I should be able to write up a kludgy Omni program that send a temp request command every say 60 seconds then have a line of programming for each temp response from 50-104 degrees. Not pretty but will keep from having to use an intermediate server.

I am really not sure why HAI doesn't have built in support for the two largest pool automation vendors(Pentair and Jandy) built in since both have serial interfaces that can be purchased, just seems obvious. Pools are one of the first things in a home to get some sort of automation.

One other option I have considered is just to get the temp as a real thermostat in the Omni is buy their waterproof temp sensor and put it in the return pipe right next to the Pentair sensor, but seem redunant and I don't want another hole in my pool plumbing just because the Omni can't read the value from the intellitouch.

 

[JonW]

Creating dummy thermostats and being able to write to the current temp of each would help. You could then use the setpoints as the pool/spa/solar setpoints as well and send code based on changes of those.

The other huge problem though is that the serial interfacing of the HAI's is limited to either apps that send pre-defined strings (1 of the 128 MESSAGES) or ones that use full blown OmniLink. There is nothing in between. Just to compare, with my previous automation system, I was able to match incoming characters to a partial string (like POOLTMP= ) and then put the trailing characters into a variable. A couple lines of code allowed all possible temperature values. Likewise I could send serial strings that were a combination of static text and variables together.

The addition of a serial string buffer with a few character handling functions and the ability to match and put data into a variable would be a huge addition and would open the door to interfacing many other types of systems to the HAI panels.

 

[jharrell]

I whole heartedly agree better serial/string handling would be huge for the Omni. But it has been asked for quite a bit over the years and they haven't done anything as of yet.

Your only option is creating static message for each possible pool temp return value currently or do the work on a server and use the network protocol/API to update the values.