How to: 50amp hot tub

Posted on
Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:47 am
bbruck offline
Posts: 343
Joined: Oct 05, 2008

How to: 50amp hot tub

My hot tub is powered by a 50amp 220v circuit. I can only assume it was wired that way because the manufacturer spec'd it that way, otherwise I would assume the original electrician would have used a 30amp breaker.

The Smarthome Insteon 220v relays are 30amp.

Thoughts on how I could insert something that allows me to control a 50amp 220v circuit using Insteon ?

Would the Elk Heavy Duty Relay Contactor in a Lockable Metal Structured Wiring Panel Enclosure
Item# 72800 be the way to go - and then I guess you wire it into a regular insteon appliancelinc?

Posted on
Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:56 pm
ckeyes888 offline
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Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

I'll be using that exact setup, with the ELK9200 relay and Appliancelinc very soon on our tub.
I'll post my results.

Carl

Posted on
Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:17 pm
ckeyes888 offline
Posts: 2417
Joined: Nov 26, 2009
Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

This has been working perfectly for a few weeks now using a Switchlinc relay module
to flip the relay, triggered by the outside temp. I added an LED on the relay box
to show it's on/off status.

Next project to get an IOLinc to control the heat setting.

Carl

Posted on
Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:35 pm
bbruck offline
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Joined: Oct 05, 2008

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

carl -

you got me motivated to post as well! the Elk is working perfectly. I turn it on at 5:30am and off at 10:00am. That way (a) we can get in it in the morning before work if we like, and (b) it's enough to keep the water stirred up and the heat at 100.

I don't have it geared to outside temp or anything, but...

I wish there were a SIMPLE way to read the water temp - I'd love to be able to have it on less when I'm not using it, but not allow it to go below 60 or so...

Posted on
Tue Nov 22, 2011 6:49 pm
ckeyes888 offline
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Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

If you have a weather station, I use the Oregon Scientific WMR200, they have a floating wireless temp
sensor. I have it on order...let you know how it works.

Carl

Posted on
Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:37 am
odavis offline
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Joined: Jan 14, 2011
Location: El Cerrito, CA

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

i want to add temperature sensing and control of my hot tub to my indigo system.... wondering how the floating spa thermometer worked out for you...

owen

Posted on
Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:55 am
ckeyes888 offline
Posts: 2417
Joined: Nov 26, 2009
Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

It really works. I was concerned about the distance to my base station
and that it's inside a thick hot tub with a heavy lid, but it works perfectly.

I've checked it against a Kodak process thermometer and it's within 1 degree
over a 40-100 degree range.

Carl

Posted on
Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:01 pm
odavis offline
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

Awesome. So now I get to contemplate a weather station. How do you connect the WMR200 to your Mac? Do they have to be near each other physically for the USB cable. (And I'm assuming that it's the LCD console thingie that has the USB? connector).

Posted on
Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:19 pm
jay (support) offline
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Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

WeatherSnoop talks to it - and we include a plugin for WeatherSnoop with Indigo 5. I got a WMR100 for Christmas to replace my failing LaCrosse and I love it. The base station connects to my Mac via USB - all the sensors are wireless.

However, another option is the RFXCOM receivers - they support that and many other Oregon Scientific sensors. If positioning is a problem then their LAN-based devices may end up being a better option for you. They are working on a plugin for Indigo - the last I heard was that they were shooting for a release by the end of this month but you can contact them for more details. I also don't know the full details of what devices the plugin will support but would assume it would support them all.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:31 pm
bbruck offline
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Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

I have a honeywell weather station, so I'm SOL on the temperature sensors folks have discussed. It appears that this might be an alternative for me. Humm. I'll be watching for more news on the compatibility of this receiver.

Posted on
Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:41 pm
odavis offline
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

So I think you're saying that RFXCOM can be used instead of a weather station as a way to access supported sensors but to make it work I'll need RFXCOM to release an Indigo plugin.

That does sound like a clean and simple method for getting sense data into Indigo.

Thanks!

Owen

Posted on
Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:05 pm
odavis offline
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Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

I emailed the RFXCOM guys and they said that there might be an Indigo plugin available in 2nd quarter. Not sure I can wait that long.

Is there a way to use the RFXCOM device without the Indigo plugin?

Posted on
Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:31 pm
jay (support) offline
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Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

Not with the temp sensors. Looking at the cost difference:

WeatherSnoop Lite (I believe it will work with the plugin) ($20) + Oregon Scientific WMR100N ($160) + THWR800 Water Temperature Sensor ($45) = $225

RFXCOM Receiver ($150) + THWR800 Water Temperature Sensor ($45) = $195

For $30 more, you get a full weather station with temp, humidity, rain, and wind. You can add the same number of Oregon Scientific temp/humidity sensors as you could with the RFXCOM. So, honestly, I'm not sure there's a huge advantage to the RFXCOM unless you were looking to add the other types of sensors it supports.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:44 pm
odavis offline
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Joined: Jan 14, 2011
Location: El Cerrito, CA

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

I pulled the trigger on a WMR100 and floating temp sensor and they arrive yesterday (Fri).

It took some fiddling to get the WMR100 to talk to Indigo but once since I disconnected the USB, pulled the batteries and plugged it back in Indigo has been able to read the data.

The only issue is that the base station keeps losing contact with the sensors and the only way to restore the connection is to hit the Search or Reset buttons on the bottom of the WMR100.

I've got the WMR100 base on a window sill with a direct line of site through glass to the tub. Distance is about 12 feet. Tub is cedar and there is an insulating cover (typical spa cover).

Any suggestions or tips on how to improve reliability of connection? Are these wireless sensors sensitive to wifi or other wireless signals?

Posted on
Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:30 pm
ckeyes888 offline
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Joined: Nov 26, 2009
Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: How to: 50amp hot tub

I had the same problem initialy, but my sensors were all about 150 ft away. I moved them closer and all worked fine.
Not sure what to suggest if they are so close and still not reporting correctly.
Maybe the batteries? I put known fresh batteries in mine...the batteries that came with it must have been
near dead as when I put in the new batteries it did work most of the time even before I moved everything
closer. Odd about the floating sensor though. As a test I took it about 300 ft from the base station
and it still reported just fine.

Carl

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