A new Kickstarter campaign has started for a swimming pool controller using an Arduino Mega.
The open source device can control up to four peristaltic pumps for dosing chlorine and other chemicals as well as the filtration system. Programming is done via a simple liquid crystal display (LCD) screen on the front along with three buttons.
Called Ardupool, the controller can be installed in two ways: first, as an independent installation for removable pools that contain an independent filtration system; second, combined with a filtration system where the collection system takes the water from the skimmer pipe and returns it through the return pipes.
The controller, designed by maker Diego Gomez, is recommended for pools up to 60 square meters and allows for any pool liquid to be used. Sensors automatically control the dosing of pH and chlorine and an internal clock helps avoid programming failures after power losses.
When measuring for chemicals, Ardupool pumps water to the sensors to check if the values are in range. If the water is in range, the system shuts down the pumps and waits for the next analysis. If the values are out of range, Ardupool calculates the needed dosage for chemicals.
Gomez hopes to continue to improve the system by developing extra modules and functions such as lighting control to illuminate a pool with normal lamps or even RGB lamps and app control in order to control pool functions via a smartphone app.
To learn more about Ardupool, check out the Kickstarter campaign.
