Intro

My instructions page for setting on the NodeJS Pool Controller to just control a Hayward Aquarite SWG.

Most of the examples I've seen are for complicated pool systems (by my standards), so here is how I setup a simple system.

My pool equipment is a Hayward Variable Speed Pump, Pentair cartridge filter, Raypack heater (old, doesn't work now) and recently added SWG. Spa is a completely separate system, so no attached spa, no fancy lights, nothing else.
No automation either, so no fancy pool controls. Low budget, but does everything I need.

VSP is controlled with relays and my smart home system.

I might add a temp sensor and pump control to Node JS PC at some point, but since I have the working already it would not add anything for me.

Almost everything I do is remote, in terminal SSH mode. Terminal mode is really easy for things like this because you can just copy and paste from this page into your terminal screen and run the commands.

Reference Links

node js pool controller github forum

standalone nixie setup wiki

nixie general info wiki

https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/nodejs-pool-controller-work-with-pump-only.246189/

cocoontech baud rate and voltage thread

Aquarite pool controller wiki

Parts

Raspberry Pi3b. The pi 3 is fine for this application, enough horsepower and it won't get as hot as a pi4 if you leave it outside like I'm doing.

MAX3485 Module TTL To RS485 Module MCU Development Accessories To Serial UADSUS from ebay

+5VDC Power supply, 1 amp minimum should be enough
Used a LM2596HV AC/DC to DC Buck Step Down Adjustable Converter 3.3V 5V 6V 9V 12V 24V from ebay

AC transformer intended for sprinkler systems to power this power converter like an Orbit Sprinkler System Power Source Transformer 57040,Black. Puts out 24VAC at 750ma, plenty of power.

Power supply for Aquarite "7 V and 12 V and is pulling .001 amps so any small DC adapter will work"
Used a 12V, 1A walwart type supply because I had it, and it fits.

Wires to connect

Enclosure (Had one already by the pool)

Hardware Info & Connecting

Connect Aquarite to 485 Converter

Aquarite grn to RS-485 GND (green wire)

Aquarite yel to RS-485 D-/B (orange wire)

Aquarite blk to RS-485 D+/A (orange striped wire)

Aquarite red to 7-12V power supply, positive lead. (green striped wire)
Negative lead of PS has to connect to gnd.

In the end, these grounds are all connected together:
aquarite gnd
485 converter gnd
Pi gnd

Used a CAT6 cable to connect aquarite to 485 converter.

Power

Used a power adapter like one in picture below.

Sprinkler transformer connected to AC input on left.

Pi power connects to output on right. Output right was gnd, left was positive.

Connect to AC power with nothing connected, then adjust voltage to little over 5V, mine was about 5.03. After I connected the Pi and two ESP's, it was at 5.0VDC.

Misc info

https://github.com/tagyoureit/nodejs-poolController/issues/401

"Tested today and it seems to work anywhere between 7 V and 12 V and is pulling .001 amps so any small DC adapter will work. Sticking with the 10V should be the best option as that is what the label on the chlorinator states."

http://cocoontech.com/forums/topic/13548-intelliflow-pump-rs485-protocol/page-10

AquaRite is 9600 baud,

Software Setup

Created a 16 gb uSD card with 64 bit bullseye lite image. I use balenetcher to make uSD cards for pi's.
If you use the lite image, you don't get the nice Pi user interface, but I don't care because I only use remote access for my Pis. It should all work with the full image too.

I inserted uSD card into a pi3, and did initial setup with terminal and keyboard.

Enabled SSH with command

sudo raspi-config

Select interface options, the SSH. Enable it.

Enable serial port

Select Interface Options -> Serial -> ... and disable login shell and enable serial port hardware

You can also select Localization Options, then Timezone and find your timezone so Pi will be in the right time.

After this, all commands are using a remote terminal program, and SSH interface. I use Terminal, New Remote Connection on my macbook. There are many terminal programs for a PC.

Make sure pi OS is up to date

sudo apt-update

sudo apt-upgrade

sudo reboot

Install Node Version Manager (NVM) and node.js

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.35.3/install.sh | bash

close and reopen terminal,

then

nvm install 12.18.3

Install git

sudo apt update

sudo apt install git

Checking node.js version

node -v

v12.18.3

Install Relay Equipment Manager (REM).
Note that I'm not using REM now, but might in the future.

git clone https://github.com/rstrouse/relayEquipmentManager.git

cd ~/relayEquipmentManager

npm i

npm start

Install pool controller

git clone https://github.com/tagyoureit/nodejs-poolController.git

Start pool controller

cd ~/nodejs-poolController

npm i

npm start

Start another terminal

Install and start dash panel

git clone https://github.com/rstrouse/nodejs-poolController-dashPanel.git

cd ~/nodejs-poolController-dashPanel

npm i

npm start

Now install pm2.

^C in pool controller terminal to stop it

cd /

https://github.com/tagyoureit/nodejs-poolController/wiki/Automatically-start-at-boot---PM2-&-Systemd

npm install -g pm2

Used the nano editor to create a file.

sudo nano ecosystem.config.js

Insert following into this file. Then control x to save and exit

This only starts dashPanel and njsPC.

module.exports = {

apps : [

{

"name": "dashPanel",

"script": "npm",

"args": [

"start"

],

"cwd": "/home/pi/nodejs-poolController-dashPanel",

"restart_delay": 10000,

"watch": [

"pages",

"scripts",

"server",

"package.json"

],

"watch_delay": 5000,

"kill_timeout": 15000

},

{

"name": "njsPC",

"script": "npm",

"args": [

"start"

],

"cwd": "/home/pi/nodejs-poolController",

"restart_delay": 10000,

"watch": [

"config",

"controller",

"logger",

"web",

"package.json"

],

"watch_delay": 5000,

"kill_timeout": 15000

}

]

};

Run the flie now, and then save what it did.

pm2 start ecosystem.config.js

pm2 save

Check if running ok

pm2 ls

Make it startup if pi resets. Very easy to do, you don't need to use the systemd information in the link page

pm2 startup

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ pm2 startup

[PM2] Init System found: systemd

[PM2] To setup the Startup Script, copy/paste the following command:

sudo env PATH=$PATH:/home/pi/.nvm/versions/node/v12.18.3/bin /home/pi/.nvm/versions/node/v12.18.3/lib/node_modules/pm2/bin/pm2 startup systemd -u pi --hp /home/pi

Copy the command, and just run it.

sudo env PATH=$PATH:/home/pi/.nvm/versions/node/v12.18.3/bin /home/pi/.nvm/versions/node/v12.18.3/lib/node_modules/pm2/bin/pm2 startup systemd -u pi --hp /home/pi

Check if loaded

sudo systemctl status pm2-pi

● pm2-pi.service - PM2 process manager

Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/pm2-pi.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)

Active: inactive (dead)

Docs: https://pm2.keymetrics.io/

Now if the pi reboots, it will come up running njsPC and dashPanel

Find ip address, and set to a static ip address so it won't change

In a browser, open

http://192.168.xxx.xxx:5150/ where xxx.xxx is the rest of the ip address for the pi.
You can type ifconfig on terminal in the pi to get its ip address. If you are using wifi connection, find wlan0 section. In this section the 2nd line starts with "inet". IP Address is after that.

Set server address to 192.168.xxx.xxx and click apply

Nixie Single Body window should appear

Click on gear symbol in upper right corner

Click Controller, Model if you want to change from Nixie Single Body. I left if alone.

RS-485

Click on Controller, RS485 Port

Click Add RS485 Port

Port pulldown to /dev/ttyS0. This is if using the GPIO pins as shown above for connecting.

Baud rate is 9600 for Hayward Aquarite.

Select Enabled if connected, otherwise wait to enable.

Save Port

After its been running for a while, I have these stats:

Setting up SWG

Select Chemistry

Select + Add Controller

Chlorinator then Nixie, then click on Chlorinator box

Model: select Aquarite T15 (or what you have) as

Port: select Aux1

Change other settings as you would like, then Save

Press house shaped icon in top right to go back to normal menu.

You can click on IntelliChlor01 to change setpoint.

Go back to Settings menu to change anything else

That's it.

Can now control my SWG setting from a browser.

Home Assistant

Adding njsPC to HA

Click gear icon in upper right, then Controller and Interfaces

Select Home Assistant then enter address of MQTT broker, with type MQTT and enable and save

I also enabled MQTT, but not sure it it was required.

In HA, I used HACS, then Integrations, then search for "njspc-ha". Click three dots in upper right, and install as a custom repository.

Need to provide the repository web address, think I used

https://github.com/Crewski/njsPC-HA

After its installed, reset HA

Go to Settings, Devices and Services, Integrations. Click Add Integrations in bottom right corner

Search for njspc-ha and add it. Then you will see what entities are available to use with HA.

NOTES

If using REM

pm2 stop njsPC

cd ~/nodejs-poolController

sudo nano config.json

Set enabled to true for REM

"rem": {

"name": "Relay Equipment Manager",

"type": "rem",

"enabled": true,

"options": {

"protocol": "http://",

"host": "raspberrypi",

"port": 8080,

"headers": {

"content-type": "application/json"

pm2 start njsPC