AU2010206009B2

AU2010206009B2 - Spa pump control interface

Info

Publication number: AU2010206009B2
Application number: AU2010206009A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Craig Allan Nimmo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-08-13
Filing date: 2010-07-28
Publication date: 2016-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-28
Also published as: AU2010206009A1

Abstract

-13 A spa pump control interface interposable between a two speed spa controller and a multi-speed axial flux spa pump including: a high speed power input receivable from the two speed 5 spa controller; a low speed power input receivable from the two speed spa controller; a heater power input receivable from a spa heater operatively associated with the spa; a high speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at high speed; an intermediate speed signal output operable for 10 signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at intermediate speed; a low speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at low speed; switching means operatively interposed between the power inputs and the signal outputs for switching and operable to: switch on the signal to 15 the high speed signal output when power is received through the high power input; inlet one a selected one of the power outlets; or switch on the signal to the low speed signal output when power is received through the low speed input instead of the high power input; or switch on the signal to the intermediate speed signal 20 output instead of the low speed signal output when power is received through the heater power input.

Description

-1 SPA PUMP CONTROL INTERFACE FIELD OF INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a spa pump control interface. The invention relates particularly to a spa pump control interface 5 for transportable spa pools in domestic applications. However, the invention is not limited to this field of use. BACKGROUND ART Transportable spa pools are normally designed for domestic applications using a single two-speed pump, one speed being a 10 slow speed for filtration of the water in the spa pool and the other being a high speed for operation of the spa jets. Reference to a spa in this specification includes a reference to spa pools generally including transportable spa pools unless the context indicates otherwise. In some instances, an air blower is also 15 provided to blow air through the spa jets. However, in cases where no air blower is provided, venturis are fitted in the conduit carrying the water to the spa jets to pull air into the stream directed through the spa jets. Spas a normally heated by recirculating the water past a 20 heating element. The high speed setting provides more than enough flow for heating the spa - indeed, the high speed setting is normally so far in excess of the required flow rate that a considerable wastage of energy occurs. Heating is typically done with the spa pump on the low speed setting to save pump power 25 consumption but when the spa is only filtering and not being heated, there is likewise a wastage of pump energy consumption. Axial flux brushless motors have been developed which provide variable speed options, thereby providing a multi-speed pump. When provided in conjunction with pumps suited to spa 30 applications, such pumps, referred to hereinafter as axial flux -2 spa pumps, have been provided with three speed options, a slow speed for filtration, an intermediate speed for heating, and a fast speed for spa jet operation. Spas having axial flux spa pumps are normally provided with controllers which select which 5 speed to operate the pump, and are normally quite sophisticated. The axial flux spa pumps themselves normally have a control signal input module which controls the speed of the motor, the power supply being provided to the pump directly from the power supply without any conditioning. 10 There are many spas with older style controllers which have only two speed settings. If their spa pumps were to be replaced by axial flux spa pumps, they would not be able to take advantage of the intermediate speed setting. The present invention aims to provide a spa pump control 15 interface which ameliorates separately or together one or more of the shortcomings of the prior art. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a spa pump control interface which permits an older style spa controller to control an axial flux spa pump having three available speed settings selected from its 20 multi-speed capability. Other individual aims and advantages of the invention may become apparent from the following description. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in view, the present invention in one aspect resides broadly in a spa pump control interface 25 interposable between a two-speed spa controller and a multi-speed axial flux spa pump including: a high speed power input receivable from the two speed spa controller; a low speed power input receivable from the two-speed spa 30 controller; -3 a heater power input receivable from a spa heater operatively associated with the spa; a high speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at a high speed; 5 an intermediate speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at an intermediate speed; a low speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at a low speed; switching means operatively interposed between the power 10 inputs and the signal outputs for switching and operable to: switch on the signal to the high speed signal output when power is received through the high power input; switch on the signal to the low speed signal output when power is received through the low speed input 15 instead of the high power input; or switch on the signal to the intermediate speed signal output instead of the low speed signal output when power is received through the heater power input. Power to the axial flux spa pump may be provided directly, 20 but it is preferred that the spa pump control interface includes a power outlet for supplying power to the axial flux spa pump. In such form, it is preferred that the power to the axial flux spa pump be switchable between an on and off condition such that the axial flux spa pump is switched off when the spa pump controller 25 receives no there are no power inputs thereto. Such an arrangement is suited to axial flux spa pumps which, although multi-speed pumps as such, are effectively three-speed pumps by virtue of the electronic control circuitry of the pump.

-4 In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a method of operating a spa having a two-speed spa controller and a multi-speed axial flux spa pump including: receiving from the two speed spa controller either a high 5 speed power input or a low speed power input; and receiving a heater power input from a spa heater operatively associated with the spa; and responsive to such inputs: signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at high speed whenever power is received through the high power input; or if no 10 power is received through the high power input, then signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at low speed when power is received through the low speed input; or signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at intermediate speed instead of the low speed when power is 15 received through the heater power input. Preferably, power sensing means is provided in electrical interposition between the power inputs and an integrated circuit control chip. In such form, the control chip provides the output signals in a form suited to the control signal input module for 20 the axial flux spa pump. The power sensing means electrically isolates the input power from the remainder of the circuitry making up the spa pump control interface. The control chip may be integrally formed with the power sensing means for sensing power from the power inputs. 25 In a further preferred form, the method further includes generating a cyclical signal when the axial flux spa pump is operated at the high speed. In such form, the cyclical signal causes the axial flux spa pump to produce a wave-mode type operation such as a pulsatory flow with pulses a period ranging 30 from, for example, 0.5 to 2 seconds. In such form, a switch may be provided to command the interface to oscillate between the -5 high and intermediate speed settings. Moreover, a dial may be used to select the period of oscillation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood 5 and put into practical effect, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings, and wherein: Fig. 1 is an electrical circuit diagram for a spa pump control interface according to the invention; and 10 Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the output signals of the spa pump control interface of Fig. 1 according to corresponding input power conditions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The spa pump control interface circuit diagram 10 shown in 15 Fig. 1 includes power inputs for high and low speed from an older style spa controller (not shown), those inputs being electrically connected to a low speed input line 11 and a high speed input line 12. Return and safety ground lines 13 and 14 respectively are also provided, the safety ground line running through the 20 circuit as shown, but providing electrical safety grounding in accordance with accepted practice. A heater power input line 15 and its corresponding heater return line 16 are also provided, and the high speed, low speed and heater power input and return lines are all directed to a signal conversion module 17 through 25 which the power signals are converted to a form readable by an integrated circuit chip 18. The low speed input line is electrically associated with a low speed signal line 21 through a low speed signal gate 31 in electrical connection with the signal conversion module. The high 30 speed input line is electrically associated with a signal speed -6 signal line 22 through a high speed signal gate 32 in electrical connection with the signal conversion module. The heater power input line is electrically associated with an intermediate speed signal line 25 through a heater signal gate 35 in electrical 5 connection with the signal conversion module. These three signal lines are electrically connected to the integrated circuit chip through pins 10, 11 and 12. The integrated circuit chip provides the logic circuitry to produce output signals through pins 13, 14 and 15, the outputs 10 being a high speed output line 41, a low speed output line 42 and an intermediate speed line 43. The high speed output line is electrically connected to the base of a high speed signal transistor 44 the collector of which is electrically connected to a high speed signal output line 47. The low speed output line is 15 electrically connected to the base of a low speed signal transistor 45 the collector of which is electrically connected to a low speed signal output line 48. The intermediate speed output line is electrically connected to the base of an intermediate speed signal transistor 46 the collector of which is electrically 20 connected to a high speed signal output line 49. The emitters of these three transistors are all electrically connected to a ground line 40. Power from the low speed input line 11 and the high speed input line 12 returns to the return line through a high speed 25 relay 23 and a low speed relay 24 so that power is provided to a power output line 26 when either the high speed or low speed power conditions are satisfied by power inputs received from the older style spa controller. When any of the conditions of power input are met, whether through the high speed, low speed or 30 heater input lines, the signal conversion module provides a +3V power supply to the integrated circuit to activate it for the provision of the control signals to the axial flux spa pump (not -7 shown). The logic conditions in the integrated circuit chip are arranged to convert the input conditions 53 shown in Fig. 2 to the output actions 55, thereby controlling the axial flux spa pump to follow a pulsatory speed regime for at least part of the 5 time that the high and intermediate speeds are logically indicated as being required by the input conditions. In use, a spa pump control interface according to the present invention may be installed with an axial flux spa pump in a domestic spa pool having an older style spa controller. The spa 10 pump may then be controlled to three speeds, such as, for example, 50 litres per minute as a low speed adequate for filtration, 120 litres per minute as an intermediate speed for heating the water in the spa, and 300 litres per minute to operate the spa jets. If desired, the user can switch the spa to 15 operate in a "wave mode" in which a pulsatory flow which oscillates between the high and intermediate flow settings is programmed into the interface. Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in 20 the art that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth and defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A spa pump control interface interposable between a two speed spa controller and a multi-speed axial flux spa pump including: 5 a high speed power input receivable from the two speed spa controller; a low speed power input receivable from the two-speed spa controller; a heater power input receivable from a spa heater 10 operatively associated with the spa; a high speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at high speed; an intermediate speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at intermediate speed; 15 a low speed signal output operable for signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at low speed; switching means operatively interposed between the power inputs and the signal outputs for switching and operable to: switch on the signal to the high speed signal output 20 when power is received through the high power input; switch on the signal to the low speed signal output when power is received through the low speed input instead of the high power input; or switch on the signal to the intermediate speed signal 25 output instead of the low speed signal output when power is received through the heater power input.

2. The spa pump control interface according to Claim 1, wherein an integrated circuit control chip is provided in electrical interposition between the power inputs and the switching means. -9

3. The spa pump control interface according to Claim 2, wherein power sensing means is provided in electrical interposition between the power inputs and the control chip.

4. The spa pump control interface according to Claim 2, wherein 5 the control chip includes power sensing means for sensing power from the power inputs.

5. The spa pump control interface according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the control chip provides the output signals in a form suited to a control signal input module for the 10 axial flux spa pump.

6. The spa pump control interface according to Claim 5, wherein the power sensing means electrically isolates the input power from the remainder of the circuitry making up the spa pump control interface. 15

7. A method of operating a spa having a two-speed spa controller and a multi-speed axial flux spa pump including: receiving from the two speed spa controller either a high speed power input or a low speed power input; and receiving a heater power input from a spa heater operatively 20 associated with the spa; and responsive to such inputs: signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at high speed whenever power is received through the high power input; or if no power is received through the high power input, then signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at low speed 25 when power is received through the low speed input; or signalling the axial flux spa pump to operate at intermediate speed instead of the low speed when power is received through the heater power input. -10

8. The method according to Claim 7, wherein the method further includes generating a cyclical signal when the axial flux spa pump is operated at the high speed, whereby the cyclical signal causes the axial flux spa pump to produce a wave-mode type 5 operation.