EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Designing a General Purpose Heat Pump Controller

jeff5may · 07-02-14, 07:05 PM

Daox,
The actual brawny components residing in the machine will vary. They will differ depending on the specific application. However, the components on our controller should not. The controller module should be generic enough to fit the bill for a diverse range of end products. In addition to AC's requirements, I would like the controller to do these things:

Have the option for reverse cycle (heating and cooling modes)
Short cycle protection (compressor lockout)
Air or water source operation (selectable or configured)
Freeze protection (water source) or defrost (air source - compressor lockout or active reverse cycle)

I suggest we include a few "sugar cube" relays to directly control smaller devices, such as fans, pumps, or valves. It may sound hokey, but relays last a long time, are predictable, and can be wired a jillion different ways, to whatever power source the controlled device needs to operate. To control components that require more current than the relays can supply, a contactor or SSR can be added into the circuit. For that matter, the contactor or whatever can be wired to slave off a sugar cube relay.

07-02-14, 07:05 PM	#5
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Hardware Requirements Daox, The actual brawny components residing in the machine will vary. They will differ depending on the specific application. However, the components on our controller should not. The controller module should be generic enough to fit the bill for a diverse range of end products. In addition to AC's requirements, I would like the controller to do these things: Have the option for reverse cycle (heating and cooling modes) Short cycle protection (compressor lockout) Air or water source operation (selectable or configured) Freeze protection (water source) or defrost (air source - compressor lockout or active reverse cycle) I suggest we include a few "sugar cube" relays to directly control smaller devices, such as fans, pumps, or valves. It may sound hokey, but relays last a long time, are predictable, and can be wired a jillion different ways, to whatever power source the controlled device needs to operate. To control components that require more current than the relays can supply, a contactor or SSR can be added into the circuit. For that matter, the contactor or whatever can be wired to slave off a sugar cube relay. Last edited by jeff5may; 07-02-14 at 08:21 PM..