Smart switching for 3.5kW heat pump?

[HappyHippyDad]

My customer wants to be able to switch his heat pump (3.5kW) for his swimming pool on and off remotely, he also wants to be able to set times for it to switch on and off during the day. He wants to be able to do this remotely too (i.e. with his phone).

In addition, he has a 380w pump he wants to act in the same way as the heat pump (i.e on and off at the same time).

All the smart switches I have seen state 16a. I have a total of 16.7A, so they are unsuitable. Also, the start up current of the heat pump will be quite large so the timer needs to be able to handle this.

Does anyone know of any suitable smart timer switches?

 

[plugsandsparks]

I would delve into the make and model of the heat pump and switch it on and off using the available external controls that come with the heat pump.

I have a HP setup for my cabin in the woods, i use a Honeywell smart stat which is a volt free contact which connects to an external input on the evaporator. This calls for heat from the HP . I can set a timer and control temps all using the Honeywell , the HP simply gets a command to switch on. Power (as in main supply) is not interrupted. A simple relay will give the extra control of the pump.

 

[James]

generally i would expect the unit to be powered continually and a couple of terminals on the unit should be for remote timer and remote stat.
also, i expect it has a relay output for an external pump.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think I'll wait till it arrives and then have a good read through the instructions. Thanks both for the replies.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Some HPs , you have to pay extra for external controls :-( e.g. Fujitsu charge £70 for a plug and flying lead, lol

 

[buzzlightyear]

Some HPs , you have to pay extra for external controls :-( e.g. Fujitsu charge £70 for a plug and flying lead, lol

Does come with a PC con, to tell the customer it works.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Normally find that once the customer has set everything up to their satisfactions it stays on that one setting for life, how do I know that?

 

[Avo Mk8]

I think I'll wait till it arrives and then have a good read through the instructions. Thanks both for the replies.

Apologies for being late to the party, but years ago I installed a swimming pool heat pump (which had no controls other than for temperature, and no method of remote switching, other than cutting the mains power), and the traditional method back then was to install a flow switch in the water pipe feeding the heat pump.
The timer (programmer) was wired just to the pump, and the flow switch wired in the mains feed to the heat pump.
So there is an 'interlock' in operation - the heat pump can't come on until there is flow.
The control, (in my case timer) then only had to switch the pump.
It may be a heat pump has a flow switch in it these days, or maybe it's done differently, but the 'interlock' method worked well for me!
Of course if your customer wanted to run the pump without heating the water, you would need another remote control/switch in series with the flow switch!

Edit - looks like swimming pool heat pumps have a flow switch in them these days, but this was the gadget:

25amp Flow Switch

25 AMP Flow Switch For Swimming Pools 1.5" Fitting Controls Pool Water Flow

worldofpools.com

 

[Electric Magic]

Assuming the issue is because you want both to be switched via the same receiver you could always use a contactor to switch the load and use the receiver to switch the contactor.