Pump controller system and method

• US 7,857,600 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Sta-Rite Industries LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Koehl, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dwivedi; Vikansha S
• Application Number:
  US11/981,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20080063535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44.1, 417/44.11, 417/45
• US Class Current: 417/44.11
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/10 Other safety measures
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0088 Testing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/02 Stopping of pumps, or operating valves, on occurrence of unwanted conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0236 Lack of liquid level being detected by analysing the parameters of the electric drive, e.g. current or power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37371 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/202 actuated by an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0852 directly responsive to abnormal temperature by using a temperature sensor in a control circuit H02H7/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors, appropriate for both AC and DC motors arrangements for starting electric motors H02P1/00; arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors H02P3/00; control of motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies H02P4/00; regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P5/00; vector control H02P21/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a pump control system. One or more embodiments of the invention include a pump controller that can perform a self-calibrating procedure, can provide precise motor speed control, can provide a limp mode before shutting down the motor when system parameters are exceeded and/or fault conditions occur, can detect fault conditions, and can store fault conditions for later retrieval.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a foreign object obstruction in a pool or spa, the pool or spa being coupled to a pump and a motor, the method comprising:

measuring a voltage and a current being provided to the motor;

determining a power factor based on the voltage and the current;

determining whether a fault condition has occurred due to the presence of a foreign object obstruction in the pool or spa based on the voltage, the current, and the power factor;

shutting down the motor when the fault condition has occurred; and

indicating to a user that the fault condition has occurred.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising measuring a voltage being provided to the motor by sensing an AC line voltage.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising measuring a current being provided to the motor by sensing an AC line current.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising indicating to a user that the fault condition has occurred using at least one light-emitting diode.