Private Property Owners Select Synchrony for New Control System

Private Property Owners Select Synchrony for
New Control System

The Waterloo Property Owners Association (WPOA) in Warrenton, VA has operated an automated water system since the upscale development was built in 1989. This water system supplies water to more than 75 homes as well as the fire hydrants that are located throughout the neighborhood. Five wells provide water to one central 75,000 gallon storage tank located at the highest point in the neighborhood. The original system utilized a bellows style level gauge with a mercury switch to signal the remote pumps to start or stop. The signal from the tank was originally carried to the pumps via leased lines provided by the phone company.

While this system supplied water to the community for a number of years, it was not without issues. Frequently the water level in the wells would drop causing the pump thermal overload to trip. Lightning strikes to the leased lines would prevent pump run signals from reaching the pump stations. Leaks in the system could go unnoticed for long periods of time. While the system operated well enough, the time and energy consumed checking, troubleshooting, and fixing issues was significant.

The original system had no trending, alarming, or remote monitoring capability.

This lack of functionality forced WPOA board members to periodically visit each site. During these visits they would reset any thermal overloads that had tripped, record the volume of water that had been pumped, and note any irregularities. As the system aged, more frequent visits to each site were required to maintain satisfactory operating conditions.

The members of the WPOA board knew that there was a better way to operate their water system and began searching for assistance to implement a system that would require less of their time to maintain. Synchrony Industrial Controls, Inc. was selected to provide this assistance due to our willingness to work closely with the board members to develop the new system. The board desired a highly functional, low cost solution that could be implemented in a phased approach.

Synchrony developed an architecture comprising of wireless radios, one PLC, and a custom Visual Basic (VB) program. The wireless radios provide the communication medium between the tank and each well site eliminating the need for the leased phone lines and reducing the likelihood of lightning disabling the system. The PLC, located at the tank, cycles the pumps based on tank level setpoints. Historical tank levels are stored in the PLC and the PLC handles all communication with the custom VB program. The VB program displays tank level trends as well as provides an interface for remotely controlling the pumps. The use of VB to provide SCADA information allows the board install as many copies of the program without the expensive license fees typically associated with commercially available SCADA packages.

Synchrony has recently completed the first phase of this project which included upgrading the tank, one well site, and the VB program. The remaining well sites will be upgraded as funds are available. The true value of Synchrony's system was realized shortly after the installation of the first phase. When thermal overloads at the pumps tripped, the board new, from the VB program, exactly which pump had faulted without having to visit each well. Tank level trending indicated a leak in the system which has been found and repaired. Tuning the pump on and off setpoints has virtually eliminated the issue of wells running dry.