Pump water from behind pool liner

[Walt Boudreaux]

I have an in ground pool with a vinyl liner. I have a pool pump that pumps water out from behind the liner. Ground water usually gets higher than the pool water level after a heavy or prolonged rain. When this happens, the liner floats, which has caused me problems. I try to start pumping the water out before it gets that high.
I would like to automate pumping this water out, especially when we are on away from home. I am monitoring my home weather station with HomeSeer, and I am thinking maybe when I see rain I can try pumping water out. If there is no water to be pumped, it may harm the pump. Maybe I can put some kind of sensor to interface with HomeSeer that there is water moving from pump and when it stops.
Does anyone have any ideas of the sensor I could use? Or does anyone have any other ideas on how I can automate pumping the water out from behind the liner?
Walt

[pcgeek]

Here are some ideas:


1. Use a flow switch on the pump discharge with a DS10A/relay
2. Use a leaf wetness sensor hooked up to a DS10A to determine when there is water
3. Monitor the current on the pump to determine when you are pumping
4. Use a pressure switch on the pump discharge

If no pressure, flow, current is not high or no water, shut the pump off.

[Uncle Michael]

Have you tried a conventional sump pump with a float switch? When the water level gets high enough it will turn on, then turn itself off when the water in the pump cavity falls. And, it's completely autonomous.

[Walt Boudreaux]

I will monitor for rain once every hour and turn on pump for 5 minutes if it is raining (Pump guru told me 5 minutes with no water would not hurt pump). There are reverse action pressure switches that are set for on/off at 10-5 psi. I have measured the pressure at the discharge and it is a little above 10psi. If there is enough pressure to turn the switch on, and when the pump no longer is pumping water, does that mean the switch will turn off the pump?