Valve actuator project

I am installing a valve actuator that will control a pool valve which controls whether water in return pipe goes to pipe A or pipe B. The actuator uses 24v. I need to turn the valve to send water to pipe A at 8am and then turn it at 10am to send the water to pipe B. This process will repeat daily.

The actuator has 3 wires (x, y, z). 24v needs to be applied to x and y to turn it one way and to y and z to turn it the other way.
I am thinking of buying a timer (like GE 15154) and a 24v transformer (like PSPRO-24VAC40). This should take care of timing and voltage parts. I am not sure how to send the output voltage to different wires of the actuator at different times - to xy at 8am and to yz at 10am.

What are the options for building something like this? The pool companies sell systems to do this but they're very expensive.

Does the power need to be applied to the valve continuously or does the valve "latch" when it shifted from A to B. It would help to provide the specs for the valve!

How about two timers, one for each flow direction [each timer would power a 24V transformer, and each transformer would energize the actuator -- one transformer would energize the "A" circuit and the other would energize the "B" circuit -- i.e. the 'y' line would be common between the two transformers.

Does the actuator need voltage applied at all times to select one direction or another, or is it a motor type, that only needs voltage when moving the valve direction?

Assuming it needs voltage at all times, the timer only has to select which direction wire is activated (the "y" wire being common). Since it appears that the GE 15154 is just an on-off device, you'l have to get a relay to do the switching. That is, the timer will control a relay (120 VAC coil, SPDT or DPDT contacts), which will direct which wires get the 24 volts at what time.

If it's the kind of actuator that only needs voltage while it's switching state, that's more complicated, since you have to provide voltage for a period of time (usually several seconds) and then remove it. The connections above now will have a "one-shot" timer added into the 24 v line to provide the voltage for the required time when the state changes.

I assume this is an AC actuator with Y the common. Then Y is always connected to one side of the 24VAC transformer and the other side is switched to X or Z through a relay.

This just requires a single single pole double throw relay (SPDT). It could be a 120VAC relay( the coil is 120VAC) powered directly from the timer, or a 24VAC relay with the coil powered from the transformer; whichever is cheaper or more common. I'd expect that most actuators would draw little current so most relays will have a high enough current rating for the actuator but I'd check.

I'd hook one side of the 24VAC to the relay common (usually COM). If X connects to A, which is on the least time, I'd connect X to the normally open side of the relay (usually N.O.) and Y to the normally closed side of the relay (usually N.C.)

A DPDT relay (double pole, double throw with two sets of contacts) might be more common and cheaper, depending on where you go. If you have a DPDT relay, I'd connect the contacts in parallel. This would increase the current capacity of the relay, and more importantly, increase the contact life.

If the actuator is maintained (with the power off, it stays in it's last state) it may be that you don't want to power the actuator continuously. That generates unnecessary heat and may reduce the life of the actuator. It could even be that the actuator is not designed for continuous power. In that case the circuit gets a little more complicated. Off the top of my head another momentary timer that's on for the actuator time would work, but you might need another relay.

If the actuator needs only a pulse to switch it from A to B and vice versa, then:

Assuming the minimum time resolution that can be achieved with inexpensive off the shelf timer such as the GE 15154 or Amico CN101A is one minute, and assuming a one minute pulse will not overly stress the pool valve, then just set the timers like this:

A-Timer: On at 8:00AM, off at 8:01AM
B-Timer: On at 10:00AM off at 10:01AM

If the valve requires continuous power to maintain a flow setting, then set them like this:

A-Timer: On at 8:00AM, off at 10:01AM
B-Timer: On at 10:00AM, off at 8:01AM

[Why the one minute overlap? It's an attempt to mitigate a disaster during the uncertain state of the value when both 'x' and 'z' are not energized. If, instead, catastrophe occurs when 'x' and 'z' are energized simultaneously, the perhaps the following:

A-Timer: On at 8:00AM, off at 9:59AM
B-Timer: On at 10:00AM, off at 7:59AM

And, also, consider that, long term, the timing may drift into one or the other potentially catastrophic scenarios. If that's an issue, then perhaps this isn't a viable solution -- unless a maintenance schedule can be kept where the timing is checked monthly or annually, etc, as needed.

BTW: have you considered what happens while the valve is transitioning from 'A' to 'B'? If you do this while water pressure is present and flow is interrupted during the transition, will the system be able to manage the pressure? Also, a "water hammer" is a possibility during that time.

My thanks to all who replied. All were great ideas.
I found out that sprinkler timers also supply 24v and they're not as expensive as pool equipment controllers. So for now, I have decided to buy a sprinkler timer to control by valve actuator. If it does not work for some reason, then I'll try the ideas shared here.