ACjr for ATO

[uhuru]

Since float switches can and will fail, can the ACjr be used as a "safety backup" for an ATO? In other words, can you hook up a float switch to the ACjr, which then turns on the pump feeding freshwater to the tank - BUT, as a safety you have the ACjr automatically shut OFF the pump indefinitely after say 1 minute even if the switch is still in the ON position? Then you could reset it yourself when you came home. Even better, an alarm could go off so you know the float switch failed? Hope that's not too confusing.

[justinm0424]

The jr doesn't have an imput port. I'm not sure about the other ones. Oh I have the JBJ ATO and it has a timer that you can set from 1min to 7mins so it turns off even if you have low water. Also it makes noise to tell you when it's working but you can turn that off bc it's kinda annoying.

[uhuru]

The Jr does have an input port for external switches if you bought it with the serial connector.

[uhuru]

from the neptune website:
If the AquaJr is purchased with the serial port option, then it has one external switch input which can be used to activate/deactivate devices in response to an external stimulus. Applications for the input includes connection to water level float switches, water pressure and flow sensors, and water on the floor sensors. The AquaController Jr program can be set up to signal alarms or act upon the input condition.

So that's what it can do in a general sense but I guess I'll call them and ask about my specific scenario.

[justinm0424]

hmm. I know you can use an outlet to setup an alarm but you have to buy some type of alarm and it uses a plug. I thought the serial port is only used for aquanotes and for updates. please keep me updated that would be pretty sweet to use the serial port for something else.

[David Grigor]

If you know how much your pump will dose in a minute you can use the ocs command do somewhat closely match your evaporation ( set just a tad higher ). Then can use a top off switch to keep exactly. I don't have a serial so nothing external just have the switch in front of the dosing pump. If the switch were to fail on then the timer invterval will take over as your backup which should set real close to your evaporation rate.

[uhuru]

It looks like the serial port has a designated input for a switch (one for switch one for ground). It also has 1 output for a switch. The other inputs are for serial data and more grounds. You can use the following program to run your acjr as an ato:

If Switch OPEN
Then H20 ON
If Switch Closed
Then H20 OFF

Now is there a command to say how long H20 can be ON at any given time? Would the OCS or MAX command work for this? The included instructions are absolutely abysmal.

[justinm0424]

The MAX command should work fine. Do you know how to wire up the switch?

[pontech]

I had the same question, can someone tell me how to wire the switch.

[gman19]

Check the pinout for the ACjr....I run and ACIII, with 2 inputs, so only 3 of the 8 leads in my cable are used. Once you find the 3 leads that correspond to the used leads specified in your owner's manual. Mine is as follows:
Pin 1 is input 1 and is the black wire in my cable.
Pin 2 is input 2 and is the Brown wire.
Pin 8 is common and is my orange wire.

My float switch is between Pin 1 (black) and Pin 8.
If I were to connect a second switch, it would run from Pin 2 (Brown) to Pin 8 (orange).

I use the float switch as an alarm so I don't run over my RO/DI reservoir by forgetting it when I get sidetracked while it is filling up. I bought a small 6-24V buzzer and used an old 9V wall adapter from a cordless phone to power it. I mounted the buzzer under the tank, cut the 9V adapter lead to the proper length for a neat install and plugged it into an unused DC8 port.

Now when I fill the reservoir, when the switch closes, the buzzer sounds to let me know it's full. The code looks like this:

If Switch1 OPEN Then LVL OFF
If Switch1 CLOSED Then LVL ON

Works great, and has saved me a couple potential floods!

[uhuru]

IF you could take a picture of how you have the float switch connected to the ACIII that would be great. Are you splicing a serial connector cable and then connecting the correctly colored wires to the switch? What do you do with the remaining wires? I'm just trying to picture how to do this and have it look clean.

Oh and for the ACJr it looks like there is only 1 external input. Pin 1 is external switch output, Pin 2 is external switch input. I'm guessing both wires from the switch connect to these 2 pins?

[gman19]

YGPM...

[Lilrascal]

I too am looking at making my ACJR control an ATO. I would like to have some sort of safety built in though. I understand how I could use the MAX command to only run the pump for say 1 minute. Is there a way to write a command that would shut off the pump indefinately if more than say 1 mintute? I am trying to program in case of a switch failure, and the swith is stuck in the on postion. Possible????

Thanks

[gman19]

Would it be possible to set up a dummy timer and have it on until reset? I'm not sure if it is possible though without a second switch to detect a High level limit as the ACJr might think the pump is off and not realize it is stuck on. With only one input, you don't have the luxury of 2 float switches...Maybe Doug or Curt can assist???

[uhuru]

I'm thinking the OSC command would work best. i.e. 1 minute on, 240 minutes off (or however long you want it to stay off).

[gman19]

Yes, that OSC command works well. I used that same one to cycle a pump on for surface agitation in my sump. The water stayed too still after the bubble trap and seemed to want to get a film, so I cycled a pump on for one minute each 4 hours...works great!


Did you figure out your pinout for the ACJr cable for the float switch??

[uhuru]

I pm'ed you...

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9515108#post9515108 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gman19
I use the float switch as an alarm so I don't run over my RO/DI reservoir by forgetting it when I get sidetracked while it is filling up. I bought a small 6-24V buzzer and used an old 9V wall adapter from a cordless phone to power it. I mounted the buzzer under the tank, cut the 9V adapter lead to the proper length for a neat install and plugged it into an unused DC8 port.

Now when I fill the reservoir, when the switch closes, the buzzer sounds to let me know it's full. The code looks like this:

If Switch1 OPEN Then LVL OFF
If Switch1 CLOSED Then LVL ON

Works great, and has saved me a couple potential floods!

From your description, it sounds like you could have done this all without the AC III. Couldn't you have just used the switch in the circuit for the buzzer? Install the switch such that when it is up, the circuit is closed and the buzzer sounds, and when the switch is down, the circuit is open? No ACIII needed...

Also, you could accomplish the same with a simple float valve instead of a float switch. Just run the RO/DI to a float valve in the reservoir and the water will stop. The advantage to this is you don't have to be around to turn off the water. If you want an added layer of security, you could install the float switch above the float valve, hook it in-line with the buzzer, and you'll have an alarm if the float valve were ever too leak.

[gman19]

Sure Crumbletop...but where the heck is the fun in that??!!!

I mainly wanted to test the input on the ACIII just to play around with it, and this is what I came up with after flooding the floor once. I look to install sensors and such in the future and will probably rig the buzzer I have up to a 9V battery and the switch just as you described.

I like to overengineer things sometimes!!