View Full Version : Aquacontroller Jr wiring float switch problem.
kuhli
01/04/2008, 12:58 AM
I'm having some trouble wiring a pair of float switches into the 'switch' functionality of an Aquacontroller Jr.
I purchased the deluxe kit from Aquahub.com (instructions here:http://www.aquahub.com/store/media/TopitOffKitDeluxeInstruxCompDec07.pdf). It comes with a relay that I'm thinking isn't probably necessary when running a controller but I may offer some protection to the controller in the event of a short in a sensor.
I've wired the circuit of the two float switches and power source into the base for the relay as shown in the instructions. This is the part where I'm guessing.
Rather than wire the power to a pump through the lower two posts on the relay base, I've wired a circuit from pins 1 and 2 in the serial connector hoping that the relay would close the circuit and signal to the controller that the circuit is closed. Its not working.
I'm also guessing that it makes no difference which wire on the serial connector is 1 or 2 since its trying to complete a circuit. For what its worth, I don't have a multimeter to double check that I have the right wires.
Any ideas or DIY/How-to's?
jmait769
01/04/2008, 11:16 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11517812#post11517812 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kuhli
For what its worth, I don't have a multimeter to double check that I have the right wires. I would definitely use a multimeter before plugging anything into the AC jr. Hate to see you fry it!
This should help: A quote from Curt on the <a href="http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=368" target="_blank">Neptune Sponsor Forum</a>: The owner's manual describes how to connect external switches, etc. to the AquaController. In summary connect one wire of your float switch to the ground terminal (far left connector), and the other float switch wire to the terminals on the left (left most is input #1, 2nd to left is input #2). You reference the inputs in your program with the switch statements. For example:
If Switch1 OPEN Then PMP ON
If Switch1 CLOSED Then PMP OFF
And some more links that should help:
http://www.neptunesys.com/hardwareFAQ.htm
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1206693
HTH
Jay
original kuhli
01/04/2008, 11:53 AM
Sounds like I've the concept right from the Netpune's comments. I'm concerned the relay might not allow enough power through to show a closed signal to the controller.
Another alternative is that my program is somehow off, although for testing purposes the only thing in the program that refers to the plug(PMP) I'm using it the IF SWITCH OPEN PMP OFF, IF SWITCH CLOSED PMP ON.
I should also add that I attempted manually shorting out the switch circuit and the controller didn't respond, I think a multimeter is on the purchase list today.
original kuhli
01/04/2008, 10:51 PM
I thought I'd add some more detail:
The Aquajunior program looks like this:
If Time > 08:30 Then LT1 ON
If Time > 21:30 Then LT1 OFF
If Time > 09:30 Then LT2 ON
If Time > 20:30 Then LT2 OFF
If Temp > 27.0 Then COL ON
If Temp < 26.5 Then COL OFF
If Temp < 26.0 Then HET ON
If Temp > 26.5 Then HET OFF
OSC 010/010 ON/OFF Then PM1 ON
If FeedA 000 Then PM1 OFF
If pH > 08.45 Then CO2 ON
If pH < 08.35 Then CO2 OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then FLT OFF
If pH > 08.50 Then FLT ON
If pH < 08.00 Then FLT ON
If Temp < 23.0 Then FLT ON
If Temp > 28.0 Then FLT ON
If Switch OPEN Then PM2 OFF
If Switch CLOSED Then PM2 ON
the timer names are like this:
LT1$-A1
LT2$-A2
PM1#-A3
PM2#-A4
HET%-A5
COL%-A6
CO2&-A7
FLT&-A8
Icefire
01/05/2008, 02:27 AM
Don't use the power that came with the switch.
I don't have an AC jr but normally, in all controller you just wire the float switch directly to the Input of the controller.
You must have an input and a common.
kuhli
01/05/2008, 01:38 PM
I had this working last night and when I took it apart to assemble it in the project box it wouldn't work. I have a picture of the setup attached below.
Since then I've tried just running the float switch directly to the two wires coming from the controller and it won't respond to anything.
I'm darn sure its the controller that's being flakey on the serial port side and that the intermittent behaviour is a result of that. Can anyone shed some light on the odd behaviour of their Aquacontroller Jr?
This is the exact setup that worked:
http://lh6.google.com/colin.dale.anderson/R3_fh9srM-I/AAAAAAAABoo/v6Wdxg0_a48/s400/P1040005.JPG
http://lh4.google.com/colin.dale.anderson/R3_f0dsrM_I/AAAAAAAABow/ryI5a4QFTfw/s400/P1040007.JPG
This is the colour chart for the serial connector looking into the connector that goes into the controller:
http://lh3.google.com/colin.dale.anderson/R3_gCNsrNAI/AAAAAAAABo4/H18TJ4M2OkU/s288/P1040008.JPG
kuhli
01/05/2008, 03:40 PM
Finally got it working, had edited the program and not updated it after making a small change. Doh!
http://lh5.google.com/colin.dale.anderson/R4AEEdsrNGI/AAAAAAAABq4/b9Qh-pQ9ntw/s400/P1050160.JPG
http://lh4.google.com/colin.dale.anderson/R4ADzNsrNFI/AAAAAAAABqw/01V1ovYgfaw/s400/P1050156.JPG
scolley
01/12/2008, 02:10 PM
kuhli - maybe I'm being dense, but I cannot imagine why you would want to use a relay. It complicates your setup, and increase the opportunity for things to go wrong - not the least of which being toasting your AC Jr.
IMO Icefire is right on target. You wire your switches directly into your AC Jr, and have it turn your electrical equipment on/off based on the on/off state of the switch. That's how I did it with my AC Jr., and how I do it now with my AC III. Very, very simple setup.
In your case though, with two floats, you just have to decide if you want the floats is series - meaning both closed to signal a full condition - or in parallel - where either one will trip the AC Jr.
kuhli
01/12/2008, 03:06 PM
Well hello Scolley, I think you're right but was being stubborn and wanted to make it work! Dumb I know! For the final install I'm going to eliminate the relay.
scolley
01/12/2008, 06:11 PM
That's one of the tough parts of the hobby... we get something stuck in our heads about how something is supposed to work, and we keep at it until it does. That determination often makes us successful.
But it can work against us too. And every once in a while, it makes sense to back up and say "Hey... am I being smart about this? Or just stubborn?"
My hat's off to you for having the discipline and humility to do that. ;) It 's not always easy.
bad santa
01/12/2008, 06:42 PM
I just ordered a kit from aquahub and im in the process of ordering and ACjr too. Are you guys saying that I dont need to use the relay that came with the kit from Aquahub and just wire the float directly to the spliced power cord that gets plugged into the DC8? If I wasnt running the ACjr I would need to have the realy installed right?
original kuhli
01/13/2008, 11:14 AM
In the instruction manual you'll find that pins one and two on the serial cable are for the switch input. You're going to need to find a spare serial cable (ie mouse cord) that you can hack up and use a multimeter to determine which wire is which.
At that point if you're using redundant floats you wire them in a circuit so that one lead from one float swith goes to the input on the cable, one wire from the other float switch goes to the other input on the cable and you connect the two wires that are now loose to complete the circuit.
I've used the relay primarily out of frustration and a want to make use of it, truth is adding an additional power source and relay is a potential point of failure. The simple solution is best it appears.
Above you can see that its black and brown on the cable I used, I'd check it yourself to make sure that's right for your cable.
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