On Feed Cancel, delay device state

[whodah]

Hi all,

My B-Feed timer shuts off my return pump and skimmer. My sump then fills up to a very high level. When the Feed timer runs out, or if I cancel the Feed timer early, the return pump and skimmer come back on as expected.

The problem is that since my water level is so high in the sump from the return pump being power off, my skimmer goes crazy and fills up the cup within the first 30 seconds or so.

Is there a way to delay the Skimmer from coming back on upon a Feed timer running out or being canceled to prevent this?

Thanks,
-Who Dah?

[kenargo]

The value in the 'If Feed 000' is the amount of time AFTER feed cycle completes to keep the device in the state; in other words it keeps the device on/off feed time + addtl time. However; the value is not honored if feed cycle is cancelled.

I am not 100% certain but you might be able to use a Max Change to hold the pump and skimmer off; see if that works.

[whodah]

Hello again,

I finally got a chance to play with this, and so far it is not working. Here is the relevant portion of my program (in order):

If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON
If FeedA 000 Then SKM OFF
Max Change 003 M Then SKM ON


My FeedA is set to 3600 seconds. Here was my test:

Initiate FeedA
The countdown begins at 3600 seconds, and at the 3500 second mark I cancel the FeedA timer by hitting 'Select' on the AC3Pro
The Skimmer powers on again "immediately". (There is of course the second to two second delay.)


Do I have it setup incorrectly or will this methodology not work when dealing w/ Feed Timers?

Thanks!
-Who Dah?

[kenargo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14983966#post14983966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by whodah
Hello again,

I finally got a chance to play with this, and so far it is not working. Here is the relevant portion of my program (in order):

If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON
If FeedA 000 Then SKM OFF
Max Change 003 M Then SKM ON


My FeedA is set to 3600 seconds. Here was my test:

Initiate FeedA
The countdown begins at 3600 seconds, and at the 3500 second mark I cancel the FeedA timer by hitting 'Select' on the AC3Pro
The Skimmer powers on again "immediately". (There is of course the second to two second delay.)


Do I have it setup incorrectly or will this methodology not work when dealing w/ Feed Timers?

Thanks!
-Who Dah?

What do you want to happen; it sounds like it is behaving as programmed.

[whodah]

The overall goal is to make the Skimmer delay a minute before coming on after a Feed Timer has completed and/or has been canceled.

(Thus giving the return pump a minute to empty out the sump and return the water level to a normal level for the skimmer.)

Thanks,
-Who Dah?

[lakee911]

Wouldn't it be best to tie it to the return pump status? Is that possible?

I would think that for whatever reason the return pump is off, you'd want to make the skimmer not come on until a few minutes after it stats up.

[whodah]

lakee911: that is exactly what I am trying to do. How does one do that taking feed cycles (and early cancellations of feed cycles) into account?

Thanks,
-Who Dah?

[kenargo]

If FeedA 001 Then SKM OFF


The value in feed statement is 'additional time' to keep the device on/off after feed cycle completes but I think if you cancel feed cycle then the AC3 treats cancel as "immediate" and does not honor the time value.

[whodah]

Hello kenargo,

I just tested it, and the results were as you suspected upon canceling the feed cycle. (The skimmer powers on "immediately".)

Any out-of-the-box solutions? My mind is thinking about a device similar to Neptune's Socket Expansion, but w/ a time delay relay instead of an "instant" relay.

Thanks,
-Who Dah?

[lakee911]

A time delay relay would work.

I haven't responded, because I don't know the exact code, but what you want is not related to the feed cycle, but to the return pump.

Can you do something like the following


If Time > 00:00 Then RTP ON
If FeedA 000 Then RTP OFF
If Timer RTP = OFF Then SKM OFF
If Timer RTP = ON Then SKM ON
Max Change 003 M


I'm not sure if that's right, but maybe it's close?


Jason

[StevieK]

OK,

would love to do the same and i think lakee911, has something going ... did you give it a go?

S

[whodah]

Thanks for the reply lakee911. And StevieK: I'll give this a go tomorrow as I won't be in front of the tanks much today.

Thanks,
-Who Dah?