Help please-AC3

[omahaduke]

I have my controller up and running and can control evevrything, except feed cycle from my web browser or auqanotes. I have a bare bones program written at this time to control everything, that I plan on modifying as I go. Can someone please look at this and tell me why I am not able to get the feed cycle to work?

LT1$-A01 Halides
LT2$-B01 VHO's
LT4$-B04 Refugium lights
LT5$-B05 Moon lights
LT6$-B08 Under cabinet work light on a door switch/powered on always
PM1$-A03 Main pump
PM3$-A07 Skimmer pump
PM4$-A08 Air pump for skimmer

If Time > 13:30 Then LT1 ON
If Time > 20:30 Then LT1 OFF
If Time > 09:30 Then LT2 ON
If Time > 23:30 Then LT2 OFF
If Time > 10:00 Then LT4 OFF
If Time > 23:30 Then LT4 ON
If Time > 10:00 Then LT5 OFF
If Time > 23:30 Then LT5 ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then LT1 OFF
If Temp > 83.0 Then LT2 OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then LT6 ON
If Time > 00:00 Then PM1 ON
If Time > 00:00 Then PM3 ON
If Time > 00:00 Then PM4 ON
If FeedA 000 Then PM1 OFF
If FeedA 003 Then PM3 OFF

I am in the process of rewiring my lighting, my fans are all hard wired with the lights, so I am splitting them off so I can have a temperature based event to turn them on.

Also, I have a chiller in the system that is thermostatically controlled.

Any thoughts on why the feed cycle may not be working?

[ciphros]

That should be working for your feed cycle, everything looks fine. Does the feed cycle show up and/or work if you access it from the AC3 directly?

[RussM]

I agree with ciphros. That should work. Check the setting for Feed Interval in the menu for FeedA. It should be something other than zero.

[omahaduke]

No, it does not work when accessed directly from the monitor. The countdown on the monitor for Feed cycle A is 300. It counts down, but nothing happens.


Ron

[RussM]

Are PM1 & PM3 set to Auto? Do they shut off if you set their outlets to Manual OFF?

[ciphros]

OK, that is very strange. So, question then, can you go to manual off for these devices and get them to turn off? If so, it sounds like you may want to save down your program and try re-setting the device to factory defaults and then re-program things on the net side and your program itself. If that doesn't work, may want to re-load the firmware and then load things back to it again.

[omahaduke]

When I veiw them on aquanotes they show up as "manual on". yes, they will shut down if I turn them to manual off. For some reason they will not stay in automatic, it always goes back to manual on.

[RussM]

Shut down the Aquanotes app then set the outlets to Auto mode using the controller menu or the web page using your PC. What happens then?

[omahaduke]

I will give that a try when I get home.




Thakns

[omahaduke]

Did as you suggested Russ.....now it works! thanks for the help.

DAMN YOUR GOOD WITH THE AC3!

Ron

[omahaduke]

Do you have any other suggestions for my controller program?

[RussM]

1) Use more descriptive timer names ;) Also, I find programming easier to follow and edit if time statements are put in chronological order (there's no real functional advantage - just my preference)

Isn't this listing quite a bit easier to understand? HAL$-A01 //Halides
VHO$-B01 //VHOs
FUG$-B04 //Refugium lights
LUN$-B05 //Moon (lunar) lights
CAB$-B08 //Under cabinet work light on a door switch/powered on always
RET$-A03 //Main pump
SKM$-A07 //Skimmer pump
AIR$-A08 //Air pump for skimmer

If Time > 00:00 Then AIR ON
If Time > 00:00 Then CAB ON
If Time > 00:00 Then RET ON
If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON
If Time > 09:30 Then VHO ON
If Time > 10:00 Then FUG OFF
If Time > 10:00 Then LUN OFF
If Time > 13:30 Then HAL ON
If Time > 20:30 Then HAL OFF
If Time > 23:30 Then FUG ON
If Time > 23:30 Then LUN ON
If Time > 23:30 Then VHO OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then HAL OFF
If Temp > 83.0 Then VHO OFF
If FeedA 000 Then RET OFF
If FeedA 003 Then SKM OFF
2) Metal halides need a cool-down period after being shut off before they will fire on again, so use this to hold the HAL off for 30 minutes if it is shut down by a high temp condition:If Temp > 82.0 Then HAL OFF
Max Change 030 M Then HAL OFF
A Max Change statement applies to the statement directly above it, so it must immediately follow the "If Temp..." statement to work properly. 30 minutes is usually ample time for MH cool-down. This also allows some time for the tank to cool a bit before those heat-producing MH lights are told to come back on again.

You can do similarly with your VHOs, if you want: If Temp > 83.0 Then VHO OFF
Max Change 030 M Then VHO OFF
3) Since you run both the 'fug lights and moonlights in a reverse lighting cycle from you VHOs, you could get a bit fancier and take advantage of some of the more advanced programming logic available. You don't really gain anything, other than if you change the halide or VHO times, the LUN and FUG will automatically adjust ... it's just cooler :p

Instead of this: If Time > 10:00 Then FUG OFF
If Time > 10:00 Then LUN OFF
If Time > 23:30 Then FUG ON
If Time > 23:30 Then LUN ON
Do this: If Time > 00:00 Then LUN ON //initializes the lunar lights to ON
If Time > 00:00 Then FUG ON //initializes the 'fuge light to ON
If Timer HAL = ON Then LUN OFF // kills the lunar lights if metal halide is on
If Timer VHO = ON Then LUN OFF // kills the lunar lights if VHOs are on
If Timer LUN = OFF Then FUG OFF //makes the 'fuge light do whatever the lunar lights do

[RussM]

DAMN YOUR GOOD WITH THE AC3!Kenargo taught me well ;)

[omahaduke]

Do I leave the descriptions in, or leave them off?

In other words....like this?

HAL$-A01 //Halides
VHO$-B01 //VHOs
FUG$-B04 //Refugium lights
LUN$-B05 //Moon (lunar) lights
CAB$-B08 //Under cabinet work light on a door switch/powered on always
RET$-A03 //Main pump
SKM$-A07 //Skimmer pump
AIR$-A08 //Air pump for skimmer

Or this?
HAL$-A01
VHO$-B01
FUG$-B04
LUN$-B05
CAB$-B08
RET$-A03
SKM$-A07
AIR$-A08

Thanks again!!!!

Kenargo has been helping as well, mostly when I had the damn connectivity issues......

[RussM]

The comments will cause an error if you try to paste them into the controller.

[omahaduke]

Okay, switched over to the newly writeen program(thanks Russ) and all seemed to work well over the weekend.

Now I just have to figure out how to stabilize my ph!!!! I am having wild swings for some reason.

Thanks again Russ!!!!

[ciphros]

I counter the swings by dosing 2-part (and doing the Alk at night in a couple stages). I run 8.2 to 8.4 on a 400 gallon system doing this...very simple and easy to automate with the AC3. :) I can help you with coding if you are interested.

[omahaduke]

WHat do I need to purchase to do this?

[ciphros]

chemicals from bulk reef supply and also 2 dosing pumps. I use old salt buckets to mix up my chemicals and then the dosing pumps to add it to the tank via AC3 control. I run a Maxijet in each bucket as well so I can stir the mix before starting the dose.

[blakers82]

Bump.

Ciphros,

Could you please star some of your code for this setup...I have a 150 gal SPS heavy that I just moved over to 3 part dosing (BRS) from a calcium reactor. I'd like to run the soda ash when may halides are off. (I'm currently dosing a mix of sodium carbonate/bicarbonate, but will be grabbing soda ash very soon.) starting at 80ml Calcium, 25 alk, 15 mag. Will probably bring all up, but don't trust the alk mix I'm using. I grabbed some of these numbers from a friends's SPS tank, although I realize my levels might end up much different.

Anyways...I have them all Oscilating but want alk run while lights were off and the codes I was trying didnt seem to work. I figured I could run the mag on oscilating all the time but perhaps split up the alk and calcium...any help on AC3 programming for all three of these??

Thanks in advance!

[ciphros]

I'm searching for my program from my computer, will be back in touch later tonight or tomorrow.

Edit - no luck here, I know I have the code at work, will send myself a reminder. (can't access controllers as we have shut our tank down due to a death in the family earlier this year).

[blakers82]

Thanks for the very fast response. I appreciate your help in the matter and will check back.

[ciphros]

Thanks for the very fast response. I appreciate your help in the matter and will check back.

Sorry for the delay. I finally got a chance to check my code that I had saved here at work. It's an older version and didn't have the info that you would want. I'll try to climb over the piles of stuff that are stored in the equipment room and get the AC3 booted up tonight so I can get in to get the code.

[ciphros]

OK, here we go...Here's the code I used to control my fan to run for different intervals during the day and night. You can adapt this to do what you want for your dosing too, if you need help, let me know.

Timers:
FAN
DAY
DRK
DYF (day fan)
DKF (dark fan)

Program:
If Time > 00:00 Then FAN OFF
If Time > 08:00 Then DAY ON
If Time > 22:30 Then DAY OFF
If Timer DAY = OFF Then DRK ON
If Timer DAY = ON Then DRK OFF
OSC 005/010 ON/OFF Then DYF ON
If Timer DAY = OFF Then DYF OFF
If Timer DYF = ON Then FAN ON
OSC 005/060 ON/OFF Then DKF ON
If Timer DRK = OFF Then DKF OFF
If Timer DKF = ON Then FAN ON

Basically you set the time you want for day vs night and tell the ACTUAL timer (FAN in this case) when to turn on under each condition.

Hope this gives you some ideas, and again, let me know if you have some code and want some help getting it figured out.