AI Sol
- Thread starter apuhl20
- Start date
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Deleted member 143833
I run the new AI SuperBlue and it works just fine; what issues are you seeing?
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Deleted member 143833
Yes, it will work and I think you will be very happy with all the different things you can do with the Apex.
ieatchinese
Premium Member
kenargo: Any idea when there will be a new version of the firmware that will allow the three channel control for the AI-Blues?
wickedfish
New member
You guys don't like the firmware for the ai controller? If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. I have the apex and would not use it to control these.
ieatchinese
Premium Member
I have changed over to using the AI controller for this very reason. The programming of the light with the Apex is not intuitive and right now, doesn't support the three channel control that the new firmware from AI does.
plumkrazy80
New member
Ieatchinese,
Thats good information to know. I was looking into getting the APEX LED module to control the AI SOL Lighting.
So you recommend getting the AI Controller and then just using the APEX to turn the lighting on and off through the Energy Bar?
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Deleted member 143833
I must gracefully disagree; the abilities and flexibility of what the Apex can do far out does the AI controller (yes, I have both). I don't find the limit of separate control for the 3rd channel to be anything near a deal-breaker since even without the ability both blue channels control together so nothing lost except maybe the ability to have a different percentage independently for each LED color; which I expect is not something so common.
</O
Sorry, but your comment appears to suggest that the VDM is not worth the cost and I suspect for some users it may be overkill but it is much more than the AI controller could ever wish to do so if you want maximum flexibility the VDM is the way.<O
</O
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Deleted member 143833
Get the VDM (if you want get the AI controller for backup) but if you want maximum flexablity and support to control lighting to the nth degree then the VDM is the solution. If you just want a ramp up/down and basic functionality then the AI controller is pretty good but it isn't apples to apples to compare the two; not even close.
ieatchinese
Premium Member
plumkrazy80:
I recommend getting the controller for a number of reasons. First, when you get the lights, you need to experiment with how much of each color you like. You don't want to be doing this through the Apex as it is very cumbersome to keep changing the values of the lights (plus you currently don't have individual control of the 3 channels yet). Secondly, the AI controller is a very easy way to control the lights for ramping etc.
The Apex provides you remote control of the lights to a certain extent (not ideal at the current time), which is the only advantage that I can see in controlling the lights with the Apex.....and that is only if you MUST HAVE remote control of the lights.
Yes, the AI controller, especially with the new firmware, is the way to go IMHO.
I recommend getting the controller for a number of reasons. First, when you get the lights, you need to experiment with how much of each color you like. You don't want to be doing this through the Apex as it is very cumbersome to keep changing the values of the lights (plus you currently don't have individual control of the 3 channels yet). Secondly, the AI controller is a very easy way to control the lights for ramping etc.
The Apex provides you remote control of the lights to a certain extent (not ideal at the current time), which is the only advantage that I can see in controlling the lights with the Apex.....and that is only if you MUST HAVE remote control of the lights.
Yes, the AI controller, especially with the new firmware, is the way to go IMHO.
ieatchinese
Premium Member
kenargo:
Can you provide some examples of what the VDM can do with the AI lights that the AI controller cannot do...other than syncronize the lights with other events (not that you cannot do that, as long as you know the timing of the other events).
Thanks
Can you provide some examples of what the VDM can do with the AI lights that the AI controller cannot do...other than syncronize the lights with other events (not that you cannot do that, as long as you know the timing of the other events).
Thanks
ieatchinese
Premium Member
kenargo:
I have heard that you are the fellow who has done the programming for the Apex and AC products, is that true?
I have heard that you are the fellow who has done the programming for the Apex and AC products, is that true?
plumkrazy80
New member
I have another question. Since you can control the AI SOL lighting with both the AI Controller and the Apex VDM, can you set it up so that one takes priority over the other at certain points, or is it always set up so you pick either the Apex VDM or AI SOL Cntrl and not both together.
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Deleted member 143833
Lets start with profiles; which is the most confusion part of the programming. A profile is a set or parameters and include ramp time (up or down); initial brightness, start of ramp and ending brightness, after the ramp is complete.
The Apex has 16 profiles that you can activate at any time you want and on any condition you want; including based on the day of the week.
Next is weather mode; which is just a profile of a different type. At 1st I thought I wouldn't use it (felt the lightning was just a little hoakie) but I now use the cloud mode to enable a random brightness during the daytime hours an the SPSs so far seams to respond well. Lightning; I have a theory but I haven't done the testing except for short times; I theorize that a lightning storm every so often might make light sensative critters less sensative to people walking by the tank; but again I haven't tested it so I'd need to get back to yo uwith results later.
The AI controller is fine and yes, it is very easy to dial in the colors now that they have 3-channel but I added the AI using a PAR meter and am glad to report that I might be one of the few persons that didn't burn out their SPS when making the switch; based on many persons I spoke with who had bleached out corals. I set my colors using a profile; I created 1 with no ramp time, assigned it to the Blue and another to the white and plugged in values while sitting at my PC. I agree the dial on the AI controller would have been more simple but I wen't the other route.
A profile can also be set for moon in which case you can control lunar cycle using the Apex season tables.
One thing I did do is to connect the AI power supplies into an EB8 outlet and the outlet turns on when my daytime profiles are active or moon profile is active so I get a tiny savings by not having power to the fixture when it isn't needed; the AI controller needs the lights all powered all the time but as I said; minor savings especially considering the near $60 per month savings moving from PC + MHD to 6 LED units!
Really; the key is understanding the profiles; once you get them down it's really 'the skys the limit' to what you can do.
You can see my program on my webpage if you are interested. I have a morning and evening ramp that is separate then the mid-day ramp; giving a pause in the ramp. Required, no; but I like the affect.
Feel free to ask anything you want and I'll try to answeras best I can. I also placed a link to a strm example on my website complete with a YouTube link; a novelty for now but as I mentioned I am using cloud mode.
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Deleted member 143833
Not quite; Curt pretty much does all programming in the controller and modules.
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Deleted member 143833
There is only 1 control path so you can only have 1 device control the unit. You can, as I do have the AI unit connected to an EB8 and power off the AI power supplies when not needed but as far as controlling the lighting; you get a single connection.
