Apex programing Q re lights and temp

[ENS]

Looking for confirmation and advice on best way to make a program change on my Apex. Had a main pump seize and trip a gfi, and heaters and temp probes are in the sumps so the temp in the tank dropped without h20 circulation to it while I was away without my realizing. So I plan to move one of my temp probes into my overflow box to have a temp reading in the tank area versus only sump, and want to tie it into my MH lights that could be used to add heat in an emergency - and as a alarm signal if they are on at a time they normally wouldn't be. Basically, I currently have the light outlets set to control type "Light" with the fill-in the blanks for on/off time and shutdown tied to the temp probe if temp hits a high value of 81.9. But want to also have a setting to turn the lights on if the temp drops too much. Is the way to do this change the control type to "advanced" and use the following programing? ...

MH-Center (3_1)

Fallback OFF
Set ON
If Time 13:30 to 23:20 Then ON
If Temp2 > 82.5 Then OFF
Min Time 30:00 Then OFF
If Temp2 < 75.9 Then ON
Min Time 30:00 Then ON


MH-Lft-Rt (3_2)

Fallback OFF
Set ON
If Time 13:50 to 23:00 Then ON
If Temp2 > 81.9 Then OFF
Min Time 30:00 Then OFF
If Temp2 < 76.0 Then ON
Min Time 30:00 Then ON

 

[swearint]

MH-Center (3_1)

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 13:30 to 23:20 Then ON
If Temp2 > 82.5 Then OFF
If Temp2 < 75.9 Then ON
If Temp2 < 50.0 Then OFF
Min Time 30:00 Then ON
Min Time 30:00 Then OFF

Yes, switch to Advanced. Should be Set OFF rather than ON. You have the lights ON from 1:30pm until 11:20pm, is that what you intend? I added an extra condition for the case where the probe fails. They typically read very cold, so you would not want to keep pumping heat into the tank. Min Time and Defer are always evaluated last regardless of position, but I moved the Min Time...OFF to the bottom for readability. Same applies for the other outlet.

Todd

 

[ENS]

Thanks Todd. The Min Time at the end is confusing to me - will the controller understand what Min Time ON verus OFF relates to if not listed after the relevatn code line? Looks like they contradict. If the temp is high, I want the lights to go off for 30min and than want the controller to take a temp reading and determine if temp is still high to keep lights off another 30 minutes, etc. Opposite for if temp is too low.

And yeah on the time period, I have my photo/light period adjusted to start later in the day and end late (13:20 - 23:20 for MH, one T5 starts 60min earlier and goes 60 mins later) -- with my long work schedule, it is only way to have lights on in the tank when I get home at night.

 

[swearint]

The Min Time at the end is confusing to me - will the controller understand what Min Time ON verus OFF relates to if not listed after the relevatn code line? Looks like they contradict. If the temp is high, I want the lights to go off for 30min and than want the controller to take a temp reading and determine if temp is still high to keep lights off another 30 minutes, etc. Opposite for if temp is too low.

It is a common misunderstanding, but Min Time does not apply to any particular statement. Rather, it applies to the outlet as a whole. So, all the commands are evaluated and then the Min Time acts on the result. Min Time is easier to understand if you ignore the 'Then'. So Min Time...OFF would hold the outlet OFF for at least the specified duration, before allowing it to be changed to ON.

It won't work exactly how you describe. If at any time Temp exceeds 82.5, the outlet will shut off. Then assume it cools down to 82.0 within ten minutes. Although the Temp is now less than 82.5, 30 minutes have not elapsed. So both must occur, it has to be less than 82.5 and longer than 30 minutes since it shut off before in can turn back on again. It works similar for the Min Time...ON scenario.

Todd

 

[ENS]

Todd - I appreciate your help. Thxs