Aqua jr help needed

[tom obrecht]

I posted this in the Neptune forum as well but I figured this might be a more viewed forum with some knowledgable apex users that can help me. Here's what I posted in that forum:



First off I am a Total Newbie to controllers. I am trying to set up a used Aqua Jr. I purchased here on the RC boards. I received the display, temp probe, ph probe and what appears to be a direct connect 8 outlet. I purchased this many months ago and am now trying to set up my lights/ heater ect to the controller. There were no instructions included in the sale and I am not overly computer savvy so bear with me. After some brief digging on the online Aqua Jr manuals I'm thinking I may not have the right equipment to run the controller properly. Here's my questions:

1. Does the 8 outlet work directly with the display or do I need a module to control the 8 outlets since it appears I have the basic 8 outlet rather than the controllable one?
2. Can I set up the initial settings over the display or do I need to patch into a computer/router?
3. How hard is it to set up the timers on the unit so if nothing else I can turn on/off my lights in a sequence and just monitor the temp and ph on the Aqua Jr. display? I really have to interest in getting to fancy with checking stuff on the net over my phone ect. All I need right now is to get the thing up and running.

Im a bit frustrated and am about ready to head out and buy the ol time timers and go back to a hand full of timers!

Help!

 

[ganjero]

1. If it doesnt say energy bar 8, you probably have the direct connect 8. The DC8 is from the old controller and will connect. Check out page 24 of their user manual http://www.neptunesystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/APEX_manual.pdf
It will not be plug and play, you have to manually add the outlets but the manual tells you how.
2. You can setup everything from the display, the computer is just easier because you have a mouse and the screen is bigger.

3.Very easy, check out the manual too, or follow instruction on the screen.

 

[tom obrecht]

First of thanks for the response. I will take a look at that page in the manual but do I need an aquabus cable or can I just use (what looks like a telephone cable)? Sorry to sound dumb but I think I got a handful of parts that don't corespond to what I need to get this thing operational. Am I wrong here? Parts I currently have...display, the direct 8 outlet, temp probe, ph probe and the cable that resembles the telephone cord. That's it.

 

[kurt_n]

See my post in the Neptune forum. It doesn't sound like you got what you think you bought.

 

[ganjero]

Sorry, I thought you had the Apex Jr. but it sounds like you have an aquacontroller jr.. This is the link to the manual http://www.neptunesystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/AquaControllerJr_3_2+Serial_web.pdf

The aquacontrollers don't use the aquabus cables, the use the RJ11 telephone type cable. It will be plug and play, the programming is not too hard, check out the manual.

Does it look like either of these?

 

[tom obrecht]

Sorry, I thought you had the Apex Jr. but it sounds like you have an aquacontroller jr.. This is the link to the manual http://www.neptunesystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/AquaControllerJr_3_2+Serial_web.pdf

The aquacontrollers don't use the aquabus cables, the use the RJ11 telephone type cable. It will be plug and play, the programming is not too hard, check out the manual.

Does it look like either of these?

The display is this one and the energy bar is the direct connect 8. I only have one cable which looks like a telephone cable. I'm guessing this is not the correct energy bar. Is that right?

 

[ganjero]

It is the correct energy bar, you have the old neptune controller, an aquacontroller jr not an apex jr.

As I mentioned before, the aquacontroller jr uses a RJ11 telephone type cable. You plug one end to the bar and the other to thhe display where it says control.

 

[tom obrecht]

It is the correct energy bar, you have the old neptune controller, an aquacontroller jr not an apex jr.

As I mentioned before, the aquacontroller jr uses a RJ11 telephone type cable. You plug one end to the bar and the other to thhe display where it says control.

I will try that. Thanks!

 

[tom obrecht]

Ok, so I'm not getting anywhere. I have everything plugged in and am trying to program the lights. Really the lights and temp probe is all I want to control. I have renamed one led, one vho and two halides on the controller screen. Now I'm lost. I can't seem to find anywhere on the control screen about on/off times. All it says is on, off and auto. I've tried making sense of the manual online but that makes no sense. If anyone has a simple way of explaining I will try one more time otherwise it's back to regular timers for me. Call me dense I guess!

 

[ganjero]

It's logic programming, you just need to know the language neptune uses which is very basic.
You are using this manual, correct? http://www.neptunesystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/AquaControllerJr_3_2+Serial_web.pdf
here is the manual for the direct connect 8 http://www.neptunesystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/directConnect8-Rev-1.3.pdf

From the manual (The AquaController Jr time display is in 24 hour military format. ):

- Lights (The AquaController Jr time display is in 24 hour military format. )

IF Time > 08:29 Then LED ON
If Time > 21:29 Then LED OFF
IF Time > 08:29 Then MH1 ON
If Time > 21:29 Then MH1 OFF
IF Time > 08:29 Then MH2 ON
If Time > 21:29 Then MH2 OFF
IF Time > 09:29 Then VHO ON
If Time > 20:29 Then VHO OFF

1. Replace the times with the actual hours you want the lights to go on and off.
2. Make sure you are spelling the names the same way you renamed the timers.
3. Make sure you are plugging each light (device) to the corresponding outlet. When you name timers you assign them a corresponding outlet. See the DC8 manual "Control Address selection" to determine the ID of each outlet.

- Heater
If Temp < 76.7 Then HET^ ON
If Temp > 77.0 Then HET^ OFF

1. HET^ is the default name


If you get this to work, we can add more stuff like turning the MH lights off if the temperature reaches XX number.

 

[tom obrecht]

WOW! That's customer service there! Thanks Ganjero! I will see where this gets me. When it comes to computer lingo I am well beyond dumber than a box of rocks!