Aquacontroller OSC promgramming question

[johns]

I'm using a command like this to oscillate my kalk stirrer (KAL) on for 5 minutes every 4 hours:

OSC 005/235 ON/OFF Then KAL ON

This works OK, except that every time I play around with my programming (modifying states, adding states, whatever), the controller starts reading commands again and the timer for the kalk stirrer starts all over again, and automatically starts up the kalk stirrer. It then used that point as the basis for it's timing for the next four hours, etc.

I'd prefer to define the exact times for it to stir, but it takes up too many lines of code to writes separate commands to turn on/off over and over again.

Is there another way to define the start time, and then keep the OSC command in place as I have it?

 

[kbecker]

I dont think there is a way to have the OSC program start at a specific time. Why would it matter if the kalk stirrer started at 1pm or 1:05pm? Not trying to sound mean, but I want to understand your particular situation.

 

[johns]

Couple of reasons-

First, I'm sort of learning how to use/program the controller right now. Adding a lot of lines, tweaking, and making a lot of changes. Every time I open up the menus called modify, add or delete states and do anything at all (it doesn't need to be related to this command) the kalk stirrer kicks in again. This means that all my auto top-off during any of these times where I am playing around with the controller in that way are a slurry of kalk instead of a saturated solution. Probably not gonna matter in the long run, and I could just turn the auto top-off while I'm playing around, but I still dont like it.

Second, and probably more importantly (I'm thinking in the future here). I may want to add some commands to do all my auto top-off via kalk only at night. Maybe allow the osmolator to kick on for a couple minutes at a time every 15-20 minutes (I need to work out the timing right to try to match my evaparation volume). Normally the osmolator would only come on for 15 or 20 seconds at a time. If I am going to be doing this, adding a larger volume each time I let it come on, I would prefer to know that the kalk has stirred and been allowed to settle for 10 or 15 minutes before kicking the osmolator on. If the kalk stirrer timer keeps resetting itself every time I open up those menus, it becomes hard to do this.

I have made the mistake in the past of allowing the osmolator to run for 2 or 3 minutes straight while the kalk was stirring, and the pH REALLY spiked (like 8.8 or 8.9!)

I would really just prefer to set the kalk stirrer to come on at a set time and know when it is stirring so that I can set the auto top-off times correctly. (With the fewest number of command lines) Or at least use some other commands to make sure that when the auto-top off comes on, it is offset from the kalk timer so that some 10 or 15 minutes has passed since the kalk stirred.

Maybe there are other commands to accomplish what I want to do. I admit to not being too familiar with this thing yet.

 

[clp]

No, there is not a way to specify a start time for the osc statements. You could write the OSC the other way around, and then multiple program updates would not result in Kalkwasser being stirred. Something like this:

OSC 235/005 ON/OFF Then KAL OFF

It sounds like the Kalkwasser is being added too quickly if you are see pH spikes to 8.8 or 8.9. It should be dripped in.

Curt

 

[johns]

You could write the OSC the other way around, and then multiple program updates would not result in Kalkwasser being stirred. Something like this:

OSC 235/005 ON/OFF Then KAL OFF

Can you help me interpret this command.

235/005 ON/OFF - I was assuming the first number is for the first ON part and the second number is for the second OFF part. Isn't this command going to turn ON the stirrer for 235 minutes and then OFF for 5 minutes.

And can you also explain the 'Then KAL OFF' part. I always have trouble with that part. Maybe that is where I keep getting messed up.

For the command as you wrote it above. When will the Kalk stirrer turn on for the first time after you modify states?

 

[clp]

The first number (235) specifies how long the initial state is, and the second number tells how long the opposite state is. The 'Then KAL OFF' means that the initial state is off. So KAL should initially be off for 235 minutes, and then on for 5 minutes. After modifying the program the 235 minute countdown in the off state will start.

Curt

 

[alrha]

here is how mine is programmed it turns the Reactor (Mix) on for 15 minutes every 6 hours and shuts off my auto-top-off (Top) for 60 minutes to allow time for the kalk to settle before dosing. The last command prevents it from spiking my pH, it will have to wait to the pH to settle down before adding more.

OSC 15/345 On/Off Then Mix On
OSC 60/300 On/Off Then Top Off
If pH > 8.4 Then Top Off

 

[johns]

arlha-

Thats interesting. I never looked at it that way. I have a few questions about that.

Are you using an osmolator for auto top-off?

How much volume/how long do you think the top off runs at any given instance before the pH spike turns it off? How long after the pH spike do you think the top-off starts up again (time in between pH 'spikes')

Is there any way to overflow your sump using commands like this? I mean, if the water level in the sump already at the high mark and shutting off the osmolator, but the pH is below 8.4, which device wins? The aquacontroller wants to turn it on and keep addding, but the osmolator control should want to shut off the pump to keep it from overflowing.

 

[alrha]

I just have a Maxi-Jet plugged into a float switch, and the float switch is in turn plugged into the AquaController.
As such, it will only flow if BOTH the Float switch is above the water level AND the unit tells it to run. It cant overflow b/c the float switch cuts off power when the level is up.

pH swing depends on how close your probe is to the output of the reactor. if it is very close (as mine is) it will dose a bit, then stop (as the pH jumps) and wait for it to flow into my system (via the return pump) before dosing more. If you have the pH probe by your drain, then it will cut off only after your entire system is at the high pH. Having it close will be more on/off than having it far.

 

[johns]

Does the float switch HAVE to be plugged into the Aquacontroller? Wont the float switch turn off the top-off regardless?

I guess I'm still thinking about what you said and looking for an answer to whether the Osmolator's own level sense control will shut the top-off pump OFF when the water gets to the right level to prevent a flood.

So if the Aquacontrollers command says 'keep adding kalk water because pH is still below X' can the osmolator control correctly sense that the water is at it's set level and shut it's pump OFF to keep it from adding (and possibly overflowing).

 

[alrha]

Does the float switch HAVE to be plugged into the Aquacontroller? Wont the float switch turn off the top-off regardless?

Only if you want to control it.
Yes.

Dont have an osmolator - cant comment on it.

 

[johns]

OSC 15/345 On/Off Then Mix On
OSC 60/300 On/Off Then Top Off
If pH > 8.4 Then Top Off


I like this, but can you add a command for a minimum time to pass before adding top-off again? So that once the pH spikes to 8.4, for instance, the auto top-off has to wait at least 15 minutes or something before coming on again. How would you write this?

Otherwise, doesn't the auto top-off add-stop, add-stop, sdd-stop, very quickly?

 

[alrha]

Max Change 015 M Then Top Off

 

[johns]

Thank you-

Could you (or anyone) translate that command to me a little bit, in case I want to twekk it.

"Max Change 015 M" dos this mean the Top must wait 15 minutes every time it turns off? Should it be "Min Change" to set a minimum amount of time to stay off? Is there even such a command as Min Change?

And for your next part "Then Top Off", should it be "Then Top On" to turn the auto top-off back on again? Rememeber, I want it to spike the pH at some level, say 8.4, then turn off and wait about 15 minutes. And then be allowed to turn back on again (only if the pH has gotten below 8.4 again).

 

[alrha]

it is just the program language.

Max Change 015 M = should wait 15 minutes before changing the state
Then Top Off = Do this when Top is Off

 

[johns]

Ok. So it's right the way you wrote it then.

I just have trouble following the command language. I'm trying to read it logically, and the words dont always make sense.

Max Change 015 M Then Top Off

So you are basically, telling it to change the state of a device after X time period, then defining what state it is in when you start the timing (before you change it).

the Max is just Max, there is no Min?

I hope I am finally getting it. I think. Thanks

 

[alrha]

Bingo.

 

[johns]

For those of you interested, I did try controlling the osmolator in the way I mentioned above and it does appear to work. Now I only did this for a short time, but what I did was plug the osmolator directly into a DC8, and enterred a command for the osmolator pump to run any time the pH of the tank got below 8.25. I took the osmolator level sense control out of the water to simulate that the sump water level had fallen. The pH when I entered the command was pH 8.23, so the pump immediately turned on and started dosing kalk. After about a minute of dosing the pH spiked up above 8.25 and the pump cut off. I replaced the osmolator level sense control back into place in the water, and of course the water level was just slighly high now. I then tried the opposite scenario - I changed the command for the osmolator to run if the tank got below pH 8.4. However, the pump would not run, presumably because the osmolator could sense that the sump was at the fill level. As a double-check, I took the level sense control out of the water again to simulate that the sump water level had fallen and the pump immediately turned on.

I guess I still dont see a really great way to control the sump water volume by way of pH, but I thought I'd just see if the commands would work first. And also make sure that the osmolator shut off switch would still work.