Clubbinaz
New member
So I decided to unplug the Tunze Osmolator and take a stab at programming an Auto Top Off using a couple of float switches and the break out box for the Apex.
Step 1: Plug in the Break Out Box into the PM2 Module
Step 2: Wire up float switches.
On the break out box there are 6 switch positions and one ground. Each sensor has two wires where one would go to the ground and the other to the cooresponding number that you want to use. Use switch value 1 for the main (bottom On/Off Switch) and switch value 2 for the backup shut off switch.
Step 3: Create two virtual outlets.
This can be accomplished by going to the Apex web interface
CONFIGURATION - MODULE SETUP
From there you will want to setup a DC4 Module which will create 4 virtual outlets for you to use. The default location is the A locaion so you will probably create 4 virtual outlets labled xxx_A1, xxx_A2, etc...
Step 4: Go into your new virtual outlet xxx_A1 by going to CONFIGURATION - OUTLET SETUP and rename it to what ever you want your on/off float switch (the bottom one) to be named plus "x5_1". so if you name it Switch1, then your syntax for the outlet will be Switch1x5_1
Step 5: Go into your next new virtual outlet xxx_A2 by going to CONFIGURATION - OUTLET SETUP and rename it to what ever you want your backup float switch (the top one) to be named plus "x5_2". so if you name it Switch2, then your syntax for the outlet will be Switch2x5_2
Now that you have the virtual outlets created, let's program them to do what we want.
Step 6: Go back into yor first Virtual Outlet , in my example it's called Switch1x5_1.
Change the control type to ADVANCED and insert the following code
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 000:00/000:10/059:50 Then ON
If Switchx5_1 CLOSED Then OFF
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON
Now let's take this code apart and explain what each line means.
Fallback OFF <~ This means that if there is some interruption like power dies it automatically shuts down as a default. So even if its running and the power dies on that unit, it shuts off the pump. This is a very good thing !!
Set OFF This literaly just makes sure it starts in the OFF position and is not ON
OSC 000:00/000:10/059:50 Then ON <~ Because this code comes after the Set OFF command it will run after that command since the programming logic for the APEX is linear in thinking. This is just another redundent backup process. This states that even if the float switches fail, he pump will NOT run for more than 10 seconds in any given hour period. Also, if it runs for 10 seconds and the Switchx5_1 is still OPEN, it will not continue to fill until the 59:50 has lapsed. This works for my system just fine because of the speed of my pump, you may want to adjust that for your best results, but at least you will understand what it means.
If Switchx5_1 CLOSED Then OFF If the circut for the bottom (on/off Switch) is closed then the outlet is OFF. This is important so that the pump which will eventually be controlled by the two virtual outlets that we are setting up will be OFF when the circut is closed.
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON If the circut for the bottom (on/off Switch) is open then the outlet turns ON. This means that when the water level drops the sensor to the open position it will turn on the pump.
These two lines of code working together simply mean that when the water drops and OPENS the circut it will turn the outlet (connected to the pump) ON and it will continue to run for 10 seconds or until the water raises up enough to CLOSE the circut.
Step 7: Go into your next virtual outlet that we just created probably named Switch2x5_2 and change the control type to advanced. Once you have the box for the code open enter the following code
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Switchx5_2 OPEN Then ON
Now I'm not going into detail about this logic since I pretty much explained the first outlet in detail but you will notice that something does look alittle strange. Particulary in the line If Switchx5_2 OPEN Then ON. This seems a little backwards from the other outlet and there's a perfectly good reason as to why. I have this float sensor mounted upside down so I can get it to the correct location in my sump for the backup water sensor to do it's job.
Tip:: turn off your return pump and make sure this switch is above where your water level is with alll equipment off or your alarms will be blazing constantly.
Step 8: Now that we have the logic and programming done, which really wasn't that hard people, we need to apply it to a real outlet on the energy bar. So what ever outlet you plan on using for your top off pump needs to be programmed to utilize the virtual outlets we just created.
For this example we will use outlet number 7 which I will now go into by going to CONFIGURATION - OUTLET SETUP, selecting outlet xxx_7 and renaming it to TopOff_7 so I know which one it is. Now Im going to change my Control Type to Advanced and insert the following code.
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON
If Switchx5_1 CLOSED Then OFF
If Switchx5_2 OPEN Then OFF
So let's take a look at each line once again starting with the IF statements.
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON Well we used that first virtual outlet to handle the actual water level on/off action. So when that switch is OPEN the pump is ON and when the water level rises enough to close the switch then the Pump will turn OFF.
As a back up we also have it in there that if the Backup second switch becomes OPEN because the water level raised way up, then the Pump needs to turn off.
Well that's about it for the Automatic Top Off setup for my Apex. Using this code and logic you can create a redundent system that is reliable and accurate. I have three failsafes to protect against an overfill. They are the bottom On/Off Switch, The Backup Switch and the Oscillation timer of only 10 seconds per hour. Between these three options, it's very very very unlikely that a problem will occur.
Oh yea, and now Im selling my Osmolator if you know anyone interested. It's only 6 months old and works great.
PS: I also have another backup on my personal system. I utilize the conductivity probe and I use my top off to monitor Salinity in my system. If my salt drops, it stops topping off and if it goes up, it adds extra fresh water to regulate at 35 ppt.
Goodluck
Darren
Step 1: Plug in the Break Out Box into the PM2 Module
Step 2: Wire up float switches.
On the break out box there are 6 switch positions and one ground. Each sensor has two wires where one would go to the ground and the other to the cooresponding number that you want to use. Use switch value 1 for the main (bottom On/Off Switch) and switch value 2 for the backup shut off switch.
Step 3: Create two virtual outlets.
This can be accomplished by going to the Apex web interface
CONFIGURATION - MODULE SETUP
From there you will want to setup a DC4 Module which will create 4 virtual outlets for you to use. The default location is the A locaion so you will probably create 4 virtual outlets labled xxx_A1, xxx_A2, etc...
Step 4: Go into your new virtual outlet xxx_A1 by going to CONFIGURATION - OUTLET SETUP and rename it to what ever you want your on/off float switch (the bottom one) to be named plus "x5_1". so if you name it Switch1, then your syntax for the outlet will be Switch1x5_1
Step 5: Go into your next new virtual outlet xxx_A2 by going to CONFIGURATION - OUTLET SETUP and rename it to what ever you want your backup float switch (the top one) to be named plus "x5_2". so if you name it Switch2, then your syntax for the outlet will be Switch2x5_2
Now that you have the virtual outlets created, let's program them to do what we want.
Step 6: Go back into yor first Virtual Outlet , in my example it's called Switch1x5_1.
Change the control type to ADVANCED and insert the following code
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 000:00/000:10/059:50 Then ON
If Switchx5_1 CLOSED Then OFF
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON
Now let's take this code apart and explain what each line means.
Fallback OFF <~ This means that if there is some interruption like power dies it automatically shuts down as a default. So even if its running and the power dies on that unit, it shuts off the pump. This is a very good thing !!
Set OFF This literaly just makes sure it starts in the OFF position and is not ON
OSC 000:00/000:10/059:50 Then ON <~ Because this code comes after the Set OFF command it will run after that command since the programming logic for the APEX is linear in thinking. This is just another redundent backup process. This states that even if the float switches fail, he pump will NOT run for more than 10 seconds in any given hour period. Also, if it runs for 10 seconds and the Switchx5_1 is still OPEN, it will not continue to fill until the 59:50 has lapsed. This works for my system just fine because of the speed of my pump, you may want to adjust that for your best results, but at least you will understand what it means.
If Switchx5_1 CLOSED Then OFF If the circut for the bottom (on/off Switch) is closed then the outlet is OFF. This is important so that the pump which will eventually be controlled by the two virtual outlets that we are setting up will be OFF when the circut is closed.
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON If the circut for the bottom (on/off Switch) is open then the outlet turns ON. This means that when the water level drops the sensor to the open position it will turn on the pump.
These two lines of code working together simply mean that when the water drops and OPENS the circut it will turn the outlet (connected to the pump) ON and it will continue to run for 10 seconds or until the water raises up enough to CLOSE the circut.
Step 7: Go into your next virtual outlet that we just created probably named Switch2x5_2 and change the control type to advanced. Once you have the box for the code open enter the following code
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Switchx5_2 OPEN Then ON
Now I'm not going into detail about this logic since I pretty much explained the first outlet in detail but you will notice that something does look alittle strange. Particulary in the line If Switchx5_2 OPEN Then ON. This seems a little backwards from the other outlet and there's a perfectly good reason as to why. I have this float sensor mounted upside down so I can get it to the correct location in my sump for the backup water sensor to do it's job.
Tip:: turn off your return pump and make sure this switch is above where your water level is with alll equipment off or your alarms will be blazing constantly.
Step 8: Now that we have the logic and programming done, which really wasn't that hard people, we need to apply it to a real outlet on the energy bar. So what ever outlet you plan on using for your top off pump needs to be programmed to utilize the virtual outlets we just created.
For this example we will use outlet number 7 which I will now go into by going to CONFIGURATION - OUTLET SETUP, selecting outlet xxx_7 and renaming it to TopOff_7 so I know which one it is. Now Im going to change my Control Type to Advanced and insert the following code.
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON
If Switchx5_1 CLOSED Then OFF
If Switchx5_2 OPEN Then OFF
So let's take a look at each line once again starting with the IF statements.
If Switchx5_1 OPEN Then ON Well we used that first virtual outlet to handle the actual water level on/off action. So when that switch is OPEN the pump is ON and when the water level rises enough to close the switch then the Pump will turn OFF.
As a back up we also have it in there that if the Backup second switch becomes OPEN because the water level raised way up, then the Pump needs to turn off.
Well that's about it for the Automatic Top Off setup for my Apex. Using this code and logic you can create a redundent system that is reliable and accurate. I have three failsafes to protect against an overfill. They are the bottom On/Off Switch, The Backup Switch and the Oscillation timer of only 10 seconds per hour. Between these three options, it's very very very unlikely that a problem will occur.
Oh yea, and now Im selling my Osmolator if you know anyone interested. It's only 6 months old and works great.
PS: I also have another backup on my personal system. I utilize the conductivity probe and I use my top off to monitor Salinity in my system. If my salt drops, it stops topping off and if it goes up, it adds extra fresh water to regulate at 35 ppt.
Goodluck
Darren
