Digital Aquatics Archon Owners Thread

[Pickupman66]

Haha. well I have a lumentek 240 pro. I bypassed the on board controls and since it uses inverted pwm, I bought an analog to pwm board Arduino board. I run the three channels off of this via my analog outputs. Works splendidly! initially though it would not kill the lights fully So i used the two PWM channels to operate a relay board to kill power to the ballasts but then it started lowering them to full off. I now have a 5.5 hour up and down with an hour of peak light. Plus moons. As for the other lights they make some may be abalog, some may be pwm and some use a reverse pwm. By that I mean my leds are at 100% brightness with a zero pwm signal. And they are off with a 100% pwm.

Btw, ballasts will say pwm or analog on them

 

[FlyingFishSKYw]

That easy, huh? LOL!!

I'm still trying to figure out which lights to get for my new 75- and do I just let them have their own control, or try to get the Archon to do it.

 

[Pickupman66]

Hahaha the hard part was when i learned the ballasts were goofy and backwards.


Well. If you get the manual dimming ones hack them for your archon. Or get the kit from reef radiance. For a 75, get a pair of them. You will be pleased. I do prefer the control by my archon over the on board control.

 

[SoloGarth]

Funny that you say that ..
I definitely did not realize this thing was so new.. i saw it, got excited and saw everything i needed for my tank ( cept PAR meter) and plunged in head first.. ordered up a bunch of stuff(modules, bus cables, probes, switches, LED controller cables) and i am Still trying to get it setup the way i want it.(87.45% there) thanks to the DAteam for the help, kudos are definitely due.

When talking to the local marine shops, they havn't even heard of it before..(and all of them let their DA stocks empty due to some Canadian distributor switching to strictly horticulture products) in their eyes i am the only guy north of the states(i better not be) with this thing, so they can't help..

I am definately enjoying the challenge, after the initial disappointment and realization of the exchange rate(cost more), i realized i made an investment and will stick with it until i win the lotto. For me it is sometimes exciting to go through the growing pains of a new system. i guess it feels like more of an accomplishment.. if it was easy.. what would we learn?
After being an owner for 2 weeks, i have only thought about returning it once.. well twice now, but that's because i am writing about it, so it shouldn't count.
As long as support stays up i'll keep it.
:ape:

Haha. I can definitely see what you mean. I no longer have my Archon and for a while I didn't know what to do with myself since I don't have to tinker with the new controller on a daily basis (or ever really). A hole had opened up in my life haha.

I am still rather disappointed to see much of the same problems on here as existed months ago.

It isn't just Canadian dealers/distributors shying away from the Archon. I don't believe any U.S. Distributor carries it either. I spoke with the guys at BRS back in April about when they would be getting some of these in and they told me they had one they were testing and once they felt satisfied with it they would stock it. Nothing yet which is pretty unusual as they normally have new products in stock as soon as they become available.

 

[shellsea]

Water Bug

Water Bug

Can anyone suggest alarm programming for Water Bug leak detector? I have successfully got it connected to Switch B on my old SL1 and both detectors seem to function correctly with Archon.
I have one detector in my cabinet floor as a back up to the cut off switch in an Avast skimmer locker and placing the second detector behind the tank for a potential overflow there.
Since detectors are run in parallel, if either one detects water they will "close".

So, am I correct in thinking that in the event of an alarm I should have skimmer, return pump, ATO all shut off? Just want to be sure I am headed in the right thought pattern and would like a second opinion. Thanks.

 

[janes_mw]

Can anyone suggest alarm programming for Water Bug leak detector? I have successfully got it connected to Switch B on my old SL1 and both detectors seem to function correctly with Archon.
I have one detector in my cabinet floor as a back up to the cut off switch in an Avast skimmer locker and placing the second detector behind the tank for a potential overflow there.
Since detectors are run in parallel, if either one detects water they will "close".

So, am I correct in thinking that in the event of an alarm I should have skimmer, return pump, ATO all shut off? Just want to be sure I am headed in the right thought pattern and would like a second opinion. Thanks.

I have my Water Bug hooked up as a SW input and Alarm much as you do. In my case, I have the Alarm referenced in anything that can pump water outside of my sump (in my case my Calcium Reactor, Zeovite Tumbler, and Main Pump). Your thinking sounds solid to me ..... anything that could cause water to hit your Water bug.... shut it off and notify you via email, text, or whatever is fastest in your case.

 

[shellsea]

I have my Water Bug hooked up as a SW input and Alarm much as you do. In my case, I have the Alarm referenced in anything that can pump water outside of my sump (in my case my Calcium Reactor, Zeovite Tumbler, and Main Pump). Your thinking sounds solid to me ..... anything that could cause water to hit your Water bug.... shut it off and notify you via email, text, or whatever is fastest in your case.

Thanks! I omitted my reactors.

 

[janes_mw]

Ok, so I finally got some time to "push the update button". Reason I said got time to push button is because in the past, I have bricked two units on the "update FEATURE". So, I got brave, pushed update software. Screen comes up says updating, comes back in about 30 seconds. I refresh screen, still on version 28.

I then rebooted, refreshed and still on version 28.

Did the above twice and gave up.

Any hints? Am I supposed to stand on only one foot and drink a shot of whiskey and say a prayer at the moment I press update?:uhoh3::uhoh3:

 

[n2585722]

What do you mean by 28. You should be getting a update on both software and hardware. Hardware is the main one to look out for. I usually let it go for 5 to 10 minutes before rebooting on that. I bricked one back in December because I rebooted early on the hardware update.

What are your software and hardware versions?

 

[janes_mw]

What do you mean by 28. You should be getting a update on both software and hardware. Hardware is the main one to look out for. I usually let it go for 5 to 10 minutes before rebooting on that. I bricked one back in December because I rebooted early on the hardware update.

What are your software and hardware versions?

Oh trust me, i know about bricking a unit due to rebooting because it doesn't tell you anything and just sits there .... anyway

By version 28 I mean SW version 1.09.28 as well as 1.08.8 HW. I can't get it to do the SW update which would then allow me to do the HW update. For the update i pushed update and waited 30 minutes actually. It didn't update SW. Did the routine twice and gave up.

mike

 

[Arnok666]

Oh trust me, i know about bricking a unit due to rebooting because it doesn't tell you anything and just sits there .... anyway

By version 28 I mean SW version 1.09.28 as well as 1.08.8 HW. I can't get it to do the SW update which would then allow me to do the HW update. For the update i pushed update and waited 30 minutes actually. It didn't update SW. Did the routine twice and gave up.

mike

I backed up then cleared the usb drive,. then used the firmware on the website, then rebooted and updated using the instructions in the manual. and it gave me the uption to update software then hardware

 

[Pickupman66]

My unit reboots itself. Every time I update software it will reboot. When it does hardware it shuts down. I wait for the updating dialog to show and the power cycle it.


Btw. You guys should be on version 32 software and 10 hardware.

 

[FlyingFishSKYw]

I think I may have bricked mine tonight... ugh...
Software update was fine, waited 7-ish minutes for hardware to update and nothing came back on line when I restarted it.
Software was to version 1.09.32, but hardware showed 1.01.0
I tried wiping the USB and reloading my last good file set, but now I can't even get to the system page... out of time tonight with an early show for a 2-day trip.
Might be a late night Saturday!

 

[n2585722]

Are the module status lights blinking?

 

[janes_mw]

I think I may have bricked mine tonight... ugh...
Software update was fine, waited 7-ish minutes for hardware to update and nothing came back on line when I restarted it.
Software was to version 1.09.32, but hardware showed 1.01.0
I tried wiping the USB and reloading my last good file set, but now I can't even get to the system page... out of time tonight with an early show for a 2-day trip.
Might be a late night Saturday!

oh oh .......:fun5::fun5:

 

[FlyingFishSKYw]

Module lights are blinking.
I was able to get into the system today Software Version 1.09.32, Hardware version is 1.01.0
All modules show Detached, pH and iTemp read 0.00

 

[Pickupman66]

Sounds like the hardware update didn't function. A ticket needs to be opened with DA. I hate seeing this. Normally these go pretty flawlessly.

Incidentally the beta testers are in a newer version that really shows some potential as far as updating things goes.

 

[janes_mw]

Sounds like the hardware update didn't function. A ticket needs to be opened with DA. I hate seeing this. Normally these go pretty flawlessly.

Incidentally the beta testers are in a newer version that really shows some potential as far as updating things goes.

I hate to see it also. 2 for 4 on HW updates.....bricked. Not doing this one until Eric calls and leads me through it

 

[Pickupman66]

Do you guys reboot after you do the software? Does your system automatically shut down and restart after software?

 

[janes_mw]

Do you guys reboot after you do the software? Does your system automatically shut down and restart after software?

in both of my "bricking events" the SW update took fine, then HW and waited at least 10 minutes. It never did anything in both cases and when I finally rebooted, Bricked.

The most recent, it won't even show it updated. Just "acts like it" then reverts to the old version. Eric is "supposed" to call and work with me, but.....