Dimming at Sunrise and Sunset

M

Maives

New member
I understand and can dim my LEDs at set sunrise and sunset using the TIME function, but do not understand how to use the SUN function. So this works for me:

Set OFF
If Time 07:00 to 08:00 Then RampUp
If Time 08:00 to 19:00 Then ON
If Time 19:00 to 20:00 Then RampDown

But I want the Sun function instead. Maybe it involves setting up a virtual outlet?
 
Instead of Time hh:mm you can use Sun 000/000 and it will use the stored schedule based on sunrise and sunset at 15 deg latitude. It is a nice capability, but I need to figure out how to incorporate it into a dimming program using profiles.
 
It is very similar. Assuming that you are using the latest firmware, you just substitute SUN for the TIME command. Also, with the latest firmware, it will automatically do the opposite profile at sunset as it does at sunrise, so you don't have to use two profiles.

Say you have a profile that you call RampSun that ramps from 0 to 100 percent over an hour. You would use the following to ramp up an hour before sunrise and then ramp down for the hour after sunset:

If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun

To substiture for your statement
If Time 08:00 to 19:00 Then ON
You have to create a "dummy" outlet, lets call it DAY and use the following programming:

If Sun 000/000 Then ON

Then, you would add the "dummy" outlet to your variable outlet programming so that it now looks like this:

If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun
If Outlet W_On = ON Then ON

CJ
 
Just to confirm, if I want the dim to start 60 min before sunrise and to end 60 min after sunset the statement is "If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun" ? Logically I would think it would be "If Sun -060/060 Then RampSun"

Thanks CJO for the help.
 
The offsets are for when the dimming starts. For the dimming to start 60 minutes before sunrise (until sunrise) and then begin again at sunset (and end 60 minutes after sunset), the correct statement would be:

If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun

CJ
 
Which controllers can use the SUN command? I have an ACjr. Is this possible if I use the Variable speed pump module or the lunar sim?
 
From what I am seeing the sunset dim appears to be going from low voltage to high and acting like the sunrise. I have a ramp time of 60, a start intensity of 30 and an end intensity of 90; this profile is called RampLED2 and I start it one hour after sunrise. I also have another profile I start right at sunrise with a ramp time of 60, a start intensity of 7 and an end intensity of 30, this is called RampLED1.

Has anyone verified that their program is in fact ramping down at sunset without explicitly writing both a sunrise and sunset program? Perhaps my dual ramping is beyond the capability, but it does make for a smoother transition while my corals are adjusting to the LED lights.
 
CJO said:
It is very similar. Assuming that you are using the latest firmware, you just substitute SUN for the TIME command. Also, with the latest firmware, it will automatically do the opposite profile at sunset as it does at sunrise, so you don't have to use two profiles.

Say you have a profile that you call RampSun that ramps from 0 to 100 percent over an hour. You would use the following to ramp up an hour before sunrise and then ramp down for the hour after sunset:

If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun

To substiture for your statement
If Time 08:00 to 19:00 Then ON
You have to create a "dummy" outlet, lets call it DAY and use the following programming:

If Sun 000/000 Then ON

Then, you would add the "dummy" outlet to your variable outlet programming so that it now looks like this:

If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun
If Outlet W_On = ON Then ON

CJ
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I'm trying to do too. Everything makes sense besides this statement:
If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun

Would that just run RampSun between 60 min before sunrise and at sunset?
 
Maives said:
From what I am seeing the sunset dim appears to be going from low voltage to high and acting like the sunrise. I have a ramp time of 60, a start intensity of 30 and an end intensity of 90; this profile is called RampLED2 and I start it one hour after sunrise. I also have another profile I start right at sunrise with a ramp time of 60, a start intensity of 7 and an end intensity of 30, this is called RampLED1.

Has anyone verified that their program is in fact ramping down at sunset without explicitly writing both a sunrise and sunset program? Perhaps my dual ramping is beyond the capability, but it does make for a smoother transition while my corals are adjusting to the LED lights.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's working fine on mine. As I mentioned before, you do have to have the latest firmware for it to do the reverse cycle at sunset.

CJ
 
Oblivionis said:
This is exactly what I'm trying to do too. Everything makes sense besides this statement:
If Sun -060/000 Then RampSun

Would that just run RampSun between 60 min before sunrise and at sunset?
Click to expand...

Almost- assuming you have the latest firmware, it will run RampSun starting at 60 minutes before sunrise and then run the opposite of RampSun starting at sunset.

CJ
 
Does anyone want to suggest what happens when you have two ramping programs. I did that so that instead of having a linear increase in voltage signal over the ramping time, it will be biphasic with a slower rampup for the first hour and then a faster rampup for the second hour. But again this may confuse the Apex software.
 
I actually just setup my V1/V2 to ramp blues/whites but i noticed that using the initial code posted by the op it ramps quickly after the last minute that its sposed to be on. Not sure what im doing wrong lol...

I notice it ramp down for like 5 seconds quickly. so its setup like this:

Set OFF
If Time 07:00 to 08:00 Then RampW
If Time 08:00 to 19:00 Then ON
If Time 19:00 to 20:00 Then DimW

Between 1900 to 2000hrs i notice nothing possible i cant tell, but at 2000hrs to 2001.5 ish i notice a quick ramp down til it shuts off... Im sure something is up somewhere lol...

Thanks and sorry for jacking the thread, figured since it has a generic name it can be used mutiple times ;)
 
Maives said:
Does anyone want to suggest what happens when you have two ramping programs. I did that so that instead of having a linear increase in voltage signal over the ramping time, it will be biphasic with a slower rampup for the first hour and then a faster rampup for the second hour. But again this may confuse the Apex software.
Click to expand...

You can only have 1 profile active at a time and when a profile activates it runs from min to max over time. Profiles do not carry over values (that is to say that a new profile knows nothing about the active profile before it or the value currently set so if you can see jumps in brightness of the new active profile min value is dramatically different from the last profiles value; including the current value if the last profile hadn't reached max).

Make sense?
 
PurpleMonster said:
I actually just setup my V1/V2 to ramp blues/whites but i noticed that using the initial code posted by the op it ramps quickly after the last minute that its sposed to be on. Not sure what im doing wrong lol...

I notice it ramp down for like 5 seconds quickly. so its setup like this:

Set OFF
If Time 07:00 to 08:00 Then RampW
If Time 08:00 to 19:00 Then ON
If Time 19:00 to 20:00 Then DimW

Between 1900 to 2000hrs i notice nothing possible i cant tell, but at 2000hrs to 2001.5 ish i notice a quick ramp down til it shuts off... Im sure something is up somewhere lol...

Thanks and sorry for jacking the thread, figured since it has a generic name it can be used mutiple times ;)
Click to expand...

How are your RampW and DimW profiles setup?

CJ
 
To be honest CJ I have not been home much this week to monitor how its looking now.... hopefully this weekend i can observe it a bit more, and i will report back.

Thanks for your help.
 
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