<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8265236#post8265236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DHyslop
I apologize for newbie questions, but now its starting to seem like something that's within my grasp. When you're first starting its hard to learn because you don't know exactly what to search for 
I'm looking at various components (the SECU16, particularly) on the internet and they seem marketed to the X10 home automators out there, with associated bells and whistles: touch screen, computer interface, etc.
From what I understand the discussion above about using a pc centered around soldering wires to chips and writing the controller code for the computer. Is there a disadvantage (beyond DIY pride) to using one of these commercial interfaces--not to do the routine controlling, that would stay in the SECU--but to do manual override, internet control, etc? The bells and whistles.
Dan
I'm not sure I fully understand the question. My system is not diy its commercially market to a more high end home automation crowd. It is completely stand alone, once the code is written and down loaded the pc is disconnected.
Every controller no matter who makes it or what it does has to have inputs and outputs.
One advantage to the ocelot is the limitless inputs and outputs. So far Ive shown you only the means to control the sump water level using the secu16 module with eight inputs and eight outputs.
You can easily put together a quick auto top off system with just some float switches and relays but you have a dumb system. For example you could go out and buy a $150+ oceanus top off control. Lets look at what happens, first the sump level float. Each time the float drops it will turn on the feed pump and refill the sump. Depending on the sump and evaporation level it will cycle many times during the day only adding a tiny amount of water if any at all since the float switch is going to cycle very rapidly before it reaches the turn on point. This makes it very hard to use a rodi top-off and will damage a pump.
Now lets look at the low sump level float. If for some reason the top off did not fill the sump and it got low it will turn off the return pump. Sounds good right? What happens is the tank will drain back into the sump via the return and the float will rise turning the return pump back on. As soon as it refills the tank it shuts back off again. This is a quick 30 second process. Would you want your expensive return pump cycleing off and on ever 30 seconds for 10 hours while your at work.
A ato system really needs a little more. You could do this with a bunch of latching relays and one shot relays that are expensive or you can do it with a little logic.
Look at the code in the screen shot. The sump level float turns on. Looks to make sure that the sump is not overfull. Then starts a timer if the sump sloshes and the float switches off the process starts over. Once it sees a constant it will run the timer for one hour (3600 seconds) after the one hour hysteris it will fill the tank back up until the float turns off.
Now for the low level, remember the constant cycling. Look at the code its pretty basic. Shut the pump off and leave it off, thats pretty straight forward. Now you have to think now what, my return pump and skimmer are not running and its hot or cold and my tank is going to overheat or freeze while I'm at work. If you used a latching relay that correct. If you used logic then no all should be fine. You have the ability to control so much more based on what is going on in the tank aside from the sump water level being low.
Here is a odd ball example that I gave another group.
So lets assume your in the shower and your sump explodes. The top off float will turn on, as will the low level float. The ocelot see's these two combined so it shuts down the retun pump, skimmer, chiller and heaters and does not turn on the ato. It also saw that the bathroom has active motion so it in turn starts flashing the bathroom lights off and on, telling you to get out off the shower. You suck up the mess and head out to get a new sump and the ocelot sees the temp in the tank rise,so it shuts down the haides and turns on a few pc fans. Youve been gone three hours and the ocelot sees the temp start to fall so it turns the haides back on and shuts off the fans. Well you stopped at the bar and got to drunk to drive so you stay in the hotel The ocelot sees the tank water level evaporating so it diverts the ato directly to the tank. You finally decide to come home all hung over and install the new sump. Push the reset button and everthing fires back up resuming normal operation.
I'm not the greatest at explaining this stuff so iff you can wade through the babble you'll see its very simple.
Don
