Unofficial VORTECH is READY thread

[milkman55]

My WMX is about 15 ft away from my MP40w - about 12 ft across the room and up one floor through a floor and one wall. I got a "Missing" indicator one time and nothing since. In the week I have been running it, all the commands are immediate.

The e-mail I got from Ecotech cust svc said 10 to 50 ft was in range. I read the referenced post were their President said 12 inches? LOL, might as well just plug a USB cable between them and forget all the expensive wireless technology. I hope he meant 12 ft, but the OP said he was having trouble at 48".

You can run the WMX off a long USB cable and just mount the module right in the cabinet with the Vortech controllers. I just wanted to keep the installation to a minimum and not run the cable up one floor and through the wall, but I will if needed.

I am adding a second MP40w this weekend, so we will see when they are both slaves and sync'd off the commands from the WMX, if the distance becomes more of an issue.

 

[PowermanKW]

So mine is shipping out. Too bad Aquacave is out of Apex...won't have them till end of next week.

So first... I don't have multiple MP40s, just one... so I'm not up on syncing.... but

If I have two, and one is master and one is slave, and I use a WXM.... can I change which is master and slave with the WXM.... or does that just not matter cause there would never be a need?????

I can just use two 40s independently with out sync/antisync right?

 

[milkman55]

I added my second MP40w and I could not get the last step where the WMX recognizes the MP40w to work. It keep giving me a signal that it was not attaching to the Apex and I was not getting a second outlet being added.

I ended up unplugging the WMX USB and plugging it back in which caused both of my MP40w to be added as outlet Vortech 2 & 3. Outlet 1 was not in use? Anyway, I got both working, but not sure why I had to unplug the WMX. I went to the module config and deleted the extra Vortech outlet and everything is working great.

I am going to add the sync / anti-sync programming next.

Both MP40w controllers are 15 ft away from the WMX and both work great with no "missing" indicators on the status screen.

 

[Amoore311]

I haven't changed anything on mine yet, and have not gotten another "Missing" Status.


So everything seems to be going fine now.

 

[milkman55]

Can we go over the sync and anti-sync again.

I have three Profiles setup for the desired intensity for ReefCrest, Night, and Feed. I am using the Reef Crest during the day, and Night after lights out. And then Feed to slow the pumps to 10% for feeding. I have both of my MP40w using the same program.

Do I need to setup a Profile called Sync and designate one of the pumps as the Master and then setup another profile call Anit-Sync and designate the other pump as the slave? When you select Sync as the mode, it asked to designate a master pump?

The example on page 8 of the WMX instructions doesn't talk about having to setup anything in the Profiles for hte Sync and AntiSync to work, but it seems like you would need something to designate which pump is which?

If I primarily use Reef Crest, what impact to the pumps performance would I expect if I sync the pumps?

Thanks for any help.

 

[aquamanic]

Do I need to setup a Profile called Sync and designate one of the pumps as the Master and then setup another profile call Anit-Sync and designate the other pump as the slave? When you select Sync as the mode, it asked to designate a master pump?

Yes. So if you have 2 pumps and you want one in ReefCrest and the other Anti-Sync, you would activate those profiles at the same time on the different pumps. The one running ReefCrest would be the pump that was designated 'Master' in the Anti-Sync profile setup.

 

[PowermanKW]

Yes. So if you have 2 pumps and you want one in ReefCrest and the other Anti-Sync, you would activate those profiles at the same time on the different pumps. The one running ReefCrest would be the pump that was designated 'Master' in the Anti-Sync profile setup.

I apologize, I have a MP40, but just now got a second one and have not played with syncing yet. I will read all the great instructions you have put out but to clarify what you said above...

You just make whatever profiles and setting you want at what times you want for what ever pump you set as master. Then at those same times you just make the profile for what ever pump you want as slave to be sync or anti-sync correct???

And as you are changing these profiles, I assume you can also change which is master ans slave and whether you want sync or anti sync.... OR do you have to setup master and slave through the Vortech drivers and that can not change.... but you can change modes/settings of master/slave with Apex?

 

[aquamanic]

You just make whatever profiles and setting you want at what times you want for what ever pump you set as master. Then at those same times you just make the profile for what ever pump you want as slave to be sync or anti-sync correct???

:eek2: Yes. It think that's what I said! With selected VorTech modes, you have the master pump option. So for example, with the 'sync' profile, there's a master pump option for you to tell the WXM module what pump to sync to. That option doesn't appear with the 'constant' mode for obvious reasons.

You define these profiles then assign them to pumps when you want. Based on the profile definitions, one pump could be the master today but a slave tomorrow.

 

[PowermanKW]

Thanks a bunch Maniac. Your user guide rocks.

 

[milkman55]

I think my misunderstanding was more basic.

I thought the Master was in sync mode and the Slave was in anti-sync mode. Now I realize the master is in whatever Mode you want the pump to create (like Reef Crest) and the Slave is ONLY in either Sync or Anti-Sync depending on where the Slave is located. Same side of tank is Sync mode and opposite side of tank is Anti-Sync mode.

Correct?

 

[aquamanic]

Now I realize the master is in whatever Mode you want the pump to create (like Reef Crest) and the Slave is ONLY in either Sync or Anti-Sync

Yes.

A slave can have either a 'sync' profile or an 'anti sync' profile depending on how you want it to slave (sync/mimic or anti sync/opposite). But what's really cool about the Apex and WXM is you can easily change that behavior multiple times during the day, during feed modes, etc. A pump that's a slave now could be the master later - just setup the appropriate profiles and activate them in your program statements. And, you don't have to do master/slave with multiple pumps. They could each run independent profiles. The master/slave is just if you want to coordinate them.

Normal VorTech operation requires you to press buttons and watch color patterns. You could still do it but it would be a PITA!

 

[milkman55]

Thanks for the help. Anti-sync up and running.
Makes it easy, just set the master and everything else is automatic.