Will there ever be a "Day of Week" function?

[scolley]

I've got some events that I'd like to automate, but they aren't things that I want to do every day. But with my AC III, if you aren't doing it every day, you can't automate it. Or at least I'm not aware of any way - short of plugging an electronic timer into your DC4/8. But that's kind of a kludge - I'd like all of my automation to be handed by my AC III.

So I'm curious, does Neptune Systems ever plan on expanding their products' capabilities by adding a "Day of Week" function, so I can evaluate whether it is Monday, Tuesday, etc?

 

[Roy G. Biv]

2nd that!!

 

[bmwardo]

Maybe this could be done with some sort of simple modulus operation, but I agree, it would certainly help expand a few capabilities.

 

[jmkarcz]

How about just offering a 7 day rotating schedule curt and you can tell it what day you want to start at, it counts to 7 and then rolls over the clock again(IE: add another digit on the ole odometer to the left.) and a simple menu that says today is day:___1__

Then we can all just set sunday or monday to the first day of the week or what ever your culture is... and then you could have statements like:

if DAY = 1 then ....

OR You could offer it as an option... this would be best... use a 7 day cycle or a 28 day cycle...for the lunar...

Which is I guess where I answer everything by asking why it could not just add another parameter field or two associated with the day of the month. The you could Just check a box for the days you want parameter 1 to run... and another for parameter 2...

You could foul up the lunar settings so that you have a full moon 4 times a month and when that setting = ? then run XYZ...

Hmmmm...

 

[scolley]

Bump.

IMO this is a legitimate question. It's time for Neptune Systems to chime in please.

I think as a user (consumer) community, we can assume that no response is synonymous with "no, we have no plans for that feature that we are willing to make public" .

Thanks.

 

[crazy loaches]

I've asked about this as well Scolley, and yeah it would be really nice to have that capability. Perhaps a firmware update?

 

[jmkarcz]

I usually interpret silence as permission to tinker myself, often with things I should not...


That said... it's a good sign I'm still at the keyboard and not in my shop.

 

[Deleted member 143833]

If there was a timer which could close a set of contacts you could use 'If Switch' statements but it would take a PX1000 to get enough contacts for a full week.

 

[lvreefer]

Now, now... Some people get sick or take vacations.

Anyways this speaks to a greater point of the time issues that the AC has. I think the way the AC tracks the time of day needs to be addressed first.

 

[jmkarcz]

I would really love to see a "Temporary On" and a "Temporary Off" status/feature added. For example: if someone visits before my lights turn on... and I want to show them the tank.... a "temporary on" feature would be more useful than the "manual on" in that it would turn the device on before it's scheduled time... then as the normal scheduled time rolls past, automatically reverts to automatic function, and switches off like normal. Or the reverse is true... ifI want the lights off early, then they are temporarily off... then, as the normal off time rolls past, they revert back to normal auto status...

Why is it that a 12$ timer from my local hardware store will do this, but a 1000$ computer controlled device has trouble with this?

I turned my lights off early one day... then left on vacation for 3 days... forgot till it was to late.... there was no light on for 2 days.

Same is true... wanted them on for company... then left to go to a game... returned at 2 am when the bars closed... Lights were still on...

I'm not bashing the unit. but I think it's time to stop the train, make some serious foundational changes that affect it's flexibility, the get on and run it again.

Why couldn't 3 user defined devices be linked to a 28 day cycle. a simple check mark in a binary box for on or off... could signal the running of that device. The max statement could be employed easily. A 28 day cycle makes the most sense, as it is lunar, many devices and functions are naturally traced back to lunar... and with change, this could be a user option of using a 7 day cycle for repeating weeks or a 28 day cycle over a lunar month. As the calender clicks over at midnight, the next day advances...

Hate to be squeaky, but I'd like to hear about some grease.

ACP3 owner, with full notes - 500+ gallons of Salt and reef.

 

[Deleted member 143833]

I simulated a 'Temporary On' and a 'Temporary Off' facility using feed timers. I use 1 timer for feed, 1 for lights temp on (for visitors) and 1 for tank maintenance (long off time for pumps, and stuff).

wrt date commands, and this is only my opinion but since the AC knows the day of the month it should be possible to have a condition that worked off the value of 'date' fairly easily. That said however I do not have the market information to say if this is a feature that most AC users would want over another and ultimately Neptune needs to go where the biggest bang is.

Something another controller did (name not mentioned) is to make the firmware available GPL so people could make changes; now that (IMHO) would be very cool!

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Well if you aren't using you natural cycles such as lighting, you could probably edit the cycle's times included to match the times you want it to control weekly or monthly. And then set the item to run of the moon schedule.

 

[jmkarcz]

I thought about the temp on using the feed timer... just did not think it was good for the halides to be turned on for a few minutes.... then off.

 

[Deleted member 143833]

I was worried about the same thing so I only turn on the VHOs. I thought the halides would be OK if they had a chance to cool but starting a halide hot, I have herd causes problems.

 

[clp]

Sorry I didn't respond the earlier, but this one slipped past me when I was out of the office for a week in February. The day of the week functionality is on the enhancement list.
As kenargo states, I think the multiple feed cycles can be used to implement the temporary on/off of one or multiple devices. I don't know if any problems with trying to restart a hot MH bulb. They simply don't restart until the bulb cools down enough, and then it will restart. Restarting MH bulbs does shorten their lifetime but I don't think that it matters if they are hot or cold when you do this.

Curt

 

[jmkarcz]

Lets just all agree that all things considered, putting the hallides on a short brust feed timer array like a feed timer setting is probalbly like wearing your shoes on the wrong feet because "it can be done".

FOR hallides I give the Idea a 9.5 for enginuity and creativity. For application.... well it late and I'm kinda cranky. Halides preform best if turned on, left on and turned off. we'llall agree on that part.

If I were running t-5's or compacts... which I may add supplemental eventually, this may be an option. In that case... it has an "application" rating much higher. After some further thought and research back to my email to you about this last time, I think I mentioned that I thought it could be done with a single addition of a single status setting in to programming... at a "Bump" feature to the Man On, Man Off, Auto... settings. If sellected, it puts the device in the opposite state it is in at the time... Ie: off to on... untill on changes automatically to off again.

I realize it sounds simpler that it is in real life. but it would be handy.

The more I think about it, it would really be nice to have a device or set of optional defices to apply to a lunar calander. I have a graphic that i started that I'll have to post that would explain this better...

Just not right now... It's later here than it is by you Curt - and the digits that drive these keys are getting tired.


I'll email it to you tomorrow when I change computers.


BTW, can I make changes to my database file to get rid of the columns or re-organize the columns to display my commonly used parameters first in notes... Like Calcium, Alkalinity, Temp, pH... then the ones I don't track... I would actually use User1 and user2 since I track Specific addatives in those.. and would like them over next to Cal and Alk. Yes, I know I can arrance them this way in notes already, but if I refresh, they get put back to defaults.

Jason

BTW... you were in time there... I din't take it apart...

 

[crazy loaches]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12056640#post12056640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clp The day of the week functionality is on the enhancement list.

Thats good to hear. I agree that with such a nice piece of equipment that can even do seasonal variations that you would think a day of week functionality would be a piece of cake. I just hope it comes out as something like a firmware upgrade that existing users can get, not just for the next new controller to be released, etc.

 

[scolley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12056640#post12056640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clp
Sorry I didn't respond the earlier, but this one slipped past me when I was out of the office for a week in February. The day of the week functionality is on the enhancement list.Curt

Thanks Curt!

I for one, really look foward to that. Thanks for the response.

 

[USC-fan]

bump

 

[scolley]

Bump.

It's nearly a year later for this being on the enhancement list. And I NEED it, if my AC III is going to be my single solution to tank control.

Granted, I can put timers on my plugs on my DC8 that need control by the day - but that is really a kludge. I would prefer the solution come in the form of a suitable update of the software from Neptune Systems. It's a shame that this otherwise excellent product be constrained by this seemingly simple limitation.

Thanks.