Apex DOS DIY level switch?

Krazie4Acans · Apr 20, 2017

So how about posting the gerbers or allowing the board house to list your boards in the available projects to order and then provide a BOM with links for the parts so that we can just order and build them ourselves? That would at least allow the project to live on.

Or you could post your email address. LOL

Dxpert · Apr 21, 2017

Interesting... Assuming it was turned off by someone other than you? If so, I've lost a little respect for reef2reef. Oh well. Do you still visit the Apex Neptune forum? I've sent you a message on that forum also.

radiata · Apr 21, 2017

Just a heads-up on the optical sensors. I was on eBay last night, and they have dropped significantly in price, and some have shorter cables.

FLSharkvictim · Apr 25, 2017

CuseReefer said:
I have one of these coming in friday as well:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400934780805?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

What are you going to use the optical eye for and are you going to hook that up to your breakout box?

radiata · Apr 26, 2017

FLSharkvictim said:
What are you going to use the optical eye for and are you going to hook that up to your breakout box?

I just replaced two float switches with optical sensors in my automated RODI system. I'm not using either the Apex or Avast breakout box. I'm using the custom BOB from one of our fellow R2R members.

CuseReefer · May 3, 2017

Dxpert said:
Interesting... Assuming it was turned off by someone other than you? If so, I've lost a little respect for reef2reef. Oh well. Do you still visit the Apex Neptune forum? I've sent you a message on that forum also.

Yes I'm still on the Neptune forums as CuseReefer as well. Best way to contact me for info and support.

CuseReefer · May 3, 2017

Neptune does now have similar functionally with their new FMM module and their optical sensors. They are the same ones that my bob use, just have a phono jack instead. If you want something fancy with its own box look at the FMM. Only limit is theirs is only 4 inputs and the sensors are $25 each.

badstraw · May 4, 2017

Has anyone successfully tried to put a 160 ohm resistor across pins 6 and 4 to enable the software?

AcanthurusRex · May 4, 2017

badstraw said:
Has anyone successfully tried to put a 160 ohm resistor across pins 6 and 4 to enable the software?

Yes, many.

androidx1 · May 21, 2017

CuseReefer said:
First batch of boards is back for my Apex IO breakout card. Will be able to connect up to 4 optical sensors and/or 6 normal switches (via 3.5mm headphone connectors.

Very nice!!! Today i was contemplating doing the exact same thing........couple things
1. Why did u utilize the 4 prong connectors for the optical sensor input? To utilize the very inexpensive aftermarket sensors that are out there?
2. Why did you not incluse a female 8pin din on the board to make it easy to hook up to the apex contoller?
3. I think the FMM will power the sensors by simply plugging the module into the control unit via the aquabus port. This tells me that the aquabus port privides powere....you could have utilized the pwer from the aquabus port??? Maybe???

Anyway....i want one

i do t feel like spending 25.00 per op sensor when u can buy one for 2.00

radiata · May 21, 2017

androidx1,

The board shown isn't the current version. There are now 5 connectors on the board, not 4.

The connectors on the eBay optical sensors plug right into the ones on the board.

An 8 pin DIN cable comes with the board, and plugs into an Apex I/O port the way the Apex BOB does.

The board comes with an electrical plug that powers it.

Hope this helps
Bob

PS: I'm a happy user!

rioreef · May 22, 2017

I know the DDR manual says "non DDR container up to 150,000ml (approximately 40 gallons)" can be input for the container volume. Can anyone confirm that this value will also show up in Fusion if you are using a DOS DIY level switch discussed early on in this thread.

Just wondering if the Fusion graphic of fluid remaining displays only a max of 2000, since it is expected a DDR unit plugged in?

AcanthurusRex · May 22, 2017

I didn't think you could but with the latest I was able to change the container to 5l. I'm pretty sure I tried this when I originally set up the DOS.

rioreef · May 22, 2017

Does the 5000ml show up in your Fusion software graphic?

Here is the DDR manual regarding this...

CONFIGURING THE DDR
The DDR container volumes need to be configured. There are three ways you can do this. In Fusion, click on the name of the container on the dashboard; in the native interface via the Module Setup web page or via the Display module navigating to Setup – Module Setup – Config Module. When you select the container (Fusion) or the DŌS module (native interface or Display module) you will see some new fields. In Fusion: Total Volume and Volume Left. In the Native interface: Container 1 & 2 size and Container 1 & 2 volume left. With the Display module: Volume Pump 1 & 2 and Volume Remaining 1 & 2. While the field names might vary, the purpose is the same – indicate the total volume of each container and the amount of fluid currently in them. The capacity of each DDR container is 2 Liters or 2,000 ml. By entering values here (1 – 120,000), Fusion will automatically keep track of your container volume and display that on a graphical tile on the Fusion dashboard. Note that you can use this for a non DDR container up to 150,000ml (approximately 40 gallons). This supplements the purpose of the optical level sensors in the DDR which are positioned in the reservoir to notify you when approximately 500ml of solution remains. These fields when properly completed will enable Fusion to give you additional information about fluid levels in the containers.

Note that if you have a DŌS but not the DDR you still can use this feature with your own reservoir, just substitute your values for those noted above. However the depiction of the containers in Fusion is only available with the DDR. (we know with this DIY discussed here, this last statement is no longer true)

AcanthurusRex · May 22, 2017

Yes. I did need to "refresh" fusion a number of times before the changes showed up. I didn't think it was working at first until I noticed my previous changes showing up, somewhat randomly. Now all 4 containers indicate 5l and I modified the existing levels to show the extra 3l.

rioreef · May 22, 2017

Great. I plan on doing this to keep track of AWC container that have large volumes. I know the sensor will alert me when low, but why not have a visual of it as well if possible.

Thanks for the info AcanRex.

androidx1 · May 22, 2017

radiata said:
androidx1,

The board shown isn't the current version. There are now 5 connectors on the board, not 4.

The connectors on the eBay optical sensors plug right into the ones on the board.

An 8 pin DIN cable comes with the board, and plugs into an Apex I/O port the way the Apex BOB does.

The board comes with an electrical plug that powers it.

Hope this helps
Bob

PS: I'm a happy user!

Thanks for the info Radiata
Have u tried out those optical level sensors on ebay? I ask because based on some of the mounting diagraams it almost looks like they were not waterproof????

radiata · May 22, 2017

androidx1 said:
Thanks for the info Radiata
Have u tried out those optical level sensors on ebay? I ask because based on some of the mounting diagraams it almost looks like they were not waterproof????

I bought 5 sensors from China. Now they seem to be available shipped from within the USA, available in different cable lengths, and even cheaper than the ones I bought. I've only installed two so far, and they were through holes (which btw, need to be 9/16"). The difference between these and the Apex ones appears to be only the plug at the end of the cable. I will be using one mounted inside a tank with magnets, and I'm willing to bet dimes to buttons that it will work without any problems.