Apex not turning halides on & off

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Like the title says. I’m trying to get my apex to turn my 250w halides and t5’s on and off. Not quite sure why but it’s the main reason I’ve got the apex so I wouldn’t have to manually everyday. Maybe someone on here can point me in the right direction to get it to work. Photos show what I’ve got them set to. Thanks for any advice.

 

[homer1475]

Can you manually with the toggle turn them off and on? Are the toggles set to auto?

Coding is proper.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Can you manually with the toggle turn them off and on? Are the toggles set to auto?

Coding is proper.

Yea. I can hit the switch and make them come on and off that’s what I’m doing now and since I work early mornings they’ll be on until 2am. Lol but once I do it auto within the time I’ve got them set on they either turn off right away. Or won’t turn off.

 

[homer1475]

Dumb question, but is your water to hot?(IE above your cutoff temp).

Your coding should work as described. I see nothing that says they shouldn't turn off and on like their coded.

My only trouble shooting step would be to remove the hysteresis(only tells the outlet to stay off for X amount of time), but could be causing issues if they keep turning off and on.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

No water stays around 78-79. This is the new graph since I switched the jr out but that’s where it stays at.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

My only thought would be it’s to much power for the apex to handle? My fuge light turns off and on and here’s the setting for that one.

 

[homer1475]

In that graphic you show the toggles as "Off", but for them to work properly(using the coding) they have to be in the "Auto" mode.

I would assume you know this from the previous post, but just pointing out what I see in the graphic.

It could be too much power, but if they turn off and on(and stay in that state until manually switching them again) manually with the apex, that would rule that out.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

yes I know they’ve got to be set on auto. For instance when I was switching the apex out I did the t5’s first since they run more and at 4pm I switched it to auto and the lights went off? Try doing that 3-4 times and they wouldn’t stay on. Same thing with the halides. I just don’t want those turning off and on to often.

 

[homer1475]

ok.....

You just said you switching out an apex.....

You didnt copy over the config from another did you? or are you hand recoding everything?

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

I switched out an apex jr for the classic. I didn’t copy anything out or over just redoing everything but hand again. But the jr did the same thing for both lights. That main reason I got the classic thinking it was something to do with the jr.

 

[homer1475]

Odd indeed.

Sorry I'm at a loss but maybe @rkpetersen can help you out. He's a controller advisor and knows quite a bit more then me.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Odd indeed.

Sorry I'm at a loss but maybe @rkpetersen can help you out. He's a controller advisor and knows quite a bit more then me.

I appreciate the help. I’m pretty stumped myself.

 

[homer1475]

You have the new apex with the EB832? Can you monitor the amp draw from the outlet while on? They only supply 7amps per outlet. Just a thought, but perhaps they are drawing to much power for the outlets?

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

No don’t have the newest apex. They have the eb8.

 

[homer1475]

So it's an older EB8? Not the new fansy schmansy orange labeled apex?

If thats the case, what position do you have them plugged into? You may need to use only the fourth and eighth outlets(non triac outlets). Also just a side note, the EB8 total can only draw 15amps total, you may be drawing more with the T5's and metal halides(but I doubt it).

 

[homer1475]

I have the older apex with just a normal EB8. My fuge lights will not turn on with the triac outlets, if they do, they will not turn off. Plug them into position 4 and 8 and they work. The triac are not designed for a huge amp load and can at times "leak" electricity through. The mechanical relays in 4 and 8 are designed for higher amp loads and definitively turn outlets off and on.

 

[homer1475]

Looking back I see you have them in 1 and 6, while your fuge light is in 4. I would switch them to 4 and 8, and the fuge light on some other outlet.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Please by pass the rat nest. Lol haven’t finished yet.
Halides are in 1 & 2 and t5’s 4 & 5. I’ll try the 4&8 when I get home today. Dang that’s going to suck if I’m unable to use this. Lol

I’ll look up and see if I can find the amps they pull.

 

[homer1475]

What I do is use a pigtail type extension cord. One male plug, with 2 female ends. found them at lowes.

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

I am running t5's and 2 x 250w MH from my Apex without an issue, but I have the newer EB832