Reef-Pi / RoboTank / Jebao Wave Makers

Weasel1960

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Wondering what others are using per the title of this thread. Want to use Reef-Pi and Robo Tank since most of it is plug and play as I am not very well versed in electronics. I am also considering using a combination of Jebao wave makers including the cross flow and wide flow, all DC, but I am not sure what may or may not be compatible. Ultimately I would like to program which pump is running at what percent from Reef-Pi instead of using the individual Jebao controllers.

So would like to hear about what others are doing with the same. Thanks in advance.
 

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The jebao controller has a 0-10v control signal (at least the model I have) on the side. I have not yet played with it but I assume it is for speed only not the pattern and if that is the case you may able to keep master and slave settings for the pattern just slow it down as per your need.
Also somebody here has modified the radio control you can buy on eBay for jebao to have full control. Not sure how that could be integrated to reef-pi and robotank or other ready made circuit but worth looking into it
 

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Wondering what others are using per the title of this thread. Want to use Reef-Pi and Robo Tank since most of it is plug and play as I am not very well versed in electronics. I am also considering using a combination of Jebao wave makers including the cross flow and wide flow, all DC, but I am not sure what may or may not be compatible. Ultimately I would like to program which pump is running at what percent from Reef-Pi instead of using the individual Jebao controllers.

So would like to hear about what others are doing with the same. Thanks in advance.
It looks like Jebao uses 5v or 10v control depending on the model so most should work. It requires some work though, the easiest I found was to open the small controller it comes with, desolder the small connector cable for the pump and mark with a sharpie where and what color wire so it can be put back if ever needed to.

Then you would do something like this which would plug into the controller. The red wire is a ground and you would power the pump using the adapter than comes with it, you can see the connector in the picture.

If you can solder things, read voltages at various points and post some pictures I'm sure we can figure it out.

jebao_connector.jpg


With that said you would have limited control in reef-pi as there's no flow system, the best you could do for now is use light modes to adjust the speed. I think one could get creative with scheduling the light modes but it would take some experimenting and adjusting.
 
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Weasel1960

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The jebao controller has a 0-10v control signal (at least the model I have) on the side. I have not yet played with it but I assume it is for speed only not the pattern and if that is the case you may able to keep master and slave settings for the pattern just slow it down as per your need.
Also somebody here has modified the radio control you can buy on eBay for jebao to have full control. Not sure how that could be integrated to reef-pi and robotank or other ready made circuit but worth looking into it
Thanks. Which model are you using?
 
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Weasel1960

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@robsworld78
Hi Rob, thanks for the reply. Still planning, life keeps hitting the pause button, ugh. Recently watched many of the Robo-Tank videos on YouTube, assume they are you?
 

robsworld78

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Hey Weasel1960, I hear you, I'll be here when you're ready.

Those are my videos, the older ones with the graphical interface is my old controller so those don't apply but the wheels are turning.

I'm a happy camper, look what I just found. The SW series has a 0-10v input on it. :) That's a game changer, all you need is a 3.5mm cable, cut one end off for controller and your set. Shouldn't be to difficult to figure out pinout.



 
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Weasel1960

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It looks like Jebao uses 5v or 10v control depending on the model so most should work. It requires some work though, the easiest I found was to open the small controller it comes with, desolder the small connector cable for the pump and mark with a sharpie where and what color wire so it can be put back if ever needed to.

Then you would do something like this which would plug into the controller. The red wire is a ground and you would power the pump using the adapter than comes with it, you can see the connector in the picture.

If you can solder things, read voltages at various points and post some pictures I'm sure we can figure it out.

jebao_connector.jpg


With that said you would have limited control in reef-pi as there's no flow system, the best you could do for now is use light modes to adjust the speed. I think one could get creative with scheduling the light modes but it would take some experimenting and adjusting.
Haven’t done much in the way of electronics but willing to learn...not afraid of most DIY. Will see how things shake out as I make equipment selections. Right now what I am reading on seahorse tanks is to keep water moving to keep it clean but to change it up a couple of times a day. So just looking into those possibilities for now.
 

robsworld78

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Haven’t done much in the way of electronics but willing to learn...not afraid of most DIY. Will see how things shake out as I make equipment selections. Right now what I am reading on seahorse tanks is to keep water moving to keep it clean but to change it up a couple of times a day. So just looking into those possibilities for now.
I'm sure you'll be ok then. I just found this confirming it works on an Apex so it'll work. Looks like it's not a 3.5mm plug though, instead a 2.1mm DC jack which makes sense as it only needs 2 wires. Don't be scared by all those pics, it'll be easy. :)

 
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Weasel1960

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Hey Weasel1960, I hear you, I'll be here when you're ready.

Those are my videos, the older ones with the graphical interface is my old controller so those don't apply but the wheels are turning.

I'm a happy camper, look what I just found. The SW series has a 0-10v input on it. :) That's a game changer, all you need is a 3.5mm cable, cut one end off for controller and your set. Shouldn't be to difficult to figure out pinout.




Awesome. Nice videos. I subscribed, but watched most of them in last couple of days. When you say older interface are you referring to this interface?
 

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robsworld78

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Thanks, that's the one. That's a display on an Arduino. I'm working on an an app then I'm going to do another version like that, lots of plans for this controller.
 
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Weasel1960

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That’s where I get lost in all that techy talk like ardunio, python, etc. I really like that interface. Seemed intuitive, nice Home Screen etc. So is ardunio different than raspberry pi? Someplace that you may know of where I can take a quick course in the basics of all this and the differences?
 

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That is my style of controller, I don't like using phones etc, I like dedicated. That controller didn't work because cost was about $400 and very limited web access as that's not Arduinos thing. Because of that I didn't sell many so wasn't worth continuing. It's what I use and quite a few others still that I know of.

Arduino is better suited for a controller but the Pi is getting more reliable so it works well. Here's something that points out the differences.


Python is a programming language, it's common on the Pi. The Arduino is a variant of c++, that's what I prefer. It's like French or English, I'll take the latter. There's many languages.
 
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Weasel1960

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That is my style of controller, I don't like using phones etc, I like dedicated. That controller didn't work because cost was about $400 and very limited web access as that's not Arduinos thing. Because of that I didn't sell many so wasn't worth continuing. It's what I use and quite a few others still that I know of.

Arduino is better suited for a controller but the Pi is getting more reliable so it works well. Here's something that points out the differences.


Python is a programming language, it's common on the Pi. The Arduino is a variant of c++, that's what I prefer. It's like French or English, I'll take the latter. There's many languages.
Thanks for the info will look thru it tonight. I am not a big fan of everything on my phone or WiFi either, to many possibilities for a hiccup. Would rather program it to what I want and let it run. So I assume then that the R-Pi is the direction I should follow? To bad because I really liked that UI.
 

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Well if you keep following along eventually there will be another UI like that. The app I'm working on has a decent UI and after I'm going to make one for a physical touch screen, probably a year away but will work on todays hardware.
 
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Weasel1960

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Awesome. Would prefer a touch screen, as your UI video showed it was very easy to move about but can always deal with a mouse if necessary. I am likely about 3 months out from starting. Currently having a structural engineer look at what size tank my floor will hold or how I need to beef the floor up. So hoping that will be my mid summer project.

Thanks again for all the input looking forward to your new developments.
 

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No problem, good luck with the engineer.

The touch screen is nice to navigate with, I've not used on yet on a Pi but expect it'll be much better. A few people use this for reef-pi, apparently it works well. I was using a 7", with Pi's there's more displays so I can choose a resolution and multiple sizes will work.

 

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Following this. I have 3 jebao pumps I would like to control via reef pi as well. I have read a few folks using the 3.5 mm audio “power” jack and getting weird results. I would like to ditch the stock controllers that come with the pumps and strictly use the pi to control them. My controllers do not have the connector on the side. Only a power input and and a 3 wire output to the pumps. I have also seen an adapter that goes in line with the stock controller but I have also read people having the same problems with this method as the people that have the control signal jack on the side. I can only assume it wouldn’t be that difficult to build a unit that only supplies power and pwm from the pi. Unfortunately I am not good at building circuitry, just good at following instructions.

what I have read from other users is that reef-pi as well as apex controllers do not completely control the pumps but only slightly adjust the speed. The can’t actually turn them off without turning off the stock controllers. My goal would to not only be able to control the speed of the pumps but also be able to creat a feed mode where one button on the pi does all the work.
 
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Weasel1960

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My goals are similar. Yes the pumps can be slaved but I would be locked into a specific feed cycle, seahorses are slow eaters 10 minutes not enough I would prefer to manually hit A feed mode button on Robo tank and skimmer, pumps etc would shut off, then hit a resume or have a default timer of say 60 minutes kick everything back in incrementally as programmed.

I also am hoping to have 3 or 4 pumps circulating water and be able to program them in different combinations throughout the day to change up the flow
 

robsworld78

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Following this. I have 3 jebao pumps I would like to control via reef pi as well. I have read a few folks using the 3.5 mm audio “power” jack and getting weird results. I would like to ditch the stock controllers that come with the pumps and strictly use the pi to control them. My controllers do not have the connector on the side. Only a power input and and a 3 wire output to the pumps. I have also seen an adapter that goes in line with the stock controller but I have also read people having the same problems with this method as the people that have the control signal jack on the side. I can only assume it wouldn’t be that difficult to build a unit that only supplies power and pwm from the pi. Unfortunately I am not good at building circuitry, just good at following instructions.

what I have read from other users is that reef-pi as well as apex controllers do not completely control the pumps but only slightly adjust the speed. The can’t actually turn them off without turning off the stock controllers. My goal would to not only be able to control the speed of the pumps but also be able to creat a feed mode where one button on the pi does all the work.
You can use reef-pi to control them, I think one could get creative with light modes and setup decent patterns but yeah not ideal, I would have thought Apex would definitely have full wave maker control, I'll definitely be getting to that at some point.

For your Jebao's you can remove the 3 pin plug like the picture above. With a volt meter you can determine what the wires are for, there will be one ground, +24v and the signal. As you adjust the controller you'll see a change of voltage on the signal wire. Once you know you can add a 2.1mm DC barrel socket to the Ground and +24v so you can use the power supply that came with the Jebao and then connect the signal and the same DC ground to controller.

For feed mode if you're willing to do it manually or via a timer reef-pi can do such a thing using a macro, you can have it turn on/off different equipment, pause X number of minutes and resume. You do need to consider other schedules setup, especially if turning things off for maintenance as they could turn something back on.
 

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