RODI Storage Container Apex Question

[reeferericb]

I’m trying to use two optical sensors to control the filling of my holding tank. It worked great last week, now it’s only filling until the bottom sensor reads closed. What did I do wrong?

 

[Brett S]

I’m not sure why you have that If Time command in there.

The way you have the program written, if it is after 10:30PM but before 4:59AM and the low sensor opens then it will turn on the solenoid. The solenoid will remain on until the high sensor is closed or it becomes 4:59AM. As soon as it becomes 4:59AM then it will shut off and if it has gotten higher than the low sensor, it will not restart until it has drained down and the low sensor goes open again.

 

[reeferericb]

I want it to run at night because we can’t use the water from the fridge while the reservoir is filling up.
Last night it ran several times and only for a few minutes at a time. It never got to the high sensor, it shut off once the low sensor closed.

 

[reeferericb]

I’m not sure why you have that If Time command in there.

The way you have the program written, if it is after 10:30PM but before 4:59AM and the low sensor opens then it will turn on the solenoid. The solenoid will remain on until the high sensor is closed or it becomes 4:59AM. As soon as it becomes 4:59AM then it will shut off and if it has gotten higher than the low sensor, it will not restart until it has drained down and the low sensor goes open again.

Yesterday’s log from the solenoid control

 

[Brett S]

As long as it’s in the correct time period I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Did it stop working when you added the If Time command?

My ATO reservoir refill program is pretty much the same as what you have without the If Time command and it works without problems, so I’m wondering if somehow the If Time command is breaking it. Maybe try to take that command out and see if it works as expected then.

 

[Hallowhead]

Try putting the if statement about the lo

So line 2 than line 1 than line 3

For what I can remember I think it's picky

 

[Brett S]

Try putting the if statement about the lo

So line 2 than line 1 than line 3

For what I can remember I think it's picky

That won’t work. The lower commands take priority, so if the If Time command is first the other commands will override it.

 

[SuncrestReef]

In order to start filling when the low sensor is dry and stop when the high sensor is wet, but pause filling during certain hours, and then resume even though the low sensor is no longer dry, you'll need to use a virtual output to track the water level and combine that with the If Time restriction on the solenoid output:

[RO_Refill] -- virtual output
If RODI_L OPEN Then ON
If RODI_H CLOSED Then OFF

[RO_Solenoid]
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Output RO_Refill = ON Then ON
If Time 04:59 to 22:30 Then OFF

If you're not familiar with virtual outputs, see my tutorial here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-5-virtual-outputs.703/

 

[Brett S]

you'll need to use a virtual output

That’s a great way to do it

 

[reeferericb]

In order to start filling when the low sensor is dry and stop when the high sensor is wet, but pause filling during certain hours, and then resume even though the low sensor is no longer dry, you'll need to use a virtual output to track the water level and combine that with the If Time restriction on the solenoid output:

[RO_Refill] -- virtual output
If RODI_L OPEN Then ON
If RODI_H CLOSED Then OFF

[RO_Solenoid]
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Output RO_Refill = ON Then ON
If Time 04:59 to 22:30 Then OFF

If you're not familiar with virtual outputs, see my tutorial here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-5-virtual-outputs.703/

I don’t care if it fills up to the high sensor. The sensors are about 4” apart on the storage container, it takes about 3 hours to fill from there. I will have plenty of water, it’s just there to keep the float switch from activating.