Trouble with my ATO and Apex solenoid

kre8tv1 · Jan 13, 2024

hello everyone,
I am new to this site and to Apex. needing help with the coding.
I have a ATO I am using a toilet ballcock as my main control of water. have set up as well a low float switch and Neptune solenoid to shut main water off when tank full also have a Hi float switch to shut solenoid off should ballcock fail.
the problem is the solenoid is staying on and not shutting off I don't want to burn up the solenoid with it being powered all the time.
here is the code I am using.

fallback off
if ATO_Lo open then on
Set on
min time 045:00 then off
if ATO_Hi closed then off

the set on kept the ato_lo float open otherwise when water closed it the water would shut off ( I don't know if that is right code to use)
wanting a timer on this to turn solenoid off if ato_hi is not triped.

with this code the ATO is filling up when needed but solenoid is staying ON or turning to OFF (and not auto) and not coming on at all and ato going dry.
pleas help.

hoffmeyerz · Jan 13, 2024

Make sure your float switches are working properly and recognized by the controller.
I use a solenoid to control my reservoir filling as well, here's the coding for mine:
Set OFF
If ATK_Rs OPEN Then ON
Defer 000:10 Then ON
Min Time 003:00 Then ON
When On > 003:15 Then OFF

kre8tv1 · Jan 14, 2024

I changed [[min time] to when on >]

fallback off
if ATO_Lo open then on
Set on
when on > 045:00 then off
if ATO_Hi closed then off

I'll see how that goes solenoid is showing off but switched to off not auto.
just don't know if it will come on when called to fill.

p.s. go blue LOL

hoffmeyerz · Jan 14, 2024

Ok, there's still some things to address if you don't want the solenoid to stay energized.
The Set On command is telling telling the system to set the solenoid status to On unless some other statement is true. Your only off statements are for if the solenoid is on for longer than 45mins or if the high level switch is closed. Unless one of those statements are true apex will keep your solenoid energized.
Just a suggestion, but I would use your float switches and solenoid as your main control and the float on the ballcock as the mechanical backup.
In this case I would have:

Fallback Off
Set Off
If ATO_LO Open Then On
If ATO_HI Closed Then Off
When On > (enter cutoff time in case of failure) Then Off

Set the high float switch just below where the float on the ballcock will shut off. That coding will keep the solenoid off unless the low float switch calls for water.
I use a Defer command to pause turning the solenoid on when the sensor becomes open because I use an optical sensor and there might be drops on it. I also don't use a high level sensor which is why I have a Min Time command, it takes 3mins to fill my res and if something fails and it runs for 3:15mins it shuts off. I also have a mechanical float valve on the supply line as a backup.