Typhon Controller/Steve's LEDs Questions

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

i recently purchased a RSM 25o that came with what I think are a version 1 steve's leds retro fit with a typhon controller. i'm told the system is about 5 years old and that's when they were installed. i'm not sure any documentation i've found online addresses this configuration, or at list this early version specifically, which was not a "drop in" install as i understand it. i'm hoping someone can fill me in on the finer points of how it should work, as i am assuming the install was done properly, however, i'm not sure it is working 100% properly.

the lights seem to work great in timer mode, and i don't know if this a default setting or how the previous owner had them configured but i have 4 channels. 2 for white and 2 for blue, 2 channels set at 65% and 2 at 75%, with varying fades, all working fine. i think i can change all those settings, and the clock fine, however it works good so i am leaving it at that for the moment.

what i have not been able to do is switch the mode to any other mode like all channels on, all channels off and more importantly a custom mode. i'd like to have some light to work on the tank when i'm off the regular timer schedule. when i use the select button for the setting mode, nothing changes. using the up and down buttons after hitting select, it doesn't do anything either. and just using the up and down while the time mode is on the menu does zilch either.

well that's not entirely true, one time, and only once, i was able to switch the timer modes, but not in way that seemed like it was working - i pushed the buttons, nothing really happened, then after some delay, it moved through all off, to all on and got stuck there until i disconnected the power supply thereby resetting it to timer mode. i have not since been able to even repeat that.

the default menu setting for pwm seems to be no, and thats how i left it and got the above results. i haven't yet popped the light cover to check which drivers are installed, but i did try running the lights with pwm mode set to yes (which i can change as expected through the interface) and that only seemed to just turn the lights to all on at 100%.

naturally, i'm now wondering if the install was completed exactly right.

does anyone have any insight to how these should be working? or any tips for trouble shooting the install? or can anyone point me to the proper documentation for an early version diy retrofit?

any help is appreciated.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Any of our #DIYwizards or #reefsquad have any ideas on this one?

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

Any of our #DIYwizards or #reefsquad have any ideas on this one?

thank you, i'm open to anything anyone has to say. i honestly need a baseline, like what does your install do would even help

i'm leaning towards upgrading the controller based on lack of response, but i honestly don't need more sophistication than it seems capable of.

i haven't tried contacting steve's leds yet either, so that is an option still.

 

[joekool]

I would go to steve's leds website.
They have the new hurricane x controller on sale and it probably would solve you controller issue. May be that the old one is just stuck in its mode.

Can you provide pictures of everything you have?

Also future advice if you post pictures of what you have along with your questions you will get help faster. Most people will ask to see what your talking about.

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

I would go to steve's leds website.
They have the new hurricane x controller on sale and it probably would solve you controller issue. May be that the old one is just stuck in its mode.

Can you provide pictures of everything you have?

Also future advice if you post pictures of what you have along with your questions you will get help faster. Most people will ask to see what your talking about.

thanks, joe, great points about the pics, not sure why i didn't think of that.

i did see the hurricane x controller and was considering that, but seeing as the light seems to do what i need it to do daily, that is an upgrade i wouldn't mind putting off. not to mention, i'm not sure i could pull off the wiring without teaching my daughter some new words.

here's some pics

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

i should add, that the install does seem to allow the pots to dim the lights, which is nice.

not sure i can currently get pics of the splices behind the aquarium, but i can try if anyone thinks that would help.

thanks.

 

[joekool]

If you take the paper off of the box are the buttons labeled? Do you know what the buttons are? the brown paper tape stuff is just to keep it from getting scratched you can take that off.

Have you had any luck today trying to program.

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

the buttons are, left to right: menu, select, + and -.

they all seem to work as you would expect, except for when it comes to switching the setting mode on the menu.

as i understand it, i should be able to select that menu item and toggle between 4 modes, using the plus/minus buttons: timer, all channels on, all channels off and custom (channel settings of my own configuration). all i can do is timer mode. i can't even see the other on the menu, though i do know they are there from the one time it worked on some weird delay.

i'm thinking the install is probably done right and the controller may just be shot.

i'm home with my 5 year old today, so i think today we will play, let's clean the skimmer!

still a lot to do, as this system was 5 years old when i got it, and could use a good cleaning.

 

[Ranjib]

Can be a firmware issue. Is it possible to update firmware say by connecting the controller to a pc or something like that ? Does it (the controller fixture) have any other ports (like mini/micro usb ) ?

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

Can be a firmware issue. Is it possible to update firmware say by connecting the controller to a pc or something like that ? Does it (the controller fixture) have any other ports (like mini/micro usb ) ?

good point, it does have and FTDI port on it, which i've never heard of, but at this point, i'm thinking i'll probably just upgrade the controller down the road. anyone have the hurricane x? how hard is it to install? i'm fairly handy and probably have the tools already, i just worry about the skills. i'll do some poking around and maybe post a new thread.

it will have to get prioritized with an ato and working on quieting the system down some. i'd also be open to suggestions for another controller for steve's leads, if anyone has suggestions.

 

[Gene Ashton]

I have them in mine and just starting. Email Steve's LED's and they will email you the instructions and the firmware. I do not know if the firmware will improve anything or not.