Aquacontroller GB

[danny]

acjr

Cali I am having a hard time doing the basic programing. So if I have Curt helping me set the program I might as well go for the seasonal set-up's.

danny

 

[cali_reef]

Poor Curt. So you going to call him every time you want to change a line in the program? :shocked:

 

[danny]

AC jr

Hey Cali can I call you instead. ha!ha!

danny

 

[NRA223]

I'm actually getting the hang of it. Those instructions leave a lot to be desired. I was able to set the timer for my lights.
Which outlet do I plug my heater into? The default setting is HET-AO5, does the "5" mean the 5th outlet?

 

[ming]

The seasonal thing is kinda neat. I programmed mine for the seaonal lights and temp. I just adjusted all the timing of the lights +5 hours because I dont want to be woken up at 6AM, and would like the lights still on when I get home. I didn't hook it up to my tank yet because just looking at the jumble of wires made me lose my motivation to re-wire everything.

 

[cali_reef]

Yes, the 5th outlet if you did not make any changes to the DC-8's address dip switch.

With the power cord on the left side of the box and you are looking down at the outlets, the layout is:
1:2:3:4
5:6:7:8

But you can reassign the heater to a different plug if you like or need to. Just change the line: HET%-A05 to any other outlet address not used by changing the number.

 

[cali_reef]

The seasonal thing is kinda neat. I programmed mine for the seaonal lights and temp. I just adjusted all the timing of the lights +5 hours because I dont want to be woken up at 6AM, and would like the lights still on when I get home. I didn't hook it up to my tank yet because just looking at the jumble of wires made me lose my motivation to re-wire everything.

I don't think you can shift the season table by + 5 hours, you will have to add most of the time difference by shifting the controller's time. AC II is the only unit you can keep a tank time and a real time so you won't be so confused.

I stop using the seasonal light statement because I hate the lights turning off on me different time every night, I sometime miss feeding my fish because the lights turned off earlier then I think it would.

 

[ming]

theres a table with the sun rise/sun set for each month, and you can manually enter the sun rise/sun set if you want to change it, then click update
and there was a clock option on mine where it said the tank time and computer time. I also verified that the clock on the jr is going a some seconds slower after a few days, but theres also an option in the manual to have it adjusted per day, so after I compute how much off it gets per day, I'll have it adjust that amount per day to compensate

 

[cali_reef]

theres a table with the sun rise/sun set for each month, and you can manually enter the sun rise/sun set if you want to change it, then click update
and there was a clock option on mine where it said the tank time and computer time. I also verified that the clock on the jr is going a some seconds slower after a few days, but theres also an option in the manual to have it adjusted per day, so after I compute how much off it gets per day, I'll have it adjust that amount per day to compensate

I thought you were using the the Sun program. Was the clock option in the aquanotes?

 

[ming]

it is the sun program, but the sun program looks on that table of sun rise/sun set times, therefore you can mimic any area of the world you want. They also let you choose lat/longitude so you can choose the location easier and it'll update the times from the web.
I entered the coordinates for the great barrier reef, then adjusted them +5 hours for sun rise/sun set.

The clock option is in the aquanotes.

 

[cali_reef]

it is the sun program, but the sun program looks on that table of sun rise/sun set times, therefore you can mimic any area of the world you want. They also let you choose lat/longitude so you can choose the location easier and it'll update the times from the web.

The clock option is in the aquanotes.

The "SUN +000/-000 Then" syntax only allows a max or 120 minutes differential. People normally just shift the controller time to accommodate any additional time variance. The Sun table used to default back to the default table after a power outage, so you would need to edit that table after each reset, I think that problem is fixed in ACIII and IIIP, don't know on the Jr.

I don't think the two clocks from AquaNotes have any affect on the time in your controller. I never notice it effected time on my ACIII's. See what does it do when you connect to your Jr.

 

[ming]

The "SUN +000/-000 Then" syntax only allows a max or 120 minutes differential. People normally just shift the controller time to accommodate any additional time variance. The Sun table used to default back to the default table after a power outage, so you would need to edit that table after each reset, I think that problem is fixed in ACIII and IIIP, don't know on the Jr.

I don't think the two clocks from AquaNotes have any affect on the time in your controller. I never notice it effected time on my ACIII's. See what does it do when you connect to your Jr.

Shifting the controller time would work, but I thought that was kinda pointless to have a clock showing the wrong hour, even though I have 3 other clocks in the room I can look at, lol
The Jr still has the problem of defaulting back in an outage and I was debating if I should plug only the controller into a UPS, but I haven't tested how many watts it takes up yet.
The easier solution would be changing the controller's time though, which will be my last option.

As for the 2 clocks in AquaNotes, I was able to change the controller time by updating the clock in AquaNotes.

 

[danny]

AC jr

listening to Cali & Ming sounds like an IT convention, Curt has not called me back. So it seems that it would be easier to program through my computer, I will go to compusa on saturday & pick up the serial cable & download the aqua notes. If that fails, Cali/Ming waht are your fees?


danny

 

[Deanos]

I will go to compusa on saturday & pick up the serial cable

Sorry, Danny...it's not that easy.

Neptune Support page

 

[ming]

Nevermind about the adjusting the clock. There is a "Leap Seconds Per Day" field which doesn't work.

Danny, if you're ever in the area, just come by with the controller. I can probably program it in 5 minutes if you know what you want.

 

[charile1]

Where did everyone buy their usb to serial cable from? I need to pick one up.

 

[Deanos]

Radio Shack

 

[danny]

AC jr

thanks Ming, I will LMK. Curt told me the best way to program the unit if I want to use seasonal settings would be through aqua notes. He said I need to buy the cable from a vendor. Deanos does radio shack carry the serial cable that Curt is talking about. If so what do I need to ask for at radio shack.

thanks,

danny

 

[cali_reef]

You are not going to find a mini din-8 to serial cable locally. You need to order one from Curt or one of the Neptune resellers.

I think Pseudo have a brand new one he is not using.

 

[Deanos]

Radio Shack would only have an extension cable.