Kessil H160 on Apex

xaflatoonx

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Thinking of getting the Kessil H160 for my fuge.

i was debating whether i need to spend another 110 bucks for a spectral controller specially made for the H series - or do i connect to the apex.

i can connect to the apex using this Kessil to Apex cable on BRS.

anyone has any experience on controlling your kessil fuge light with the apex?
do i really need a controller? or will apex do what i will need done?
 
I don't own the H160, but I just looked at it and it seems functionally similar to the H80 which i do own. In two tanks, I have a Kessil H80 over a small fuge, controlled by Apex via cable from a variable out port. You can have the Apex turn the light on and off either manually or by schedule, where you can also adjust light intensity and spectrum. I keep mine on 18 hours a day with a 6 hour 'night' period from noon to 6 PM. The intensity channel I keep at 100% all the time, and the spectrum channel at 40% which provides a reddish grow light which I saw recommended somewhere and which the chaeto and other algae seem to like. I also rigged up a magnetic door switch so that the fuge light will go on when I open the cabinet door, even if it's otherwise supposed to be off. :)
 
I also rigged up a magnetic door switch so that the fuge light will go on when I open the cabinet door, even if it's otherwise supposed to be off. :)

That's brilliant!!
 
Inc
You could find the settings (dials) that you like and use an analog timer.

Just tossing it out there... :)


I sure could. But I have an apex. And the light. Why not help them into a happy union? Lol
 
Rkpeterson. That really is brilliant. Any chance you can share some details behind that? Pictures even better.

Pretty please.

You bet, happy to! Except, why does everyone always spell my name wrong? You know, once a guy I'd been partners with for over a decade spelled it wrong on a legal document. what the heck?

Anyway, I digress. :)

So, you plug one end of that Apex-Kessil cable into the incoming port on the Kessil, and the other into one of the variable out ports on the Apex. (I just realized that I tend to assume that everyone has an Apex 2016 and if not, all of this may not pertain to you; very sorry!) But assuming you have an Apex 2016 (or add-on VDM) the var out ports are the pair next to each other that are similar to Ethernet jacks. When you plug 1 cable in, you get 2 Apex variable outputs to play with. If you then go to the Outputs page in Apex Fusion, you'll probably see the variable outputs at the top (lower down with a VDM), ID numbers 0 through 3. 0 and 1 are spectrum and intensity for the jack on the left, 2 and 3 for the jack on the right. Then click on each Output where you get a graph that you set for photoperiod and intensity. I also plug the Kessil fuge light into an Energy Bar outlet, so you can control the light's actual power flow that way as well. Note that this isn't really necessary if you're short on 120V energy bar outlets; you can do it from the variable outlet programming alone. You can also pull the renamed variable outlet control tiles onto your dashboard from the unused tiles area if you want to do anything manually with the fuge light. (Mine is pretty much set it and forget it.)

Here's a shot of my Outputs page, with the renamed variable outputs that control the fuge light:

Clipboard01.jpg


Here's what you get when you click on ID 2, the variable output which adjusts color:-

Clipboard02.jpg


It's at 40% all the time, which with the Kessil should be a reddish-bluish (grow) light. Higher percentages give a redder 'bloom' light. You don't need all the time points as in the graph there, I was just experimenting and never removed them. The graph of the intensity variable out is also a straight line, only at 100%, because I keep it on max all the time. You might do this differently.

Clipboard01.jpg


As you see in the graphs above, the light should still be on from noon to 6 pm. But because I also have the power supply for the light plugged into the Apex, I can program that to just turn it off off for 6 hours a day. That also lets me use the cabinet door switch. Here's the code for that outlet/output:

Clipboard03.jpg


If you don't want to plug the Kessil fuge light power supply into the Apex EB, then just use the intensity variable out and graph as above to bring the level down to 0% when you want it off. :)
 
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thanks so much for all the detail.

2 things.

1 - any chance you can share the physical setup - of the cabinetry and what you did to get the switches to play nice? as in what do i need to mimick the opening and closing of a door to turn off or on the light?

2 - only Peterson I know is Kevin Peterson who played for English Cricket - of whom i was a huge fan... Hence the mistake... lol
 
1 - any chance you can share the physical setup - of the cabinetry and what you did to get the switches to play nice? as in what do i need to mimick the opening and closing of a door to turn off or on the light?


The Apex 2016 has 6 built-in programmable switch inputs, but you have to get a breakout box with the proper connector to use physical switches with them. Neptune sells their own, which works fine but is rather small and can be tricky to wire. Avast also makes one, that's larger and has spring-loaded push-button wire connectors like you find on stereo equipment. Connect it to the proper jack on the controller.

Then go to the Inputs page in Fusion and find the specific switch you're going to using (I forget what the default switch names are, but it should be fairly obvious and they're numbered), and click on it to rename it. You can then find the tile for the renamed switch in the unused tiles area and put it on your dashboard.

Now you have to wire a magnetic switch to your door. These are the switches I use. (I'm sure there are other and better options, these are just what I found first.) Depending on how you install them, they are either normally open (NO, meaning the switch is open when the two pieces are separated, and closed when they're together) or normally closed (NC). I install them using the NO terminal, so that when the door is open, the switch is open, and when the door is closed, the switch is closed. Attach the two pieces to the cabinet and door so that they are close to each other and parallel but don't actually bang into each other when the door is closed.

Run the wires to the breakout box and hook up using the same numbered switch connection that you renamed. Now that switch should be active in Apex. Test it by leaving the door open and then closed and watching the tile in Fusion to see that the switch registers OPEN and CLOSED. Give the switch some time to change its setting as seen in Fusion; it doesn't always happen instantly (although it does happen instantly in Apex Local, if you use it.) It may take some adjusting of the magnet placement. Once it's working right, you can program that door switch into your fuge light code, or anywhere else that it might be useful. :)

Breakout boxes:

IMG_5783b.jpg



Magnetic switch:

IMG_5786b.jpg


IMG_5787b.jpg
 
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At the risk of asking an impertinent question .... why does one need more than simple on/off for a fuge light? I use the older H380 and just use an apex outlet to turn it on at 8 pm and off at 10 am. I find the violet color better fro chaeto growth.
 
At the risk of asking an impertinent question .... why does one need more than simple on/off for a fuge light? I use the older H380 and just use an apex outlet to turn it on at 8 pm and off at 10 am. I find the violet color better fro chaeto growth.
I agree. I would just use an on/off outlet, set it to grow and adjust the intensity by hand. I can see ramping up intensity when first introduced as a fuge light, but after that, simple on/off is all you need. Variable speed ports are better suited for display lights or pumps/wave makers.
 
Well, OP did ask about it. :) Certainly the variable control of the fuge light isn't necessary, but the functionality is there built in to the light, and I don't own any other Kessils, so when I got the light I decided to experiment with Apex control and learn a few things. After that I just left it. I could see it actually being useful though if there were some reason to alter the light's spectrum during the algae's 'daylight' hours, although I'm unaware of any data suggesting any benefit to doing this.
 
Thanks so much rkpetersen for the detail - i really really appreciate it.
minus9 - you are absolutely right - I am just in the process of a new build - and hooking up things for what i COULD need now... so there is no need to switch. But i agree - once the light and spectrum is down - its only about turning it on/off after that.
 

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