PLEASE help with simple apex program

[Eder]

Hey gang. I’m a moderately avid apex user but somethings going on. I started getting alarms that my calcium reactor ph was too high so I assumed it was my CO2. Cone to find out it isn’t. My eb8 was not turning on my solenoid when instructed to so I switched it to another outlet and tried to no avail. Nothing has been changed. This has been working perfectly fine for months. Now it decided to rebel! I just can’t figure it out. Below is a screenshot of my programming. If y’all can help me figure out why I would be so grateful.

 

[doodledreads]

Did you check if the solenoid is actually working?

 

[link81]

try one of the relay outputs, see if that works.
4 and 8 are relay's and are capable of switching low draw devices consistently.
outlets 1-3 and 5-7 are triac outlets and need a higher current draw to turn on/off.

 

[Eder]

Did you check if the solenoid is actually working?

Yes. It’s a carbon doser and it is working

 

[Eder]

try one of the relay outputs, see if that works.
4 and 8 are relay's and are capable of switching low draw devices consistently.
outlets 1-3 and 5-7 are triac outlets and need a higher current draw to turn on/off.

Good thought. I just did that and it’s acting funny still. I even went super basic and programmed it as in the picture (this is on outlet 8) and it wouldn’t turn on UNLESS I set the in value when low, which is backwards. What in the heck!?!?

 

[link81]

so the advanced code is:

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.63 then * Off
if CaPH < 6.60 then * ON

right?

( * is the outlet name)

 

[Eder]

so the advanced code is:

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.63 then * Off
if CaPH < 6.60 then * ON

right?

( * is the outlet name)

So the opposite of what you have. If the ph in the reactor gets to be greater than 6.63 then I want it on to feed CO2 to drop the chamber ph to 6.60 and any Lower it turn on and so on. Do I have it wrong? I’ve ran this code for well over a year and now ‍

 

[link81]

I don't run a reactor, so i'm not too much help there.
but if you want it on at 6.63 and off at 6.60 then the code should be:

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.63 then * ON
if CaPH < 6.60 then * OFF

you also had a condition that would keep it off if the carxpump is off. is that causing the issue? or is that pump always commanded on?

also, are you trending the CapH probe?

 

[Eder]

I don't run a reactor, so i'm not too much help there.
but if you want it on at 6.63 and off at 6.60 then the code should be:

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.63 then * ON
if CaPH < 6.60 then * OFF

you also had a condition that would keep it off if the carxpump is off. is that causing the issue? or is that pump always commanded on?

also, are you trending the CapH probe?

I have the above code written which isn’t working now for some odd reason! See the pic....

The condition is if the reactor pump is not running I wanna the solenoid to close. But the pump is 100% on and running.

 

[link81]

what does the history of the CA ph probe look like? is it consistently above 6.63?
I would also consider adding a time delay on the on statement so it has to be above 6.63 for a bit before it turns on, and also below 6.60 for a bt before it turns off.

*** i have no idea how long the solenoid usually runs for, so 5 seconds of on time may be way too long.

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.63 then * ON
if CaPH < 6.60 then * OFF
Defer 000:05 then On
Defer 000:05 then Off

 

[Eder]

what does the history of the CA ph probe look like? is it consistently above 6.63?
I would also consider adding a time delay on the on statement so it has to be above 6.63 for a bit before it turns on, and also below 6.60 for a bt before it turns off.

*** i have no idea how long the solenoid usually runs for, so 5 seconds of on time may be way too long.

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.63 then * ON
if CaPH < 6.60 then * OFF
Defer 000:05 then On
Defer 000:05 then Off

Not a bad idea with the delay. Could try that. The PH probe is a double junction BRS and it’s 2 months old. In terms of its history it stays between 6.63 and 6.59 almost without fail since its a carbon doser.

 

[link81]

what i'm wondering is if the pH reading is bouncing between 6.63 and 6.60 fast enough to cause the output to go on and off really quickly
have you tried calibrating the probe? it's about the only thing that could change that i can think of. although if its 2 months, that's pretty new still.

 

[link81]

try opening up the pH range for the solenoid also. I read up on reactors a bit, and i think you can get by with disabling the solenoid at 6.5 and enabling it at 6.9.
Much wider then the range you're currently using.

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.90 then * ON
if CaPH < 6.50 then * OFF
Defer 000:05 then On
Defer 000:05 then Off

Setting up a Calcium reactor via a Ph Controller | D-D The Aquarium Solution

www.theaquariumsolution.com

How to set up a Calcium Reactor | Melev's Reef

A calcium reactor is a piece of equipment that helps maintain alkalinity and calcium in a reef tank. For years, I didn't buy one mainly because they are expensive, and dosed my tank with B-Ionic daily. That worked fine for a 29 gallon and a 55 gallon reef, but if your tank is larger than those...

www.melevsreef.com

 

[Eder]

try opening up the pH range for the solenoid also. I read up on reactors a bit, and i think you can get by with disabling the solenoid at 6.5 and enabling it at 6.9.
Much wider then the range you're currently using.

Fallback Off
Set Off
IF caPH > 6.90 then * ON
if CaPH < 6.50 then * OFF
Defer 000:05 then On
Defer 000:05 then Off

Setting up a Calcium reactor via a Ph Controller | D-D The Aquarium Solution

www.theaquariumsolution.com

How to set up a Calcium Reactor | Melev's Reef

A calcium reactor is a piece of equipment that helps maintain alkalinity and calcium in a reef tank. For years, I didn't buy one mainly because they are expensive, and dosed my tank with B-Ionic daily. That worked fine for a 29 gallon and a 55 gallon reef, but if your tank is larger than those...

www.melevsreef.com

I just recalibrated the probe. And I’ll widen the range and see what happens. Very interesting a doser I have all of a sudden turned on by itself and i looked at its code and it had somehow changed to the above PH code. I never accessed that outlets preferences so I’m sure something demonic is going on. Hmmmph. Neptune May need to look into this for me for sure.

 

[link81]

hmm...
that's interesting.
i think i saw an issue with one of their fision servers, but i would hope that it wouldn't affect locally installed code.....

 

[Reefahholic]

I just recalibrated the probe. And I’ll widen the range and see what happens. Very interesting a doser I have all of a sudden turned on by itself and i looked at its code and it had somehow changed to the above PH code. I never accessed that outlets preferences so I’m sure something demonic is going on. Hmmmph. Neptune May need to look into this for me for sure.

Demonic Apex!