Switching Controllers from Apex to GHL

[Kyl]

Frag tank as of tonight 100% ProfiLux controlled for everything except the AWC.. going to tackle that last since I have to run some cat5 to replace the USB I fished through the wall to the location of the current awc pumps, but it should be pretty easy. One question I do have, do the 2.1 and doser maxi share the same firmware? I don't see anything maxi specific in the GCC folder, and one is running an earlier version than the other. I didn't want to flash it by mistake before I confirm if they share firmware.

Overall, aside from my little day 1/2 list earlier, I haven't come across any other major gotchas. Temperature is working great though I need to read up more on the heater vs bottom heater differences since I'd like to run one primarily and have the second only turn on if the primary can't keep up in the cooler months. Cooling I figured out, dosing is pretty simple, although I'd rather mirror my former dose alk heavier during the daytime than evening, but I think that can be done with virtual dosers..I think.

At this point I'm confident in the swap, just a few little lingering UIx issues to educate myself on, and hopefully the software improvements keep steaming along as they seem to have been the last while. It's nice having accurate probes

 

[Ditto]

@Kyl - great to hear you had little to no issue s!! Your correct on a virtual temp probe, you create one of your existing and set that one up with a lower setting and assign that one your second heater.

To create the Virtual temp probe you need to do that from the P4 device itself using the menu options

 

[ingchr1]

...Temperature is working great though I need to read up more on the heater vs bottom heater differences since I'd like to run one primarily and have the second only turn on if the primary can't keep up in the cooler months....

That's how I have my heaters setup. The primary is set as Substrate Heater and the backup as Heater. I discuss it in this thread:

Temperature Control Setup (Profilux 4)

Hi, I have a GHL Profilux 4 and want to confirm that I understand temperature control correctly. I'm using a Colbalt Neo-Therm as the main control, then the P4 to turn off the heater if it gets too hot. I'm not using the P4 as the main control since I do not want the main power constantly...

www.reef2reef.com

Specifically this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/temperature-control-setup-profilux-4.543064/post-5841613

 

[Kyl]

Thanks guys. Yeah, bits and pieces of what I want are being found in search, sort of

 

[smartwater101]

Does the aquabus provide power to things like the dosers and directors? Or does each item need its own outlet?

 

[Kyl]

ProfiLux 4/4e run off a 12v power supply, the doser 2.1 / maxi / khd run off 24v. KHD comes with a Y barrel jack splitter to power both itself and a doser from a single 24v power supply.

 

[smartwater101]

ProfiLux 4/4e run off a 12v power supply, the doser 2.1 / maxi / khd run off 24v. KHD comes with a Y barrel jack splitter to power both itself and a doser from a single 24v power supply.

So... no?

That's still an awful lot of power supplies. I'll have 4 dosers, profilux, kh, and Ion. :/

Is the PAB strictly data then?

 

[AZMSGT]

The PAB is all data, no power.
You don’t need to plug the GHL equipment into a power bar. Just plug them into a Battery back up or a surge protected power strip.
I hear ya on the dosers.. With the KH director and Ion director that’s 2 4 head units. Then AWC and ATO...
But automation isn’t cheap or easy.

 

[smartwater101]

The PAB is all data, no power.
You don’t need to plug the GHL equipment into a power bar. Just plug them into a Battery back up or a surge protected power strip.
I hear ya on the dosers.. With the KH director and Ion director that’s 2 4 head units. Then AWC and ATO...
But automation isn’t cheap or easy.

I already have some dosers and the other dosers + KH are on the way. (Only thing I'll be missing is the ION unit itself.)
I'm just whining about all the power adapters lol. I suppose I could buy a a single/large power adapter and connect them ... at least for everything that needs 24v. The profilux would probably have to remain on its own since its 12v.
I'm just trying to save space and keep things tidy.

 

[Kyl]

Yeah, depending on the amperage draw you could DIY something up to run all the 24v devices off a single brick.

 

[AZMSGT]

FYIW, on GHLs english forum/wish list section I posted the desire to have a single power supply to run all the units. You could go there and bump it and add your opinion. The more people that ask for it..

 

[smartwater101]

Yeah, depending on the amperage draw you could DIY something up to run all the 24v devices off a single brick.

FYIW, on GHLs english forum/wish list section I posted the desire to have a single power supply to run all the units. You could go there and bump it and add your opinion. The more people that ask for it..

Ins't that what the Powerhub 6D-PAB is for? Or is that some other beast? I just discovered it and am trying to wrap my head around what it does exactly lol

 

[AZMSGT]

Ins't that what the Powerhub 6D-PAB is for? Or is that some other beast? I just discovered it and am trying to wrap my head around what it does exactly lol

Nope, thats for controlling hard wired 110/230V AC circuits. Not for 24v DC

 

[BZOFIQ]

Ins't that what the Powerhub 6D-PAB is for? Or is that some other beast? I just discovered it and am trying to wrap my head around what it does exactly lol

No, the Powerhub is like a powerstrip without the physical outlets. YOu'd throw it in a din enclosure and do custom wiring to outlets around the fish room.

Here is a PERFECT example

found in this thread.

Let's see your GHL!

@Kryssie - The DB4 Skimz dosing container specs are below: Space saving design Easily store and connects to your dosing pump With 4 x 1.5L containers Made of cast acrylic Dimensions: L9.25" x D6.0" x H12.25"

www.reef2reef.com

 

[vangvace]

I already have some dosers and the other dosers + KH are on the way. (Only thing I'll be missing is the ION unit itself.)
I'm just whining about all the power adapters lol. I suppose I could buy a a single/large power adapter and connect them ... at least for everything that needs 24v. The profilux would probably have to remain on its own since its 12v.
I'm just trying to save space and keep things tidy.

I want to say @Lasse was going to try that route. I have been thinking about it for my Kessils and other DC equipment. A ton of black bricks can defeat the wattage savings.

 

[AZMSGT]

I have a ton of black bricks. It’s just nuts.
3 for lights
4 for in tank pumps
2 for sump pumps
1 for GHL control

I truly believe these companies have gotten lazy with power supplies and just go with off the shelf stuff. Why reinvent them right.

 

[Lasse]

I want to say @Lasse was going to try that route. I have been thinking about it for my Kessils and other DC equipment. A ton of black bricks can defeat the wattage savings.

On my way

​

I will get rid of at least 9 pcs of 24 V adapters and nearly the same amount of 12 V adapters.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ingchr1]

One could go all out with redundant power supplies:

AC-DC Redundant Power Supplies - Glossary of Power Supply Technology | Acopian Power Supplies

Redundancy in a system is the practice of designing in duplicates of critical system components with the intention of increasing system reliability.

www.acopian.com

 

[KenO]

Couldn’t you use something like this to make a power distribution block for the 12Vdc and 24Vdc devices?

Electronics-Salon DIN Rail Mount 30 Position 24A / 400V Screw Terminal Block Distribution ... ...

 

[Lasse]

Couldn’t you use something like this to make a power distribution block for the 12Vdc and 24Vdc devices?

Electronics-Salon DIN Rail Mount 30 Position 24A / 400V Screw Terminal Block Distribution ... ...

Its exactly what I have done. I use 2 pcs 12 V MeanWell NDR-75-12 and 3 pcs Mean Well NDR-120-24 as power sources. Because I want to be able to individually switch on or of every 24 V pump and/or wave maker, every other 12 V or 24V device and even 240 V devices (as heaters) I need to be able to control 24 V DC, 12 V DC, 240 V AC or whatever with relays. GHL´s power bars can only control 240 V AC devices (or 110 AC devices in the US) - but they have a power hub there you can switch whatever you want individually and I use them in my cabinet

Sincerely Lasse