Tunze 6095 on Apex

[AlanM]

Is anyone running a 6095 on an Apex? I followed the Apex comprehensive manual to make a cable for the Tunze pumps to be controlled by a VDM, but now it seems that might be wrong. Does anyone know the correct pinouts on the Tunze to control it?

[AlanM]

Here's a picture of the male end of the cable coming from the Apex. I'm trying to sort out what pins are used.

 

[Origami]

Maybe this will help? It's from the old unofficial guide. I don't know if the DIY stuff was preserved in the Neptune version of the guide.

Apex New User Guide 71.pdf

[AlanM]

It is preserved, but folks on the forums say its wrong. I wired my cable like that and am afraid to plug it in.

[Origami]

The manual says that the male connector pins are numbered "clockwise" 1, 4, 2, 5, 3. The picture shows a socket connection with them numbered that way. I find that confusing. The diagram is right, but the statement was wrong.

 

From the end of the connector, the pins are numbered counter-clockwise. (Just like the picture that you attached.)

 

Could that be the reason that some say it's wrong?

 

I use the variable voltage ports to drive my LED lighting without trouble.

[AlanM]

That's part of the reason. Also Richard at Tunze USA says that every controllable Tunze made has the same interface, and that there was some confusion with the 6055 in that manual, but it isnt wired any different. From what the manual says it is totally different.

 

Also, one of the pins on the Tunze powerhead actually puts out a continuous 8V to power the Tunze controller, and Richard seems to say that the 8V output is on one of the pins that the Apex manual says is ground! I definitely dont want to hook up an 8v power supply to the 0-10v output of the Apex.

 

Then there is the confusion with how to count the pins which is frustrating. Even if someone gets them in the right order and says that their diagram is for a male plug, not a female socket, you still run into some people numbering them while looking at the back of the male socket where you would solder on wires if you were attaching it the connector and some people numbering them while looking at the pins like in the picture I posted.

 

I think I will open the little box on the Tunze and look at the back of the female DIN socket to see if i can figure out what is what.

 

I would just buy the $20 cable, but Neptune also wants $10 in shipping. for $30 I'm willing to keep investigating.

[AlanM]

Roger, not Richard. Was thinking of the TampaBaySaltwater guy.

[CaptainRon]

Alan, I bought one of the cables before I realized what they where exactly. Will definately built my next one. Call quantum reefs - they had an extra one a couple weeks ago if you want to just buy one.

[jackers]

Yup, I went through the same thing and decided the $20 cable was a good investment on almost $600 worth of pumps.

[AlanM]

Good point. 500 dollars of Apex and 500 dollars of Tunze risked over a 20 dollar cable is silly.

 

I will try to get one from QR if they have an extra, and I will do a continuity test and post the results all over the intarwebs.

[hypertech]

I've got a premium aquatics order with free shipping going out this week. May be able to call Jeremy and add to my order still if that would help you. PM if interested. I'm in Alexandria.

[AlanM]

Thanks for the offer, hypertech, but going to Alexandria is a longer trip than Annandale for me. Going to see if I can get Steve and Vince to check for that extra one in one of their moving boxes. 8)

[hypertech]

Sorry, posted that from the mobile version, which doesn't show your location. QR's new location is not far from me so I assumed you were closer.

[AlanM]

From a fish store point of view i wish ilived in Northern, VA. From a traffic point of view, not so much. 8)

[jackers]

Once you get your cables up and running, let me know, I'll share my code with you. It's a little tricky at first, but once you understand it, you'll be able to tweek it from there.

[AlanM]

Awesome! Thanks for the offer.

 

Edit: By the way, I hope I didn't already mess it up. I couldn't resist and had the Tunze control box open with the multimeter probing stuff and the powerhead sitting on the floor out of the water. I plugged it in and measured voltages. At some point I touched something with the leads of the multimeter and the sound changed. I watched to see if any magic smoke came out of anything, but didn't see or smell anything weird. fingers crossed that I didn't already mess up my nice powerhead.

Edited March 12, 2013 by AlanM