roni July 6, 2013 Share July 6, 2013 Okay, I'm struggling here and this is probably simple but any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to go step by step and hopefully someone can point out what I did wrong. Hooked up the locker via the IO port on my apex. Plugged the skimmer pump into apex outlet 1. Used this program for outlet 1: Fallback OFF Set OFF If Switch1 CLOSED Then ON Blew on the pressure sensor tube = nothing. Filled the locker to water and submerged = nothing. What am I doing wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef July 7, 2013 Share July 7, 2013 no advice...I am currently an apex idiot so tagging along since I have the same locker/apex connection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova26 July 7, 2013 Share July 7, 2013 Are you trying to shut off the skimmer when full ? if so try this Fallback off Set off If switch1 closed then off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 7, 2013 Author Share July 7, 2013 Are you trying to shut off the skimmer when full ? if so try this Fallback off Set off If switch1 closed then off let me try that. I'm just using the code that avast sent with the locker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldReefer July 7, 2013 Share July 7, 2013 I would suggest you set up a virtual outlet called Skimmer_Full or something like that. My Skimmer_Full outlet is coded like this: If Switchx5_6 CLOSED Then OFF If Switchx5_6 OPEN Then ON Defer 001:00 Then ON I then put this command in SndAlm and EmailAlm: If Outlet Skimmer_Full = ON Then ON That sends me an email and an aural warning. In the Skimmer outlet I place the command: If Outlet Skimmer_Full = ON Then OFF I almost always create a virtual outlet any time I use a switch. That way I can see the status of that switch easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 7, 2013 Author Share July 7, 2013 (edited) thanks Bill! That's what I tried to do originally but couldn't figure out how to set up a virtual outlet... So, another basic question...how do I set up a virtual outlet? Per the manual, I went to modules to go and add a virtual module but nothing happened. Here's what my module page looks like: http://s100.photobucket.com/user/rtalukdar/media/Captureapex_zps4110ef20.jpg.html I have a dc8 and an EB8 on currently as well as a wxm module that I just put online. I selected lunar simulator, which should be just one outlet, to create one virtual outlet. When that didn't work, I selected display 7 and renamed it to locker full. That caused the screen to refresh but after that, there was no change. Edited July 7, 2013 by roni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 7, 2013 Author Share July 7, 2013 (edited) Okay, so slowly but surely I'm figuring out the virtual outlets. Made 24 new ones before I figured out that each time i messed with it I was creating new ones. Another question...if my locker is plugged directly into the i/o box, that should make it switch 1, correct? Just tried that code and tried blowing on the sensor to test it out. Nothing happened. I think it's either that the switch # is wrong or the sensor is faulty... Edited July 7, 2013 by roni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldReefer July 7, 2013 Share July 7, 2013 First you want to get rid of all those extra display modules. They pop up once in a while and need to be deleted. Just use the module delete feature on that page. Then set up a phantom DC8 starting with a control address that is way out of your way...like N1 or something. Once you do that, you will then have 8 new virtual outlets available under the "Outlet Setup" menu (N1...N8). From there it gets easy. Virtual outlets are addictive. They let you do all sorts of things and control your alarms and such... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldReefer July 7, 2013 Share July 7, 2013 Of course before you do any if that make sure you back up the configuration and can find that backup file on your hard drive. It is easy to restore your Apex to a previous state, but only if you remember to hit the "save" button and can find the file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 7, 2013 Author Share July 7, 2013 bill, if the locker is plugged into the io port directly and there is no breakout box, it should be switch 1, correct? i got all the programming in but it's still not working. The code is also similar to what I saw on reefcentral so I'm assuming either faulty sensor or incorrect switch designation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldReefer July 7, 2013 Share July 7, 2013 bill, if the locker is plugged into the io port directly and there is no breakout box, it should be switch 1, correct? i got all the programming in but it's still not working. The code is also similar to what I saw on reefcentral so I'm assuming either faulty sensor or incorrect switch designation? I am thinking you have the wrong switch. It is an easy error if you do not have the breakout box. I assume AVAST would wire it to switch 1, but it would be worth checking, either by trial and error or by shooting Justin a note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 8, 2013 Share July 8, 2013 It should definitely be switch 1. It's normally closed when the water level is low and opens when the water level rises in the sensor tube (or if you blow on it). Continuing my sacrificing my stuff in the name of science, I clipped the mini-din9 connector off the locker I bought. I want to put it into the breakout box instead of directly into the Apex so I can put in some float switches and water sensors too. The Avast locker sensor uses the brown wire and black wire of a mini-din9 which are hooked to the connector as in the image below. The comprehensive guide to Apex numbers the pins like the image below with 1 on the bottom left and working your way up to 6 on the top left. Number 8 on the top right is the common for all of them (black wire). 7 is unused. So if you put an ohmmeter between pins 1 and 8 on your connector you should see continuity that goes away when you blow on the sensor. If it doesn't, maybe yours is broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy July 8, 2013 Share July 8, 2013 (edited) It should definitely be switch 1. It's normally closed when the water level is low and opens when the water level rises in the sensor tube (or if you blow on it). Continuing my sacrificing my stuff in the name of science, I clipped the mini-din9 connector off the locker I bought. I want to put it into the breakout box instead of directly into the Apex so I can put in some float switches and water sensors too. The Avast locker sensor uses the brown wire and black wire of a mini-din9 which are hooked to the connector as in the image below. Xcal2_three.jpg The comprehensive guide to Apex numbers the pins like the image below with 1 on the bottom left and working your way up to 6 on the top left. Number 8 on the top right is the common for all of them (black wire). 7 is unused. Untitled.png So if you put an ohmmeter between pins 1 and 8 on your connector you should see continuity that goes away when you blow on the sensor. If it doesn't, maybe yours is broken. alan, you're a genius with this kind of stuff. between the d120 apex hack thread and this one, and your proximity to me, you're on my list for help when i get my apex set up - sorry, haha! Edited July 8, 2013 by monkiboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 8, 2013 Share July 8, 2013 Haha, nope. I'm a dummy. I just don't mind clipping wires that I'm pretty sure I can get back together. Remember I already let the smoke out of one of my dimmer boards on the d120 with a battery, so now I have to get it working. 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 8, 2013 Author Share July 8, 2013 Alan, thanks for the detailed explanation. I also confirmed with justin that it should be switch 1. I'm going to check the box tonight and see if it got wired differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 8, 2013 Share July 8, 2013 Yeah, if you open the box you can see if it's brown wire and black wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 9, 2013 Author Share July 9, 2013 (edited) looks like it's a red wire: in the diagram it says red is ground and black is outlet 2? a little confused. However, there it looks like black is ground and red is outlet 6? Edited July 9, 2013 by roni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 9, 2013 Share July 9, 2013 Nope. looks like a brown wire to me, doesn't it to you? The red one is the little stub that they cut out. I can see it in your picture. The labels on the diagram I posted above were for some other device. I posted that diagram to show you which pins the wires go to, not for the labels. Assuming the pressure switch works, and you should be able to hear it click when you blow lightly in the tube, you should be able to stick a meter between the two terminals that the brown (not red) and the black wire connect to and see that it is continuous when you're not blowing and opens up when you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 9, 2013 Author Share July 9, 2013 Alan, Okay, I may be a little color blind....it may be that I'm used to reef color and calling brownish corals red When I blow, I don't hear a click. If this is wired correctly and the code is correct (and from searching through archives, it seems that it is correct and switch1 should be active) then I guess it may be a faulty pressure switch. I've tried having it installed in the locker as well as taking it out and blowing on it as well as well as filling the locker to make it go off without avail. Where would I get the meter to check the terminals? thanks, Roni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 9, 2013 Share July 9, 2013 You can get meters at Lowes or HD or radio shack, but if you put it on the Apex without blowing into anything it should say "Switch 1: Closed" down at the bottom of the dashboard that comes up when you log in over the web. The rest should say Open. Seem like if you don't have a multimeter already, the Apex would function as a good one now that you know it's going to switch 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 10, 2013 Author Share July 10, 2013 Alan, So, pulled the pressure sensor off the nub at the box with the terminals and blew on the nub to hear a click. However, on my front page of my apex, I'm not seeing a switch1 listed. I see my variable speed sensors, email and alarm sensors, 1 eb8, 1 dc8, and 8 virtual outlets. Should switch1 be listed on that page? thanks, Roni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 10, 2013 Share July 10, 2013 Scroll down? Yours doesn't look like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 10, 2013 Author Share July 10, 2013 Wow, no, not at all. I'll see if my wife can take a screenshot of ours (only set up on local network at this time). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 10, 2013 Share July 10, 2013 Ah, then you probably need to go download and apply the firmware update from neptunesystems depending on how oldyour apex is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni July 10, 2013 Author Share July 10, 2013 The apex is about 2.5 years old. That may be the problem. Any precautions I need to take before downloading the firmware? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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