Apex Programming

[Big Country]

  I'm just setting up a Apex Classic to replace my old ACIII and looking into using the Apex to actually control more functions of my tank.

 

  I am running a Jebao DP4 dosing pump and made my own dosing containers from kitchen containers I bought at Walmart and put a murlock fitting in the lids.

 

  I see low profile 2L Kamoer dosing containers on BRS that have a float switch in them, they are designed to directly plug into the Kamoer doser.  For the $14.99 they charge for the containers it's not really cost effective to DIY something with a float switch

 

  Got me to thinking, can I get a breakout box for the Apex to wire these float switches to so that the Apex can tell me when I'm getting low on additives?

[Origami]

Yes, you can use their I/O Breakout box as an out-of-the-box solution, or can build your own if you can find the parts.

[Big Country]

Yeah, I thought about just taking a bus bar from my old boat, cutting the minidin8 plug off of my Avast ATO and wiring it up as a homemade breakout box with bigger screws for my old eyes.  I do like the breakout box that Avast built but it looks like it is no longer available

 

I would have to cut the I/O plug off of my Avast Marine ATO anyway, I'm assuming that there are only 2 wires in the ATO, and hook it to the breakout box so I have that I/O port open on the Apex

[Origami]

The 8-pin mini-DIN is the same pinout as was on the old AC-III. You can find the pinout on the web still. If you have the connector, it's easy enough to wire up the remaining. 

 

Here's a thread on RC with a DIY breakout box. Here's another in Neptune's user forum. It appears that pin 8 is the ground and pin 7 is unused. 1-6 are switch inputs.