WXM compatible with upcoming ecotech radion G4?

[stephartsmith]

Hello,

the new ecotech radion G4 start showing in resellers catalog even if it's still not officaly announced by ecotech.

Do you think the WXM module will be compatible with this new gen?
Or should we expect same problem as in Vectra compliance?

Steph

[allrover75]

Bump. I am interested in this also, I will be placing an order for a pair of G4 as soon as I hear confirmation from someone at Neptune they are supported by WXM. I control my current G3's through WXM, and am not stumping up for Reeflink as well just so I can get the G4's.

[bobbravo2]

Bump. Me too

[iamchadster]

Dang Ecotech for releasing these so soon. I still haven't broken the seal on my g3's I got a few months ago. LOL

[LDC3000]

According to the guy in the video it will still be compatible.

https://youtu.be/yIFSw2p6DNw

[allrover75]

Awesome, thanks for posting that video. Can't be clearer than that. In parallel to this post, I also got a response from the Neptune owners club Facebook page, who also said that yes it is compatible.

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[stephartsmith]

Good news

Thx

[Breadman03]

They're working with my WXM, but with only 6 channels of control via Fusion. I'll have to do some digging to find out why.

[allrover75]

They're working with my WXM, but with only 6 channels of control via Fusion. I'll have to do some digging to find out why.

I would have thought it will be because the Apex software is currently only written to support the 6 channels that exist in the G3. Unless Neptune update the software to recognise and control the new 2 extra channels, it wont work.

Its pretty naughty Neptune and Ecotech saying they are compatible - they sort of are, but with restricted capability. Neptune need to update their Apex software to control the extra 2 channels. :-(

[bobbravo2]

They're working with my WXM, but with only 6 channels of control via Fusion. I'll have to do some digging to find out why.

Glad to see that it's confirmed, albeit limited functionality. What happens with the other 2 channels? Off or on?

[RussM]

Its pretty naughty Neptune and Ecotech saying they are compatible

No one from Neptune Systems has said that they are compatible AFAIK. The Neptune Owners Club UK Facebook group is not an official Neptune Systems site; I checked but I don't see anything posted there.

[RussM]

Here's the real scoop regarding Radion G4 fixtures and the Apex & WXM:

Radion XR30w G4
The XR30w is fully compatible with the WXM.

Radion XR30w Pro G4
It does work on the standard 6 channels, but the 2 additional channels new to the G4 Pro (Violet and Warm White) are not controllable - the 4 violet LEDs and 2 warm white LEDs remain off when used with a WXM. One might say that it works as if it is an older Radion Pro w/ the WXM.

Radion XR15w G4
The XR15w has the same 6 control channels as the XR30w G4 and prior generations, so it probably works fine.

Radion XR15w Pro G4
Based on specs not actual testing, it should be the same case as the XR30w G4 Pro.


Neptune Systems is looking into adding support for the two new channels in the XR30w Pro and XR15w Pro.

[allrover75]

No one from Neptune Systems has said that they are compatible AFAIK. The Neptune Owners Club UK Facebook group is not an official Neptune Systems site; I checked but I don't see anything posted there.

It was a direct message via messenger to me in response to a question I asked. it wasn't in a public post.

Problem is you've got the BRS YouTube review of the G4 saying it's compatible, and the Tidal Gardens one saying the same in their YouTube review too. Appreciate that's not something Neptune can control...you guys need to be ON it with regards to communication so any negative sentiment can't come Neptunes way.

Great to have an official statement at last anyway. I have ordered the G4 15w Pro. Can you confirm Neptune will add support for the extra channels for the 15 pro? You only mention the 30 pro in your post.

Thanks.



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[RussM]

IYou only mention the 30 pro in your post.

Sorry for my inadvertent omission of the XR15 Pro. I updated my earlier post.

As for those 3rd party posts and videos... my hunch is that they may have only tested a non-Pro G4.


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[fab]

Is it likely that a WXM modification to control all channels of the new generation 4 XR30w Pro Ration lights fixtures will require hardware modifications to a WXM module?

If so, will there be an upgrade path for current WXM users? Or will the modification just be a firmware update?

I am on the verge of adding new gen 4 Radions to my existing set of gen 3 Radions. I will not proceed if my WXM cannot execute all of the gen 4 Radion functions properly.

[Breadman03]

Neptune Systems is looking into adding support for the two new channels in the XR30w Pro and XR15w Pro.

I hope it is done soon!

[rizorido]

Here's the real scoop regarding Radion G4 fixtures and the Apex & WXM:

Radion XR30w G4
The XR30w is fully compatible with the WXM.

Radion XR30w Pro G4
It does work on the standard 6 channels, but the 2 additional channels new to the G4 Pro (Violet and Warm White) are not controllable - the 4 violet LEDs and 2 warm white LEDs remain off when used with a WXM. One might say that it works as if it is an older Radion Pro w/ the WXM.

Radion XR15w G4
The XR15w has the same 6 control channels as the XR30w G4 and prior generations, so it probably works fine.

Radion XR15w Pro G4
Based on specs not actual testing, it should be the same case as the XR30w G4 Pro.


Neptune Systems is looking into adding support for the two new channels in the XR30w Pro and XR15w Pro.

Thank you Ross, I had to disconnect my radions and control them through the reeflink again.

Do you know when your update will be out?

Thank you !


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[jepuskar]

Thank you Ross, I had to disconnect my radions and control them through the reeflink again.

Do you know when your update will be out?

Thank you !


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I sold my reeflink months ago thinking I would never need it again.

[RussM]

Thank you Ross

Ross? Who is this Ross dude? )

Do you know when your update will be out?

No. "Neptune Systems is looking into adding support for the two new channels in the XR30w Pro and XR15w Pro." That's all I know at this point in time.

[RussM]

I had to disconnect my radions and control them through the reeflink again.

I sold my reeflink months ago thinking I would never need it again.

These two snippets bring up a good topic for discussion. From a purely personal and pragmatic perspective, I ask: Why?

Why do many people opt to use the Apex & WXM vs Reeflink in the first place? Because it offers integrated control, has far more flexibility for some people, and other reasons, right? @rizorido and @jepuscar - why did you two start using the Apex & WXM instead Reeflink? Pause a moment to think about that please....

To all: What loss does the current (and hopefully temporary) inability of the Apex & WXM combo to control the violet and warm white (a mere 3 LEDs per puck) really represent? Thousands of reefkeepers quite happily and successfully used prior generations of Radions which do not have these two colors. A G4 Pro under Apex control currently (and hopefully temporary) has the same colors as the wildly-popular G2 & G3 Pros, right? So are you really lacking anything of major significance by using a G4 Pro under Apex control? Does being able to use the violet and warm white right now truly outweigh all the reasons for having the WXM, and warrant going back to Reeflink?

I'm just offering up some food for thought.... let the discussion begin

[rizorido]

When you buy a new car that's hybrid vs your old fossil car, and the hybrid part doesn't work, you don't say well everyone out there used fossil fuel and is happy!!
You paid the extra dollars to get a couple of added features, and you want to see them working !!! Simple !


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[bobbravo2]

I use the WXM for two main reasons: if the tank overheats, I shut the lights off. If the power goes out, I shut the lights off to maximize the runtime of my inverter + 220 amp hour battery bank.

[jepuskar]

I use the WXM for its integration and logging features. Ecotech added 2 new channels for a reason, so if they are there I want to use them.

[rizorido]

And I can say from my 2 day experience that the purple and warm white have made the corals pop and open even more ! Im not going back to wxm till it has a fix for this !


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[iamchadster]

And I can say from my 2 day experience that the purple and warm white have made the corals pop and open even more ! Im not going back to wxm till it has a fix for this !


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That's awesome! Feel free to post some pics of your corals. As a Radion user I'd love to see some before and afters if you had any.