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Thread: Vortech Setup

  1. #1
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    Vortech Setup

    Good Morning

    I bit the bullet this past weekend and purchased 2 wav pumps from Neptune. I was currently running 2 mp40s. I wanted to was relocate the mp40 to the back wall in the off position and to turn on only when the power goes out since i have the battery backups for them and power outages have become such a frequent dilemma for me lately. If I leave the vortechs in the off position in fusion will the battery backups kick in when power is lost or do I have to enter any programming to have them turn on Thank in advance for any info

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    Are you using the WXM to control the MP40's? If so, you can stop the flow from them without it going into battery backup. If you are using an EB outlet to turn the power on/off the MP40 will go into battery backup mode as it would be no different than a power outage.

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    Sorry. I reread your post, It sounds like you ONLY want the MP40's to run when the power is off and not run when the power is on. Is this correct?

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    Thanks for the reply. Yes I am just trying to set them up so they only run in case of a power outage.

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    The voretech's by design are meant to run normally, meaning your scenario where they are only used during power outage is not common. I'm not to familiar with the battery backup functions. If they are powered off and power is removed do they power on and go into battery backup mode?

    If you had a WXM, you could control the pumps with the Apex. You could set it up so that the Apex keeps them off during normal operation and then go to battery backup during an outage.

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    No they don't go into battery backup with power off. I am running them on a wxm module now but how would I set it up on the wxm to put power on when a power outage occurs.

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    The Apex would need to have a UPS attached to it so that it can run during an outage. Then when the outage is detected, it can set the voretech to preferred profile.

    I use a similar setup with my system except I have Wav's. I have a virtual outlet that comes on when the power is out to one of the energy bars. Once this virtual outlet has been detected it turns off everything but one WAV pump which is set to a slow power saving mode.

    V_Power_Out
    Set OFF
    If Power EB832_2 Off 005 Then ON
    If Power EB8_3 Off 005 Then ON
    If Power EB8_4 Off 005 Then ON


    Then on the WAV Outlet this line:

    6_1_Wav_C
    If Output V_Power_Out = ON Then WAV_PWR_SAV

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    So pretty much for what I want to do I have get a small ups to keep power active till apex completes the function. If you don't mind me asking what size ups do you use to run your wav pumps during an outage?

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    Correct.

    I use this: http://www.apc.com/shop/us/en/produc...80VA/P-BN1080G

    I have the WAV pulse on/off for 10 seconds at 50%. I get about 3 hours of use during a power outage. This also keeps the Apex powered on for that same amount of time.
    Last edited by Mal7887; 11-29-2017 at 10:26. Reason: Spelling

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    Thanks for all the info I am going to give this a shot.

  11. #11
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    If memory serves me correctly then it should be simple. Once you attach your vortechs to the Apex there will be virtual outlets created to place your programming. Vortechs are really better if plugged into a constant power supply instead of wasting eb8 outlets etc. In your virtual outlet you could simply tell the vortech to remain off by placing "Set Off" in the basic view of the fusion wizard screen.

    The fact you have the vortech's battery backup, which should be connected to the vortech driver should automatically put the vortech into backup mode. (No power to main port of driver/power supplied to aux pwr port on the driver) The backup mode I think run at 10% but I can't be 100% sure.

    My battery backup failed after a year so I have just a UPS now.
    Chad

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    Thanks for the info i just tried that it didn't work. Seems to only work with power constantly on with outlet

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ukz View Post
    Thanks for the info i just tried that it didn't work. Seems to only work with power constantly on with outlet
    Yes that would be my strategy and simplest IMO. Keep the vortechs connected to the apex and powered on by plugging them into a wall outlet, or if you must, an always powered on eb8/832 etc. outlet. The driver would have power provided, but the programming via the apex-wxm-vortech would tell the vortech to remain off, the driver however still has power it's the programming that is keeping the pump off. Then once power is removed and the driver then only has the aux power being provided by the connected vortech battery backup my recollection was that the vortech would run in the emergency mode.

    I don't have a backup to test it as I already mentioned, but I'm pretty sure there are some other threads on here and on other forums that talk about this. Again I could be wrong, but I think the key is keeping the driver powered even though you are telling it to currently not run with programming in that virtual outlet created for programming the pump.

    Let me know and in the meantime I'll see if I can't track down a little more specific info.
    Chad

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    What I tried to do last night was my mp40 are plugged into a separate outlet not the eb8. The vortechs are controlled through the wxm module. First try was on the apex dashboard setting the pumps to off and pulling main power on driver that did not work power did not kick on battery backup. Second thing I tried which I guess is the same as setting it to off on the dashboard was in the advance menu options for the mp40 I wrote set off it did the same thing shut down the mp40 tried pulling main power from driver but it still didn't kick in. It seems like there is no way to keep power to the driver unless its in the on position constantly which in turn will leave the pump running.

  15. #15
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    When you are pulling the power on the main driver, are you pulling the power on the WXM which is currently telling the vortech to do nothing? I can't recall, but if the driver is still getting power even from the Aux backup, if the WXM is still connected and you haven't broken that connection then the programming may be telling the vortech to not come on.

    You essentially need to simulate a real power outage situation here as the wxm and apex brain unless on backup would be out. The only powered device would be the vortech on the battery backup. Can you see what happens if you acutally break that wxm/vortech driver connection?

    Try this for fun. Vortech driver has constant power (wall outlet etc) and backup battery plugged into vortechs aux power port. Programming in vortech outlet is just "Set Off". Then disconnect the wxm from the apex by pulling the aquabus cable and make sure the status light goes off which would disconnect the driver and the wxm (simulating a power out on the apex from the vortech's point of view). Then pull the main power from the vortech driver and see what happens.
    Chad

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    I just gave that a try still now power to with simulated power loss.

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    Seems like the only way to do this which i tried is leave it assigned below 20 percent so its constantly in feed mode I'm just not sure how many gph it is putting out at that rate

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    The documentation is pretty poor as far as what I found for a manual from Ecotech. I just don't seem to recall it being that complicated. They should be relatively plug and play so that once the only power provided to that driver is from the aux battery it goes into the backup mode. Are you sure the batteries are good? Also, it might be worth a quick email to echotech. It shouldn't require complex programming to simply get those drivers to go into backup mode and give you the 10% etc.
    Chad

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    Yeah i was thinking the same thing the batteries are brand new i even checked them while on to make sure they were activating. Thinking about getting a small ups to just leave power to the apex for a few minutes in case of power outage to switch vortechs to on. Do you know how i would go about the programming to do this by any chance.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ukz View Post
    Yeah i was thinking the same thing the batteries are brand new i even checked them while on to make sure they were activating. Thinking about getting a small ups to just leave power to the apex for a few minutes in case of power outage to switch vortechs to on. Do you know how i would go about the programming to do this by any chance.
    Yes I do. Get your UPS then I would start a new thread with setting that up and there are a ton already on here about that programming and also suggestions on which one to get. But I will certainly help you as others will as well I'm sure.

    I got one from Costco that was about 129 bucks or so intended for a computer. Once you get your ups then you may want to scrap the vortechs all together and then just use a wav running in a low power profile while the power is out. Just less "stuff" to deal with.
    Chad

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