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Thread: Want to program Apex for a manual water change.

  1. #1
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    Want to program Apex for a manual water change.

    Hello:
    I am trying to set up a program for a manual water change. I want to click a "water change" icon (or something) and have it "ON" and it would turn off my ReturnPump, my Skimmer, my PelletReactor, my ATO. And then when I'm done, I'd click it "Off" or "DONE" (if possible) and it would turn everything back on. Not sure where to start, nor what to do to make this happen.

    Can anyone help me write this up?

    Much appreciated!

    Roger Brooks

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    You can use a feed mode or do something like this. Set to AUTO and it will automatically shut off after 60 minutes if you forget about it or when you turn it off because you're done

    Waterchange
    Set ON
    When On > 060:00 Then OFF

    Things you want off
    (Existing code)
    If Output Waterchange = ON Then OFF

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  3. #3
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    Thanks Zombie! Not too sure where to start. Do I do set this up using the Return pump or one of the pumps? It seems everything in Apex is tied to a physical outlet, sensor, or input. So, I'm not sure where to put the programming.

    Much appreciated!

  4. #4
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Waterchange is a virtual outlet.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Control Freak Raptor72's Avatar
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    Thanks for bringing up this question. I had been thinking about doing this for a while now.

  6. #6
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    This is what I have set up that I think is what you are trying to do. I have a virtual outlet called MAN_WC. When I want to do a WC I move the slider to ON and start the process. Here is the programming for the MAN_WC VO.

    MAN_WC

    Fallback OFF
    Set OFF

    Programming for my return pump, Jebao power heads and skimmer are as follows.

    Return Pump

    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Ret_HI CLOSED Then OFF
    If Smp_Lo CLOSED Then OFF
    If Error Ret_High_VO Then OFF
    If Output MAN_WC = ON Then OFF

    Skimmer

    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Output RtnPmp_4_1 = OFF Then OFF
    Defer 001:00 Then ON
    If skmFul OPEN Then OFF
    If Smp_Lo CLOSED Then OFF
    If Output MAN_WC = ON Then OFF
    Defer 005:00 Then ON

    Jebao's

    Fallback OFF
    Set ON
    If Output MAN_WC = ON Then OFF
    Defer 020:00 Then ON
    If FeedB 000 Then OFF

    Hope this helps. I used this the other day for a WC and it worked as programmed, which is a miracle for me.

  7. #7
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crs751 View Post
    This is what I have set up that I think is what you are trying to do. I have a virtual outlet called MAN_WC. When I want to do a WC I move the slider to ON and start the process. Here is the programming for the MAN_WC VO.

    MAN_WC

    Fallback OFF
    Set OFF

    Programming for my return pump, Jebao power heads and skimmer are as follows.

    Return Pump

    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Ret_HI CLOSED Then OFF
    If Smp_Lo CLOSED Then OFF
    If Error Ret_High_VO Then OFF
    If Output MAN_WC = ON Then OFF

    Skimmer

    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Output RtnPmp_4_1 = OFF Then OFF
    Defer 001:00 Then ON
    If skmFul OPEN Then OFF
    If Smp_Lo CLOSED Then OFF
    If Output MAN_WC = ON Then OFF
    Defer 005:00 Then ON

    Jebao's

    Fallback OFF
    Set ON
    If Output MAN_WC = ON Then OFF
    Defer 020:00 Then ON
    If FeedB 000 Then OFF

    Hope this helps. I used this the other day for a WC and it worked as programmed, which is a miracle for me.
    I would suggest updating your VO like I showed above with a when statement so that if you ever forget about it, things come back on their own.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  8. #8
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    Yes I need to do that. Thanks


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Aquaphile
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    Thinking about this I do a similar thing with a Virtual Outlet I call Maintenance which I use to also do water changes and some other general maintenance. I don't want to add the
    When On > 060:00 Then OFF
    to it because if I have it apart and not finished and suddenly everything turns back on I could have a major catastrophe on my hands before I can shut it back off again. I would rather add a line to my email warning that would alert me if I had forgotten or gone over a set time limit. Can you help me with that code?


  10. #10
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrT View Post
    Thinking about this I do a similar thing with a Virtual Outlet I call Maintenance which I use to also do water changes and some other general maintenance. I don't want to add the
    When On > 060:00 Then OFF
    to it because if I have it apart and not finished and suddenly everything turns back on I could have a major catastrophe on my hands before I can shut it back off again. I would rather add a line to my email warning that would alert me if I had forgotten or gone over a set time limit. Can you help me with that code?

    For that, just use set OFF in the code for the virtual outlet. Then just add

    If Output Maintenance = ON Then ON

    To your email. It will send an alert every time you activate it and it will continue sending every hour until you turn it to OFF or AUTO.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  11. #11
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    Is there a way to add this code but to have APEX not send me the warning when I first activate it but only after it has been on for an hour? My whole purpose is not to get email warnings when I do maintenance but only if I forget to turn it back on or I'm taking too long?

  12. #12
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrT View Post
    Is there a way to add this code but to have APEX not send me the warning when I first activate it but only after it has been on for an hour? My whole purpose is not to get email warnings when I do maintenance but only if I forget to turn it back on or I'm taking too long?
    Yes with another VO

    ForgotMaint
    Set OFF
    If Outlet Maintenance = ON Then ON
    Defer 060:00 Then ON

    Email
    (Existing)
    If Output ForgotMaint = ON Then ON

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Yes with another VO

    ForgotMaint
    Set OFF
    If Outlet Maintenance = ON Then ON
    Defer 060:00 Then ON

    Email
    (Existing)
    If Output ForgotMaint = ON Then ON

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
    Okay, It's a good thing that Neptune Systems allows so many Virtual Outlets.

    As usual, thank you, your brilliance is appreciated....

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Yes with another VO

    ForgotMaint
    Set OFF
    If Outlet Maintenance = ON Then ON
    Defer 060:00 Then ON

    Email
    (Existing)
    If Output ForgotMaint = ON Then ON

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
    I second that answer and I can confirm it works as this is what I setup myself a while ago

  15. #15
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    Thank you very much. I'm still a bit confused.

    Virtual Outlet is "WaterChange" - I have it programmed:
    Fallback OFF
    Set OFF
    When ON > 30:00 Then OFF

    It usually only takes me about 20 minutes for a water change (at most), but this gives me a bit of extra time in case I forget to turn everything back on.

    On my return pump I have:
    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Output WaterChange = ON Then OFF

    And I have the same sentence for other things I want to shut off during the water change:
    Skimmer | LeftCirc (left circulating pump) | RightCirc (right circulating pump) | CenterCirc (center circulating pump) | MaxGyreRight |MaxGyreLeft

    Is this correct?
    And finally, do I need to add a line like "If Output WaterChange = OFF Then ON" to each of the devices? Or will they automatically turn back on when I turn the WaterChange OFF?

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by RABrookis View Post
    Thank you very much. I'm still a bit confused.

    Virtual Outlet is "WaterChange" - I have it programmed:
    Fallback OFF
    Set OFF
    When ON > 30:00 Then OFF

    It usually only takes me about 20 minutes for a water change (at most), but this gives me a bit of extra time in case I forget to turn everything back on.

    On my return pump I have:
    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Output WaterChange = ON Then OFF

    And I have the same sentence for other things I want to shut off during the water change:
    Skimmer | LeftCirc (left circulating pump) | RightCirc (right circulating pump) | CenterCirc (center circulating pump) | MaxGyreRight |MaxGyreLeft

    Is this correct?
    And finally, do I need to add a line like "If Output WaterChange = OFF Then ON" to each of the devices? Or will they automatically turn back on when I turn the WaterChange OFF?
    What you have is correct. The second line you think you need, you don't. The moment the WaterChange line is no longer true, the last true line above it takes over.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  17. #17
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    This thread has been very helpful. I’m running into an issue, though, I’m hoping this group can help with. For testing purposes, I only configured one pump to make sure everything worked. With the configuration below, the Left Return Pump turns off when I toggle Water_Change to On and back on again when I toggle Water_Change to Off. When I leave Water_Change On for > 3 minutes, though, it doesn’t automatically turn off, thus turning the pump back on. What am I missing?

    Virtual Outlet = Water_Change
    Set OFF
    When On > 003:00 Then OFF

    Left Return Pump
    Fallback ON
    Set ON
    If Output Water_Change = ON Then OFF

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