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Thread: What happens if the Apex dies

  1. #1
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    What happens if the Apex dies

    Just about to buy some new lighting and will now go for the AI Prime HD's due to the integration with Apex :-) Just one question, once you have been through the setup the AI's through the Apex, will the lights still work if the Apex was to die? Just want to confirm that I will not loose the lighting and its configuration in the unlikely event of the Apex controller looses power but the lights dont.

    Many thanks

  2. #2
    Hydroponics Guy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clownfishy View Post
    Just about to buy some new lighting and will now go for the AI Prime HD's due to the integration with Apex :-) Just one question, once you have been through the setup the AI's through the Apex, will the lights still work if the Apex was to die? Just want to confirm that I will not loose the lighting and its configuration in the unlikely event of the Apex controller looses power but the lights dont.

    Many thanks
    Outlets have a Fallback setting, that determines how your devices run without an Apex, if I understand the Apex outlets correctly. It should also be the same for your lights. As far as the configuration goes, you can save the current config (to your PC) from within Apex. And then when you want to, you can restore a previously saved config. It's way too early for me, but I know in the Comp Manual it details the steps required.

  3. #3
    Master Control Freak RussM's Avatar
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    There is no Fallback for IOTA/AI. Should the Apex go offline or otherwise lose communications with the lights, the lights will simply continue operating at the last settings received from the Apex.
    Please do not send me PMs with technical questions or requesting assistance - use the forums for Apex help. PM me ONLY if the matter is of a private or personal nature. Thanks.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by RussM View Post
    There is no Fallback for IOTA/AI. Should the Apex go offline or otherwise lose communications with the lights, the lights will simply continue operating at the last settings received from the Apex.
    Excellent, so just to confirm, if I have the lights set to go off at at 20:00 and the the Apex controller died say at 19:30, the lights would stay on but would then turn off automatically at 20:00? If so, is this because the Apex "sets" the and "views" the AI's configuration but the configuration is stored on the AI itself?
    Many thanks

  5. #5
    Master Control Freak RussM's Avatar
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    No - the Apex does real-time control of the lights. The schedule resides in the Apex, not the lights. The Apex sends commands to the light(s) as needed in accordance with the programmed schedule. Should the Apex go offline or otherwise lose communications with the lights, the lights will simply continue operating at the last settings received from the Apex - meaning that the lights will says at the same overall and individual color intensities as they were at as of the most recent update from the Apex.
    Please do not send me PMs with technical questions or requesting assistance - use the forums for Apex help. PM me ONLY if the matter is of a private or personal nature. Thanks.

  6. #6
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    I see, many thanks. That's a bit worrying if say, you were on holiday and your Apex does, looses power etc. It could mean you lights stay on 24/7 for days.

  7. #7
    Hydroponics Guy
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    Quote Originally Posted by RussM View Post
    There is no Fallback for IOTA/AI. Should the Apex go offline or otherwise lose communications with the lights, the lights will simply continue operating at the last settings received from the Apex.
    I stand corrected.

  8. #8
    Frequent Visitor rkpetersen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clownfishy View Post
    I see, many thanks. That's a bit worrying if say, you were on holiday and your Apex does, looses power etc. It could mean you lights stay on 24/7 for days.

    An option would be, in addition to using IOTA to control the intensity and spectrum of your lights, plug the actual power cords of the lights into one of the energy bar outlets. Program it to Fallback OFF Set ON. The lights will go off if your Apex fails. Not perfect, but a few days of darkness should be better tolerated than full light. Although if your Apex fails while you're away there will likely be more hazardous considerations than just the lights (pumps, heater, skimmer, ato).

    A more likely scenario with this type of light control is developing issues if your home wifi is weak or otherwise unstable. If there are temporary interruptions of connection between Apex and Hydra, the Hydra might lag behind it's programming until communication is restored. If you have more than one Hydra, one might lag behind the others and then suddenly reconnect and 'catch up'. I have seen this behavior myself recently, when my wifi network became temporarily unsettled (due to activating and later deactivating a guest network.)

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