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Thread: Trying to program my return pump speed based on water level

  1. #1
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    Trying to program my return pump speed based on water level

    I am looking to control my return pump with that variable via the variable speed port and an optical sensor. What I would like to do is step down or up the pump by 10% based on the water level and continue to do so. For I would like it to run at 80% during normal operation. For some reason if the water gets low sets the pump at 70%, waits a minute, if still low sets to 60% etc.

    I am making several assumptions based on the apex documentation when writing the code. If any are wrong please let me know:
    1. The only way to control the variable speed port on the apex is with profiles. I would have to 11 profiles with PF_0, PF_10,...PF_100.
    2. There is no way to get the profile or % the variable speed port is set to.
    3. Virtual Outlets are only on or off (booleans). There is no way to store a number.

    Based on these assumptions I think what I need to do is:
    Create a bunch of virtual outputs (PUMP_10,PUMP_20,...)
    In each virtual outputs configuration use the optical sensor status along with the current values of the other virtual outputs (this is where it gets tricky and could use some guidance) to set its value
    For the return pump check these virtual outputs and turn on the corresponding profile. For example IF Output PUMP_10 THEN PF_10.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    It's actually pretty simple. I've helped some other people do this and they ended up changing the percentage by a much smaller amount so it cycled less often, so keep that in mind. Below would do exactly what you asked for but I suspect you will want a reduction in the 2-5% range for each step rather than 10%. I would also suggest setting up IQ so that 70% turns into 100%

    COR
    Fallback 70
    Set 70
    If Switchname CLOSED Then 60
    If Output OvrFlo = ON Then 50
    (Feed modes, low sump stop, etc)

    OvrFlo
    Set OFF
    If Switchname CLOSED Then ON
    Defer 001:00 Then ON

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  3. #3
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    Thanks for your response would you mind explaining a couple things.

    Is Cor the pump and OverFlo a virtual outlet? Is swithcName the optical sensor? Are 70, 60, etc profiles or can you explicitly set the intensity? I have a Varios pump if that makes a difference.
    Why If Switchname CLOSED? Why not open? If the sensor no longer detects water (thats would be open right?) that means we want to reduce the to 60%.

    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    It's actually pretty simple. I've helped some other people do this and they ended up changing the percentage by a much smaller amount so it cycled less often, so keep that in mind. Below would do exactly what you asked for but I suspect you will want a reduction in the 2-5% range for each step rather than 10%. I would also suggest setting up IQ so that 70% turns into 100%

    COR
    Fallback 70
    Set 70
    If Switchname CLOSED Then 60
    If Output OvrFlo = ON Then 50
    (Feed modes, low sump stop, etc)

    OvrFlo
    Set OFF
    If Switchname CLOSED Then ON
    Defer 001:00 Then ON

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    OvrFlo is a virtual outlet used to add the delay.

    Switchname is the name of the sensor

    The reason CLOSED was used was because I expected you placed the sensor in your overflow chamber and are doing this to try and prevent gurgling in a bean animal style overflow. If you are using a sump optical sensor, I wouldn't recommend doing this at all because it will "fight" with your ATO.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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    Thanks, my ato is timer based for now. Are the 60, 50 profiles? I am using the v1 port and it looks like you can only change that via profile?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjmonty786 View Post
    Thanks, my ato is timer based for now. Are the 60, 50 profiles? I am using the v1 port and it looks like you can only change that via profile?
    Unless you are on a really old firmware, you can just type percentages in where you would have used constant profiles in the past. If you are on a really old firmware, you should probably update.

    With that said, you are much better off using that sensor for ATO. You can still make it pseudo timer based and use the switch state to keep the level steady. It's much better to keep the level steady with a good ATO than to try and fake it with a return pump.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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    Awesome thats new info to me. Thanks! That is the goal eventually. I am having issues with my overflow setup right now where the water is the sump will go down and the water in the DT will go up really without any reason that I can figure out (nothing is clogged). The goal of this was a stop gap approach, I can continue to run the pump w/o worrying of burning it out and make the adjustments I need manually to get everything happy again.

  8. #8
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    @zombie

    How would you continue your program to continue to step down for the pump to 40, 30 etc..

    COR
    Fallback 70
    Set 70
    If Switchname CLOSED Then 60
    If Output OvrFlo = ON Then 50

  9. #9
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjmonty786 View Post
    @zombie

    How would you continue your program to continue to step down for the pump to 40, 30 etc..

    COR
    Fallback 70
    Set 70
    If Switchname CLOSED Then 60
    If Output OvrFlo = ON Then 50
    More VOs with longer defers.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  10. #10
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    Right so if you had:

    OvrFlo1
    Set OFF
    If Switchname CLOSED Then ON
    Defer 001:00 Then ON

    OvrFlo2
    Set OFF
    If Switchname CLOSED Then ON
    Defer 002:00 Then ON

    OvrFlo3
    Set OFF
    If Switchname CLOSED Then ON
    Defer 003:00 Then ON

    COR
    Fallback 70
    Set 70
    If Output OvrFlo1 = ON Then 60
    If Output OvrFlo2= ON Then 50
    If Output OvrFlo3 = ON Then 40

    Let's say the first time the switchname was closed it ending up setting the pump to 50 before it stabilized.

    IF the switch was closed again it would wait 3 minutes to set the pump to 40 instead of the desired decrease 10 after a minute.

  11. #11
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Yep

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  12. #12
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    Anyway to only make it wait a minute in that case.

  13. #13
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjmonty786 View Post
    Anyway to only make it wait a minute in that case.
    I don't understand the question.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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