GHL Profilux Timing help for autofeeder

[wmb0003]

I am looking for advice for setting up my plank auto feeder. I am leaving the circulating pump in the feeder running all the time, so I only need to setup a timer for the auger(device that delivers food to the aquarium).

What I am trying to accomplish is turning on a switch channel for 30 seconds every 30 minutes between the hours of 9AM to 9PM.

I tried to go into the processes and assign the switch channel to a timer and I was going to manually add the times but I noticed GHL limits the maximum set points to 8.

I am also doing this on my phone or through the myGHL website. I will try later on the GCC on my computer.

Anybody have any ideas on how to set this up?

 

[Gaël]

Hi

Use 2 timers, one cyclic and one with time period.
Use then a programmable logic with both timers.

Gaël

 

[wmb0003]

Hi

Use 2 timers, one cyclic and one with time period.
Use then a programmable logic with both timers.

Gaël

Appreciate the help Gaël!

Does this look right?
Timer2:

Timer 3:

Programable logic:

Switch:

 

[Cali9dub]

I put my plank on a gosund programmable outlet. They are like 2 for $14 and work great. Super easy to program too. It’ll free up one of your switchable outlets.

 

[wmb0003]

I put my plank on a gosund programmable outlet. They are like 2 for $14 and work great. Super easy to program too. It’ll free up one of your switchable outlets.

I had mine on a similar programable outlet, but it also limited it to 10 feedings a day, and it did not go down to seconds. So minimum feeding time was 60 seconds/1 minute. I am wanting to feed more frequent smaller feedings throughout the day. I had a free outlet on my power bar so I wanted to move it over. I have been testing it since this morning and it is looking like my new programming(with the help of Gaël) is working correctly.

 

[Cali9dub]

I had mine on a similar programable outlet, but it also limited it to 10 feedings a day, and it did not go down to seconds. So minimum feeding time was 60 seconds/1 minute. I am wanting to feed more frequent smaller feedings throughout the day. I had a free outlet on my power bar so I wanted to move it over. I have been testing it since this morning and it is looking like my new programming(with the help of Gaël) is working correctly.

You using the programming you showed? Or do you have an updated setting ??

 

[wmb0003]

You using the programming you showed? Or do you have an updated setting ??

Same programing as shown above. Checked again this morning and it only ran for .2 hours which is 24 "feedings" of 30 seconds. So I think that programing is good to go. I will plug in the plank to it later today now that I have verified the programing is correct.

 

[AVAST Marine]

@wmb0003 thanks for posting this, I just made this a reference thread in our manual for P4 owners looking to program their Planks. We tested it here on our P4 and it works perfectly!

 

[BeanAnimal]

@wmb0003 thanks for posting this, I just made this a reference thread in our manual for P4 owners looking to program their Planks. We tested it here on our P4 and it works perfectly!

Now if only I could ever get my hands on a blemished one!

 

[BeanAnimal]

Let's revisit this...

The logic has some issues.

Let's make this simple.

Timer1 12pm to 4pm = 3 hour "window" for feeding.
Timer2 run for 10 minutes every 3 hours.

Do you get ONE 10 minute feeding or TWO ten minute feedings? Think about that before you answer!

Timer1 and Timer2 have nothing to do with each other. Timer1 creates a feeding window from 12pm to 4pm but when does Timer2 "start" at 00:00 or 00:23 or 3:00 or 5:37, etc... There is nothing syncing these timers so there could be 1 or 2 triggers in that 3 hour window and clearly with 24 hours in a day and odd interval settings, the feedings will wander between 1 and 2 per feeding window....

There has to be a better way (I have not tackled that yet)

Also - for the life if me I can't find anywhere that shows the actual state of each timer (short of using a switched lamp or digital output for each timer)... that is kind of insane unless I am missing something obvious @Gaël, @Vinny@GHLUSA?

 

[wmb0003]

I would think the AND operator would turn off the switch if both conditions were not met. For example if the 10min trigger started at 11:55am; the feeder would turn on at 12pm when both conditions were met. It would run for 5 min and then again at 2:55pm for 5 min(I assume you meant 12-3 for the 3 hour window; but if you meant 12-4; then it would go for the full 10 minutes.)

I’m not an expert at GHL programming but It is not really a concern for my programming above because an extra 30 second feeding a day is not a big deal to me. But if you have longer less frequent feedings(like your example), it might be worth investigating. Maybe some of the GHL experts can chime in.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I would think the AND operator would turn off the switch if both conditions were not met. For example if the 10min trigger started at 11:55am; the feeder would turn on at 12pm when both conditions were met. It would run for 5 min and then again at 2:55pm for 5 min(I assume you meant 12-3 for the 3 hour window; but if you meant 12-4; then it would go for the full 10 minutes.)

I’m not an expert at GHL programming but It is not really a concern for my programming above because an extra 30 second feeding a day is not a big deal to me. But if you have longer less frequent feedings(like your example), it might be worth investigating. Maybe some of the GHL experts can chime in.

Yes - it would turn off the switch, that is not the issue. The issue is that the timers are not synchronized, one is time based and the other cyclical, so where they overlap is arbitrary depending on when the cyclical timer "starts".

Window 10am to 9pm
Feeding cycle 20 seconds every 3 hours.
So a 11 hour window with a 3 hour pause. The fish may get fed anywhere from 10am to 1pm for the first time, then possibly 3 or 4 times after that depending on start time.

It gets more complicated if your cyclical timer interval is not a factor of 24...
Lets say
Feeding cycle 20 seconds every 3.6 hours... (3 hours 36 mins)
Let's say that the first interval hits at exactly at
10am, then 1:36pm, then 5:12pm then 8:48pm - so 4 feedings but the timer2 keep running and midnight passes
The timer2 fires next at 1:24am then 5:00am then 8:36am (no feedings because timer1 NOT open)
the next timer2 is at 12:12pm and the window is open then then 3:48pm, then 7:24pm so 3 feeding... then 11pm (window closed) etc.

Does that make sense?

 

[wmb0003]

Yes - it would turn off the switch, that is not the issue. The issue is that the timers are not synchronized, one is time based and the other cyclical, so where they overlap is arbitrary depending on when the cyclical timer "starts".

Window 10am to 9pm
Feeding cycle 20 seconds every 3 hours.
So a 11 hour window with a 3 hour pause. The fish may get fed anywhere from 10am to 1pm for the first time, then possibly 3 or 4 times after that depending on start time.

It gets more complicated if your cyclical timer interval is not a factor of 24...
Lets say
Feeding cycle 20 seconds every 3.6 hours... (3 hours 36 mins)
Let's say that the first interval hits at exactly at
10am, then 1:36pm, then 5:12pm then 8:48pm - so 4 feedings but the timer2 keep running and midnight passes
The timer2 fires next at 1:24am then 5:00am then 8:36am (no feedings because timer1 NOT open)
the next timer2 is at 12:12pm and the window is open then then 3:48pm, then 7:24pm so 3 feeding... then 11pm (window closed) etc.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, I’m following you.

I think this is only a concern with feeding cycles that are less frequent. If you are doing only a few feedings a day, I think the best practice is to manually set the feeding times; GHL allows for a maximum of 8 unique times. So if you are wanting to feed more than 8 times a day; you have to get creative and use the above logic to achieve it. I think it’s a good call out that due to the nature of the cyclical timer; you may be off by 1 feeding. But in my example of 24 “planned” feedings a day; I don’t really care if some days I get 23 and other days I get 25.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Yeah - just making sure people understand the actual logic…

as well I am somewhat dismayed that there appears to be nowhere to see timer states. I suppose I can use unmapped switch channels as indicators By tying them to the individual timers.

 

[Lasse]

Excuse a youngster, Why not use a virtual dosing function - in my example dose function 24. Put calibration to 60 ml/min. Answer to schedule

Schedule like this. use automatic dosing. 8 times a day (each 3 hour)

Use dose 24 AND your timer window in a PL and knit it to the socket for your feeder

Sincerely Lasse

 

[BeanAnimal]

Rather novel way to solve the problem @Lasse

Still requires math and has some oddities based on the dose trigger times being the 24.doses. But at least guarantees the start time and a fixed number of dosages in the window.

 

[KStatefan]

as well I am somewhat dismayed that there appears to be nowhere to see timer states. I suppose I can use unmapped switch channels as indicators By tying them to the individual timers.

That is what i did with PL when I was setting mine up to see what was the actual state when it did not work like I thought it should. It would be nice to be able to see that.

 

[BeanAnimal]

That is what i did with PL when I was setting mine up to see what was the actual state when it did not work like I thought it should. It would be nice to be able to see that.

Yeah I don't want to wander down a path here...
But the dashboard is in major need of complete overhaul. It is (hate to be so blunt) terrible.
ON/OFF states for switches could be much smaller and the option to just show the name, not the channel, or just a channel number and description, etc. I will start another thread...

I really wish that the data that feeds the dashboard was exposed. I would build my own in a heartbeat.

 

[AVAST Marine]

Yes - it would turn off the switch, that is not the issue. The issue is that the timers are not synchronized, one is time based and the other cyclical, so where they overlap is arbitrary depending on when the cyclical timer "starts".

Window 10am to 9pm
Feeding cycle 20 seconds every 3 hours.
So a 11 hour window with a 3 hour pause. The fish may get fed anywhere from 10am to 1pm for the first time, then possibly 3 or 4 times after that depending on start time.

It gets more complicated if your cyclical timer interval is not a factor of 24...
Lets say
Feeding cycle 20 seconds every 3.6 hours... (3 hours 36 mins)
Let's say that the first interval hits at exactly at
10am, then 1:36pm, then 5:12pm then 8:48pm - so 4 feedings but the timer2 keep running and midnight passes
The timer2 fires next at 1:24am then 5:00am then 8:36am (no feedings because timer1 NOT open)
the next timer2 is at 12:12pm and the window is open then then 3:48pm, then 7:24pm so 3 feeding... then 11pm (window closed) etc.

Does that make sense?

I think there are quite a few ways to program this but my preference would always be more smaller feedings per day since that is one of the major advantages of the Planks ability to deliver the microgram doses of food.

So if you have determined the correct amount of run time is 120 seconds per day, I would split this into 10 equal feedings per day. Cyclic timer on after 3588s, off after 12s. Then the hours timer 10a-9p.

 

[Dave-T]

For what it's worth - I programmed my planks similar to the way Lasse said above, with virtual dosing pumps. And I made the pumps controlled by a programmable logic, such that the pump comes on when the feeder is on, and turns off again after a delay. That way you don't have to deal with the programming of both the feeder and the pump, every time you want to make a change to the schedule.