help with ATO

[Joshua Mummery]

these sensors suck butt...... no matter how much I clean them or soak them they always show open when they shouldn't be.

my question is i have a break out box with float switches, how do i write a code in apex to turn on the ato pump when said float switch opens up?

 

[SuncrestReef]

Are the problematic sensors you're describing the Neptune optical sensors from the ATK? If so, see my troubleshooting tutorial here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptu...torials-part-3-automatic-top-off-kit-atk.692/

If you decide to scrap them and go with float switches, you can use the exact same code from the ATK, but just change the name of the sensors monitored by the code to be the names of your float switches. For example:

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Flt_LO OPEN Then ON
If Flt_HI CLOSED Then OFF
When On > 005:00 Then OFF
Defer 000:10 Then ON
Defer 000:04 Then OFF
Min Time 060:00 Then OFF


(Flt_LO is the lower float switch)
(Flt_HI is the higher float switch)

 

[Joshua Mummery]

yes they are the version 1 atk optical sensors

 

[SuncrestReef]

yes they are the version 1 atk optical sensors

If you're willing to take a few minutes to troubleshoot using my instructions, you may get things working. Dozens of people have contacted me saying my troubleshooting guide solved their ATK problems.

 

[Joshua Mummery]

so my question is how does the fmm know how to turn on when said float switch from break out box turns on?

 

[SuncrestReef]

so my question is how does the fmm know how to turn on when said float switch from break out box turns on?

The float switches each have a name. You just modify the code on your ATK output to use the name of the float switches instead of the optical switches.

 

[Joshua Mummery]

The float switches each have a name. You just modify the code on your ATK output to use the name of the float switches instead of the optical switches.

sorry very new to the break out box coding... so sw1 - 6 would be the breakout box names?

 

[SuncrestReef]

sorry very new to the break out box coding... so sw1 - 6 would be the breakout box names?

Yes, those are the inputs connected to the breakout box. Once you attach your float sensors to the BoB, I'd recommend you go into the list of Inputs (click the Apex menu, then click Inputs) and rename them to something meaningful. In my example post above, I named them Flt_Lo and Flt_Hi. The names can only be up to 6 characters long for an Input, so you have to get creative with abbreviations. But this will make troubleshooting and reading your code much easier than trying to remember what "Sw1" refers to.

 

[Joshua Mummery]

Got it all squared away... the longest part of this adventure was realizing the magnets I jerry rigged interfered with the float switches. Definitely need to find a better solution to secure them but till then this works just fine

Thank you