AquaController Guru's: Timer Uknown?

[grendel]

My heater is showing unknown in my AC3Pro's status display: HET AUTO UNK

MH1$-M09
ACT$-M02
CO2%-C01
HET%-K13
PM1#-E03
PM2#-E04
FUG$-O04
ALM&-B01
MON$-A01

If Temp < 77.5 Then HET ON
If Temp > 79.0 Then HET OFF
Max Change 010 M Then HET OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then ALM OFF
If Moon 000/000 Then MON ON
If Time > 11:00 Then ACT ON
If Time > 12:00 Then MH1 ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then MH1 OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then ACT OFF
If Time > 21:00 Then MH1 OFF
If Time > 21:00 Then FUG ON
If Time > 22:00 Then ACT OFF
If Time > 11:30 Then FUG OFF
If pH > 08.10 Then CO2 ON
If pH < 08.10 Then CO2 OFF
Max Change 010 M Then CO2 OFF
If Timer MH1 = ON Then PM1 PF1
If Timer MH1 = OFF Then PM1 PF2
If Timer MH1 = ON Then PM2 PF3
If Timer MH1 = OFF Then PM2 PF4
Pmp MODE sD for PF1
Pmp Int 030/100 for PF1
Pmp OSC 12/12/00 for PF1
Pmp MODE sD for PF2
Pmp Int 030/050 for PF2
Pmp OSC 20/20/00 for PF2
Pmp MODE SD for PF3
Pmp Int 030/100 for PF3
Pmp OSC 00/12/12 for PF3
Pmp MODE SD for PF4
Pmp Int 030/050 for PF4
Pmp OSC 00/20/20 for PF4
If Temp < 76.0 Then ALM ON
If Temp > 83.0 Then ALM ON
If pH < 08.00 Then ALM ON
If pH > 08.70 Then ALM ON

What would be causing it?

[cobra1858]

If the controller is powered off then turned on, or the program is change / updated with the temp between 77.5 and 79.0 the AC will show UNK until the temp goes above or bellow that range. All it means is the controller doesn't know if the heat is on or off until it sends a command for on or off when either condition becomes true.

[grendel]

If the controller is powered off then turned on, or the program is change / updated with the temp between 77.5 and 79.0 the AC will show UNK until the temp goes above or bellow that range. All it means is the controller doesn't know if the heat is on or off until it sends a command for on or off when either condition becomes true.

Strange, neither of those situations happened?

[rtc_reefer]

Put the following line at the top of your code:

If TIME > 00:00 Then HET OFF

remove:
If Temp > 79.0 Then HET OFF

The code you have will make your temp swings pretty radical.

You may wish to use the season heating programming available.

[JayM]

Put the following line at the top of your code:

If TIME > 00:00 Then HET OFF

remove:
If Temp > 79.0 Then HET OFF

The code you have will make your temp swings pretty radical.

You may wish to use the season heating programming available.

I haven't gotten to program my ACIII yet, but can you explain why the logic of that code is wrong, and would cause rad temp swings?

[cobra1858]

I wouldn’t recommend using those commands because I see 1 of 2 things happening. The Temp goes bellow 77.5 and the heaters turn on and never turn off because there is no command for them to go off. The other possibility is the heater will turn on at 77.4 then off at 77.6 and continually do this.

The only time I used the If TIME > 00:00 command is for my return pump to guarantee if there is a power failure the controller will turn the pump on when power is restored.

There are possibly other reasons than what I posted before that controller will show UNK. The UNK is not a failure or issue it just means the controller doesn’t know if the device is on or until the next time a command is sent.

These are the commands I use for the heaters which are about the same as yours and I have never had an issue with them.

HT1 is 2 500W heaters
HT2 is 1 800W heater

If Temp < 78.2 Then HT1 ON
If Temp > 78.6 Then HT1 OFF
If Temp < 78.3 Then HT2 ON
If Temp > 78.6 Then HT2 OFF

[grendel]

Put the following line at the top of your code:

If TIME > 00:00 Then HET OFF

remove:
If Temp > 79.0 Then HET OFF

The code you have will make your temp swings pretty radical.

You may wish to use the season heating programming available.

Hmn, what is the seasonal program? I am interested in that...

Having a time based heat timer scares the shinola out of me.

"Max Change 010 M Then HET OFF" keeps the temp swings and heater over activity at bay.

[maurod]

The easy way to fix the Unknown status is to manually set the device to on or off, then Auto.

[cobra1858]

The easy way to fix the Unknown status is to manually set the device to on or off, then Auto.

I done that on my AC3 but when I set it back to Auto the state is still UNK. They may have changed this on newer controllers or with a firmware update.

[grendel]

That is correct. Mine will go back to unknown. I'll ask CLP.

[rtc_reefer]

Hmn, what is the seasonal program? I am interested in that...

Having a time based heat timer scares the shinola out of me.

"Max Change 010 M Then HET OFF" keeps the temp swings and heater over activity at bay.

The season uses the season table on the Web menu... used the RT commands:

If Temp < RT+-0.4 Then HET ON
If Temp > RT+0.0 Then HET OFF
If Temp < RT+-1.4 Then HT2 ON
If Temp > RT+-1.0 Then HT2 OFF
If Temp > RT+2.6 Then FAN ON
If Temp < RT+1.5 Then FAN OFF

[grendel]

The season uses the season table on the Web menu... used the RT commands:

If Temp < RT+-0.4 Then HET ON
If Temp > RT+0.0 Then HET OFF
If Temp < RT+-1.4 Then HT2 ON
If Temp > RT+-1.0 Then HT2 OFF
If Temp > RT+2.6 Then FAN ON
If Temp < RT+1.5 Then FAN OFF

Anyone want to decipher that?

RT?

One last annoying question, how do I engage the feed timers?

Syntax?

[Cheetos]

RT is the season temp. To initiate the feed cycle go to manual control-feed or press the down button while in run mode. If you need the user manual you can find it here...http://www.neptunesys.com/AquaController3_3.20_web.pdf

[grendel]

found it online:
If Time > 00:00 Then PMP ON
If FeedA 000 Then PMP OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then PM1 ON
If FeedA 000 Then PM1 OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then PM2 ON
If FeedA 000 Then PM2 OFF

Manual is about useless to me.

[rtc_reefer]

I have found the manual quite useless also.

However, I believe that the Pro may have more language statements available.

I have an Eheim Feeder that is set to feed once per day at 12:00 Noon. I have my return pump on the DC-8 and have it turn off 5 minutes before 12:00 and then back on at 12:10. This allows the food to stay in the main instead of getting sucked down the overflows. Since my tank is fully automated, I do not use the "FEED" cycle unless I am feeding Mysis shrimp in the evening and only do that twice a week if that.

[grendel]

I have found the manual quite useless also.

However, I believe that the Pro may have more language statements available.

I have an Eheim Feeder that is set to feed once per day at 12:00 Noon. I have my return pump on the DC-8 and have it turn off 5 minutes before 12:00 and then back on at 12:10. This allows the food to stay in the main instead of getting sucked down the overflows. Since my tank is fully automated, I do not use the "FEED" cycle unless I am feeding Mysis shrimp in the evening and only do that twice a week if that.

That's my plan as well. Also, it allowed me to monitor my main pump, which did not have a statement in the program for it previously.

The Pro has considerably more language statements, as I start to google this thing.

[Cheetos]

found it online:
If Time > 00:00 Then PMP ON
If FeedA 000 Then PMP OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then PM1 ON
If FeedA 000 Then PM1 OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then PM2 ON
If FeedA 000 Then PM2 OFF

Manual is about useless to me.

Actually all that is in the manual! :D