Salinity Probe not recognized

Expansion modules and attachments
Post Reply
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

I hooked up my expansion hub and my salinity probe that I just got.
The Salinity probe is not being seen by the portal, the Andriod app or the RA Client.

The expansion hub and Salinity Expansion unit both have green lights on them and the expansion hub seems to be working properly because my water level expansion unit is working fine.

The head unit did see the probe when I did the calibration and calibrated it fine, but when I restored my working code and put the salinity probe in the sump it doesn't see it.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
User avatar
lnevo
Posts: 5430
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 9:42 am

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by lnevo »

If you went back to your old code, make sure you include the Salinity.h, sot sure if anything else needs to be referenced.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Yes the Salinity.h is in the code I've been using.

I had to go back to it, when I had the Salinity code running, nothing worked.
The lights were off, the pumps shut down.
All that was working was the RA head unit and it's devices, anything controlled by the RA was off.

Thanks
Last edited by Sacohen on Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

Make sure your code has the salinity being displayed in your custom main screen.
If you don't care, you can simply use this:

Code: Select all

//ReefAngel.Params.Salinity
That is the keyword that triggers the Salinity feature.
Roberto.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Ok. The manual doesn't say you need a secret keyword. :)

I don't have a custom menu.
Where exactly should I put it?
I use the standard menu and regular screen.
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

You don't need a secret keyword. :roll:
The wizard would put that in the code for you, but since you already have your code made, you have to add it yourself :)
It's not custom menu... It's custom main screen.
The code above is just a comment, so it can be placed anywhere really. It won't contribute with nothing in your code. It just enables the feature.
If you want visual readings in your screen, you can use something like this in your main screen:

Code: Select all

  char text[10];
  ConvertNumToString(text, ReefAngel.Params.Salinity, 10);
  strcat(text,"  ");
  ReefAngel.LCD.DrawText(DefaultFGColor,DefaultBGColor,15,93,"Salinity:");
  ReefAngel.LCD.DrawText(DefaultFGColor,DefaultBGColor,75,93,text);
Roberto.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Thanks the first code you gave me did it.

I was thinking that it was just a comment while I was out walking the dog and was going to try it when I got back, but I saw your post.

Thanks.

On a side note if I want to disable my ATO if the salinity is below 35 what would the code be?
The ATO Is on Port8 and is controlled by the water Level expansion.
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

Try this:

Code: Select all

if (ReefAngel.Params.Salinity<350) ReefAngel.Relay.Off(Port8);
Place it after your ATO code.
Roberto.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Thanks. I placed it in the code.
No way to test it unless I deliberately drop the salinity to below 35 and lower my water level to below 32.

I'm going to do a water change this weekend, so I may try it then.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Well I the code has been tested and it works.

Unfortunately the test was not the way I wanted to do it, which was controlled.
Apparently somewhere around 1 and 5:45 this morning (according to the chart on the RA Client and the Portal) the Salinity probe started reporting the wrong salinity.
It dropped from 35.7 to 6 ppt.

I commented out the code from above and the ATO kicked in and brought the water level back up to where it should be.

While typing this the portal started reporting the correct ppt of 35.4 now.

Thanks
rossbryant1956
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:08 pm
Location: Montgomery Village, MD

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rossbryant1956 »

RA reports 6 ppt when it cannot see the probe. Mine is disconnected right now during my re-wire and the portal says 6 ppt.
Roscoe's Reefs - Starting Over Again:

Building new 29g Nano after landlord went berserk over my 4 75 gallon tanks, Multiple RA's, Water mixing stations, etc. Your help welcomed in remembering all I've forgotten.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Fine, but my point is that I wasn't doing a re-wire or anything.
There was no reason for the probe to not be seen.
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

The minimum value of the salinity module can measure is 6ppt. That's why you get 6 showing up.
Anything lower than that will require a different probe, but we are really not interested in less than 6 ppt anyway.
Not sure what was going on, but this will let the pump go on when it finds 6ppt:

Code: Select all

if (ReefAngel.Params.Salinity<350 && ReefAngel.Params.Salinity>60) ReefAngel.Relay.Off(Port8);
Roberto.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

Right now I have the code commented out and I'm going to keep an eye on things for a bit and see if and when it happens.

At first I thought it maybe happening when my de-nitrification unit sumps water back in the sump at 1, 7, 1 and 7, but I don't think so because it happened at 1 and 5:45 and did not happen again at 1pm. There was a slight dip at 1pm of about .2 ppt, but that's nothing.
User avatar
Sacohen
Posts: 1833
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:25 am
Location: Davie, FL

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Sacohen »

This issue of dropping to 6ppt or not being recognized has stopped, but now I'm having spikes of 36 ppt a couple of times a day.

It usually reads 34.5-34.7 ppt, but I've noticed jumps up to 36 ppt several times during the day and these are very brief time.

This is from 1:30 am to 7:45 am today.

Image
Diverjoe
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 7:19 am

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Diverjoe »

rimai wrote:The minimum value of the salinity module can measure is 6ppt. That's why you get 6 showing up.
Anything lower than that will require a different probe, but we are really not interested in less than 6 ppt anyway.
Not sure what was going on, but this will let the pump go on when it finds 6ppt:

Code: Select all

if (ReefAngel.Params.Salinity<350 && ReefAngel.Params.Salinity>60) ReefAngel.Relay.Off(Port8);

I had asked earlier about doing EC monitoring for my freshwater tank. You had replied that the Salinity was simply an EC monitor. I looked at the code and the formulas didn't appear too cumbersome to "undo" any Salinity calcs so I got one. It is all hooked up and shows up on the portal. But, the only way i get anything but 6ppt is to dip it into my fertilizer bottle and there I get 52. When i do a straight Salinity.read - which is where it looks like the raw reading from the expansion occurs i get a 60 back on the serial.print stmt in serial monitor - which is based on other similiar readings is to be taken as 6.0 ppt. Ok, so what I am wanting from it is just the raw microSiemens reading from the probe. Do either of the two jumpers on the board alter the output in any way? Where could i get a different probe if that is what is needed.
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

just google for the equation to convert ppt to microSiemens.
Roberto.
Diverjoe
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 7:19 am

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Diverjoe »

Can you tell me what JP1 and JP2 are for? Right now they are both completely open. 6ppt is not low enough for anything in freshwater. The readings that are important are around 5-200 ppm (~0-400 uS)

Thanks for being patient with me as I muddle through this!
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

They are test points where you can connect an oscilloscope to troubleshoot the circuit.
Roberto.
Diverjoe
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 7:19 am

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Diverjoe »

Is the expansion hard coded to not return below 6ppt? The probe is a K=1 rated and goes down to 5uS. (7 ppm). That is the middle ranges probe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

I haven't tried with K=1.
Do you have one to try?
Roberto.
Diverjoe
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 7:19 am

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by Diverjoe »

the probe is a k=.99 which is the same. The higher the number the less accurate. K=.1 is good down to .5 uS, 1 down to 5uS and 10 is good for 10uS
dedvalson
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:49 am

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by dedvalson »

From my understanding a probe of K=1 is not really suitable for saltwater readings. I believe that generally probes for saltwater have a K of 2 or greater with 10 being very common.

Am I misunderstanding something here? What is the K of the probe shipped with the RA?
rimai
Posts: 12881
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Re: Salinity Probe not recognized

Post by rimai »

It uses K=1, but we never saw any problems with reading values.
Roberto.
Post Reply