PWM dimming from the joystick on Head Unit?

[TanksNStuff]

Been thinking a lot about how I'm going to setup my RA when I get it (it's due to be delivered today! )

Someone asked me if I would be able to adjust intensity of my LED's just by using the joystick on the Head Unit. I honestly didn't know, so I'm here to ask if this is possible?

Let me try to ask this as simply as possible. To do that, I'll break it down into 2 questions:

1. Can I override the current lighting schedule and manually select the intensity of my LED channels from choosing menu options with the joystick? (IE, can I goto main menu -> Select Daylight -> Turn knob to pick from 0% to 100% ?) If so, will it remain at this manual setting until I change it back, or will it switch back to automatic settings at the next lighting period cycle?

2. Is it possible to change the Daylight (or Actinic) channel schedule directly from the joystick, or will I need to re-upload new settings to the Head Unit from one of the software programs (RA Gen, RA Status, or RA Client?) every time I want to change time period and/or intensity settings.

The reason I'm curious is because I plan to acclimate my system to my new LEDs, and therefore will be changing the lighting schedule quite often for a few weeks. From what I understand (from the person who asked me if I could do this), I would need to recalibrate the pH probe everytime I upload new code... is that true? If so, I would just not use the pH probe until after my lighting acclimation period is over.

Sorry if these seem like a simple questions, but since I don't even have my controller in hand to see what it can do, all I can do is ask others. Thanks in advance.
George

[rimai]

Although you can do something similar, a much better choice is to use the Client software.
You could change the value of the top of the slope though the client.
This way, you can easily change back and forth whatever % you want.
That's what I do, except I use the Android app to change my %, but that would also require the wifi.
Same thing for the light schedule. You can use the Client or smart phone app.
pH calibration is stored in the memory by default and is a non-volatile type of memory that does not get erased. So, once calibrated, you don't need to do it everytime you upload codes. You can also change calibration values through the Client or smart phone app.

[TanksNStuff]

Thanks Roberto. I do have an android phone and the wifi attachment, so I'll just do it through that when I need to adjust the timing/intensity. Actually, I think that's even better than doing it on the head unit because I can do it from anywhere.

The even better news you gave me was that I won't have to calibrate the pH probe every time. That was the main concern I had.

The wife just let me know my RA package arrived at home so I'm hoping the next few hours fly by!

[Mike S]

LOL I did some searching last night on this issue and found this thread. I didn't realize that it was you posting it George until this morning. Now that I look I see all the options in the Android app to change different settings. Never realized they were there.

Roberto, we will still need to manually go in and add the slope function to our code right? I don't see a way to do this using RAGen

George and I are both going to be using Apollo LEDs. I thought I read somewhere that if we are going to use the relay to turn the lights on and off that we should only plug one cord into a relay. In other words don't put two on a power strip and plug the power strip into a relay. It sounds like the drivers draw a lot of current for a microsecond when the fire up? If that is the case I may end up need an extra relay box. Does a second relay box give me two more PWM channels to work with?

I'm the one who led George astray with the pH calibration. Does loading the internal memory wipe out the calibration? I could have sworn that I notice a pH jump right after I uploaded something to the controller and assumed that it needed to be recalibrated.

[rimai]

Hey Mike,
Yes, you still need to add the PWMSlope() manually.
RAGen does not have that function yet.
Correct on the inrush current. It's very high for microseconds when they initiallt fire up.
The relay expansion module does not give you another 2 ports. They get disabled when the box is used as an expansion box.
Reloading internal memory can overwrite pH calibration, but not your regular PDE code.
When you are generating the internal memory file, there is an option to include the pH Max/Min and this would overwrite any calibration you've done.

[Mike S]

Thanks Roberto,

Does this look like the correct code to slope up the actinics from 1000 to 1100 and then down from 2100 to 2200 with the daylights ramping up from 1030 to 1130 and down from 2030 to 2130? I want to start with the lights maxing out at 50% and then I'll adjust it from there as I acclimate my coral to the light. Will these functions allow me to use the android app to change the start times and the slope start and end points?

Thanks,

Mike


// Have PWM on from 1000 to 2200, with gradual 60 minute ramp up and down
//starting at the given times
// From 1000 to 1100, the actinic PWM will slowly ramp from 0% to 50%
// From 2100 to 2200, the actinic PWM will slowly ramp from 50% to 0%
// From 1030 to 1130, the daylight PWM will slowly ramp from 0% to 50%
// From 2030 to 2130, the daylight PWM will slowly ramp from 50% to 0%
ReefAngel.PWM.SetActinic(PWMSlope(10,0,22,0,0,50,60,ReefAngel.PWM.GetActinicValue()));
ReefAngel.PWM.SetDaylight(PWMSlope(10,30,21,30,0,50,60,ReefAngel.PWM.GetDaylightValue()));

[rimai]

Yes, you got the idea of the function.
Now, let's use memory values, so you can set them through the app.

Code: Select all

    ReefAngel.PWM.SetDaylight(PWMSlope(InternalMemory.StdLightsOnHour_read(),InternalMemory.StdLightsOnMinute_read(),InternalMemory.StdLightsOffHour_read(),InternalMemory.StdLightsOffMinute_read(),15,InternalMemory.LEDPWMDaylight_read(),60,0));
    ReefAngel.PWM.SetActinic(PWMSlope(InternalMemory.StdLightsOnHour_read(),InternalMemory.StdLightsOnMinute_read(),InternalMemory.StdLightsOffHour_read(),InternalMemory.StdLightsOffMinute_read(),15,InternalMemory.LEDPWMActinic_read(),60,0));

This will pickup lighting schedule from your standard light and max value from Daylight PWM and Actinic PWM value.
Let me know if that works.

[Mike S]

Thanks Roberto,

This will simply replace the code that I listed above not in addition to correct? Its simply going to pull the info from the internal memory file correct until I change it using the android app or client?

I see on the second line of code for the actinics it references the stdlights on and off times? Shouldn't that be something like this:

Code: Select all

ReefAngel.PWM.SetActinic(PWMSlope(InternalMemory.ActinicLightsOnHour_read(),InternalMemory.ActinicLightsOnMinute_read(),InternalMemory.ActinicLightsOffHour_read(),InternalMemory.ActinicLightsOffMinute_read(),15,InternalMemory.LEDPWMActinic_read(),60,0));

The 15 is just setting the lower threshold for when it kicks on so that it doesn't flicker right?

Mike

[rimai]

yes, replace.
It uses the standardlights schedule to know the start and end time of the slope.
15 is the start so it doesn't flicker, correct.

[Mike S]

Now I'm a little bit confused. If I was setting it up so my actinics came on first and then 30 minutes later the daylight channel came on, wouldn't I need to set up to different schedules for it? I think the way I have it set up is that the white leds are on the MH realys and the blue on the actinics. I don't have it in front of me for the moment so I can't confirm this. Maybe I just confusing the relay schedule and the PWM schedule. I'll need to look at it tonight when I get home.

[rimai]

Yes, you are getting confused.
You have the whites on MHLights() and blues on StandarLights()