Anyone with ACjr and Ka Reactor from Group buy please read.

[RichT]

I'm not at home to confirm the syntax, but mine is something like this:

OSC 5/355 on/off then MIX on
OSC 2/118 on/off then ATO off

What this does nicely in 2 lines:
At the beginning of every 6 hour cycle, the MIX happens for 5 minutes.
At the end of every 2 hour cycle, the ATO happens for 2 minutes. (provided the float switch is calling for water)
At the end of the 3rd 2 hour cycle, the ATO will happen, then the whole program will start over again with a 5 minute mix.
Working like a charm.

Visualization:

MIX | on 5 |_______________off 355________________|

ATO | 118 | on 2 | 118 | on 2 | 118 | on 2 | 118 | on 2 |

Should high PH ever become a problem for me (not likely), I intended to handle it with 2 solenoids and two additional program lines.

SOL1 will feed RODI to the Kalk Reactor
SOL2 will feed RODI directly to the sump.

I'm on the road so I'm not sure of the exact syntax but it will be something like this.

If ph>8.45 then SOL1 off
If SOL1 off then SOL2 on

I may have to slip in a MAX CHANGE command but I'm not sure yet.

Another important consideration for the pH control is that the top off water is dosed down stream of the ph probe. Otherwise, as soon you start topping off with the kalc the ph would quickly exceed 8.45 causing the solenoids to switch shutting off the kalk.

I have a ACIII so I'm not sure if these programs will work on the Jr.

HTH

 

[mikem]

Rich. I'm gonna try the other one first till I get used to understanding programing. I have a question for you tho.
On the next to last line, If pH is 8.50 then ATO off, should I change this to 8.50 then alarm on? I wouldn't want my top off to stop without me knowing it. Is this correct?

 

[malulu]

tagging along...

i don't have time to setup mine yet, (my pendining tasks: cati-ani, re-aqualscape, treat red-bug, chiller, ACjr...etc.)
thx

 

[RichT]

I haven't used alarms yet Mike so I'm not really sure what to recommend. Looks like it should be OK.

 

[pgordemer]

On the next to last line, If pH is 8.50 then ATO off, should I change this to 8.50 then alarm on? I wouldn't want my top off to stop without me knowing it. Is this correct?

If you don't already have the AC setup to send you emails, then the quick answer is to go to Radio shack and get a 110V buzzer/alarm ($10.00). Change the ALM from the dummy default to a real DC8/DC4 port, then have it sound the alarm. (I do that for a waterbug water on the floor alarm)

ALM#-A08

If TIME > 00:00 then ALM OFF
If Ph > 8.50 then ALM ON

 

[mikem]

Thganks Phil. I have my alarm hooked to a small light. When the light goes on, I check my AC.

 

[MikeNapoli]

I'm not at home to confirm the syntax, but mine is something like this:

OSC 5/355 on/off then MIX on
OSC 2/118 on/off then ATO off

What this does nicely in 2 lines:
At the beginning of every 6 hour cycle, the MIX happens for 5 minutes.
At the end of every 2 hour cycle, the ATO happens for 2 minutes. (provided the float switch is calling for water)
At the end of the 3rd 2 hour cycle, the ATO will happen, then the whole program will start over again with a 5 minute mix.
Working like a charm.

Visualization:

MIX | on 5 |_______________off 355________________|

ATO | 118 | on 2 | 118 | on 2 | 118 | on 2 | 118 | on 2 |

Should high PH ever become a problem for me (not likely), I intended to handle it with 2 solenoids and two additional program lines.

SOL1 will feed RODI to the Kalk Reactor
SOL2 will feed RODI directly to the sump.

I'm on the road so I'm not sure of the exact syntax but it will be something like this.

If ph>8.45 then SOL1 off
If SOL1 off then SOL2 on

I may have to slip in a MAX CHANGE command but I'm not sure yet.

Another important consideration for the pH control is that the top off water is dosed down stream of the ph probe. Otherwise, as soon you start topping off with the kalc the ph would quickly exceed 8.45 causing the solenoids to switch shutting off the kalk.

I have a ACIII so I'm not sure if these programs will work on the Jr.

HTH

Rich, this is Advanced AC 101. We're not in that class yet.

 

[reneeRN]

Mike,
I don't understand why you are going thru all of this trouble. Why not just use the OSCILLATE mode.
Here's mine.

OSC 10/50 ON/OFF Then KAL ON
OSC 50/10 ON/OFF Then ATO OFF
This alternates KALK pump mixing 10 Min, and ATO lifter pumps pumping 50 minutes. Since 3 inches or more of the KALk top section of the chamber is always clear water, if it pumps during the 10 minute mixing, you still wont get milky Kalk.

If Switch1 OPEN Then ATO ON
If Switch1 Closed Then ATO OFF
If pH > 8.30 Then ATO OFF
If Cond < 53.0 Then ATO OFF
Max Change 010 M Then ATO OFF
Switch1 tells me the state of my auto topoff switch in the sump. If the sump is low, ATO on. THen I have my failsafes so that I dont keep pumping, ph and conductivity. Then max change gives it a 10 min rest period so that it doesn't keep cycling every milisecond.

If Time > 01:00 Then ALM^ OFF
If Cond > 55.0 Then ALM^ ON
If Cond < 50.0 Then ALM^ ON
If pH > 8.50 Then ALM^ ON
If pH < 7.90 Then ALM^ ON
Then I have my little piezo buzzer alarms to warn me when something is amiss. The first statement is a jumpstart for alarm mode.


So here it is.....WHALAH (I am missing my signs, but I am at work right now)

OSC 10/50 ON/OFF Then KAL ON
OSC 50/10 ON/OFF Then ATO OFF
If Switch1 OPEN Then ATO ON
If Switch1 Closed Then ATO OFF
If pH > 8.30 Then ATO OFF
If Cond < 53.0 Then ATO OFF
Max Change 010 M Then ATO OFF
If Time > 01:00 Then ALM OFF
If Cond > 55.0 Then ALM ON
If Cond < 50.0 Then ALM ON
If pH > 8.50 Then ALM ON
If pH < 7.90 Then ALM ON



Renee

 

[Phyl]

Renee, our kalk reactor doesn't stay clear all the way to the top. It actually clouds all the way up. And the kalk is pretty thick all over. Hmm. Wonder why.

 

[MikeNapoli]

Mike,
I don't understand why you are going thru all of this trouble. Why not just use the OSCILLATE mode.
Renee

Not really trouble. It only took me 10minutes. To be honest I really don't know how to use the Oscillate function. This way I know exactly what time my ATO and KAL are supposed to run. I checked it everytime yesterday and now I know that it will always be on at those times.

 

[ricwilli]

I just got a headache from reading this thread. Can someone please explain why are there two Aqua Lifter pumps in the diagram?

 

[Phyl]

In OUR system, the feed for the water is a hose at the bottom of a 55g barrel of water sitting on the floor. The Kalk reactor is level with the top third of that barrel.

When prepare to do a water change we empty alllll of the water from the RO 55 and put that into our salt 55. With the RO 55 nearly empty, the Aqualifter is not able to pull the water from the bottom of the barrel. We found that we needed to have 2 in sequence to be able to pull from the empty 55.

YMMV.

;D

 

[stcreef]

Concerning the drawing:

You dont need the solenoid valve if the kalk reactor is higher than the ro/di resevoir water level, you have airline check valves before and after the aqualifter pumps, and the discharge line of kalk reactor is not submerged in the sump water.

I just hate solenoid valves. They WILL fail.

 

[Phyl]

The Kalk outlet is recommended to be submerged. Having something to do with the Kalk water being exposed to air prior to entering your tank. Oxydizing, blah blah blah you're the chemi-guru, you tell me?! LOL! Clogs the hose? As a result we have the end of our Kalk hose in the sump, the other end in the 55g barrel (which is about 2.5' taller than our sump level). We would have siphon in one direction or the other without the solonoid valve in place, with our setup.

 

[stcreef]

No dont submerge it. I have always left mine about 2 inches above the water level and let it drip into a high flow area. The amount of time its in the air is in significant at that point.

 

[ricwilli]

Thanks Phyl... Whats YMMV

 

[Phyl]

Your Milage May Vary. ;D

 

[jimroth]

Concerning the drawing:

You dont need the solenoid valve if the kalk reactor is higher than the ro/di resevoir water level, you have airline check valves before and after the aqualifter pumps, and the discharge line of kalk reactor is not submerged in the sump water.

I just hate solenoid valves. They WILL fail.

I don't quite get this -- you trust airline check valves but not solenoids? Please explain what you're doing with the check valves.

BTW, I feel the same way as you about the solenoids. I don't want to accidentally add 50G of water to my system. I bought 2 solenoids and I'm putting one before and one after the reactor. The trick (?) is how to tell if one has failed.

 

[stcreef]

If they put the check valves on either side, it will prevent back siphon, will also allow pump to not work as hard since the aqualifters work on a pulse. I had to do this for my kalk setup. Took me a while to figure out why I couldnt get enough suction til I took the pump apart and realized its a type of bellows pump.

As far as telling if the solenoids failed, the best you can do is put lights across the power leads to tell if they are energized or not. For a normally closed solenoid, if you see the light and no flow, it failed or if you see no light and you do see flow, it failed.

 

[jimroth]

As far as telling if the solenoids failed, the best you can do is put lights across the power leads to tell if they are energized or not. For a normally closed solenoid, if you see the light and no flow, it failed or if you see no light and you do see flow, it failed.

I want to put a flashing light on top of my reactor like the "Hot Wax Being Applied" light in the car wash!