David, I'm just leaving work. I'll be home in about an hour and have some more time to read your last 2 posts and comment on them when I get home.
Check back later tonight.
Check back later tonight.
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Reef Angel Controller
- Thread starter malulu
- Start date
Sorry David. My wife's friend unexpectedly (to me) stopped over for dinner last night and hung out for a while so I didn't get a chance to respond. My comments/questions are in purple. Have to break it into 2 parts due to post size limits. 
my tank is pretty much fully automated... First off, when you say "monitoring", I think you may be misunderstanding this ability of the RA. The RA only tells you if the relay box outlets are energized (ON) or de-energized (OFF).
What the RA does NOT do is determine whether something plugged into the relay box is actually working or not. It only knows if that ac outlet has power. So, if your return pump fails for whatever reason, the RA only knows that the plug is getting power and assumes it's on. It won't know that it stopped working.
That should answer a bunch of your items below in general. I'll give some more details/questions on each one though.
- LitterMeter III for auto water change
Do you have your LM3 setup to constantly change out your water at a slow rate (always on) or do you have it set to quickly remove/replace a certain amount of tank water or for a certain amount of time? Depending on your replies, I'll have some more detailed answers to give you later.
But, you can plug the LM3 into a relay box and then have complete control over when it turns on/off. You can have the RA set to turn that ac plug on/off at specific times or for specific durations... or you can manually turn it on/off from the phone whenever you want. The only other option is to leave it on full time and let the LM3 main unit control the schedule as you do now... but if that's the case there's no sense in using up a relay box outlet unless you want to be able to manually turn it off with the phone.
More info in the Sump Light section below.
- ATO
You can use one or both (for hi and low level monitoring) of the float switches that come with the RA to replace this setup if you want. The head unit has 2 ports to connect their float switches to, and by default one of the relay box outlets is set to work as an ATO system based on the signals of these switches.
- Kalk Reactor
I'd need to know your schedule for running this to give more info, but you can monitor/control the on/off status if you plug this into a relay box AC outlet.
You could also set this outlet to go ON/OFF at specific times or a specific duration also, or manually whenever you want via the portal or phone app.
- Sump Light
I have mine plugged into a relay box outlet which has it operate opposite of my actinic LED lights schedule. When my blue LEDs go off, my fuge light goes on, then it turns off just as the blue LEDs come on in the morning. Also, I can manually turn it on during the day with the phone app. Very useful when I need to do a spot check of my sump.
Also, this next part isn't specifically for the fuge light, but it's involved so I thought I'd mention it. When I use the phone app or the head unit to put the controller into "Water Change Mode" the RA will turn my fuge light ON (so I can see what I'm doing); and then shut off my return pump, skimmer, peller reactor, heater (its in the sump section that I pump out of for water changes and don't want that to run "dry"). All this happens with the push of one button on my phone! When I'm done with the water change, I "Exit Mode" and all relay outlet boxes go back to their previous state.
If you wanted, you could specify the outlet that your LM3 was plugged into as a "Water Change Mode" outlet, and entering that mode via the head unit or the phone app will power up your LM3 to do your water change. I'll explain this stuff in more detail on Saturday if you want.
- SKIMMER
I have a similar setup as you, minus the auto cleaner and I have a pressure switch in my skimmate collector bucket instead of a float switch... but same concept. My skimmer is plugged into the pressure switch controlled outlet... which is plugged into an RA relay box outlet. The RA controlls when the skimmer is running (always on, except during water changes or when I turn it off for cleaning/maintenance) but the pressure switch controller will cut power if the collector container gets too full (preventing a flood).
I think you could do a similar setup and be very happy with it. You might even be able to use one of the built-in float switch ports to do this automatically (but that would limit you to only 1 for ATO control). I'd suggest just plugging your existing float-controlled skimmer plug into a relay box outlet like I did.
As for "monitoring", like everything else, all you can do is know/control when the relay box outlet is on/off. If the float switch shuts off the skimmer then you won't know it... unless maybe you can use the ATO function for this, which can send you a text message or email on a "HI level" alert. I'm really not sure if you can have 2 independant "ATO" settings though, so you may have to use it for this or the ATO, but not both. I'd have to ask on the forums about this if interested.
- RETURN PUMP
I agree with you here that it should be always on. But, if you plug it into a relay box outlet, you can include it in "Water Change Mode" and/or "Feeding Mode" where you can temporarily turn it off during those modes (which run either manually or automatically set at specific times/durations.)
- 3 RedSand LEDs fixture
Would need to know the power draw on each of these fixtures (per plug) but it's generally recommended to have only 1 plug controlled per outlet (ie, no piggy back with a multi-prong adapter) since that may wear out the outlet too fast by drawing too much power. I ended up buying a separate relay outlet box for my LED's because I have 6 plugs over 2 fixtures also. If you want to eliminate the 2 timers you have, you'll have to do this too... and then you can use the RA head unit to set the timer functions... but also have the option to manually turn them off remotely if you want. At the moment, you can only do this via the web portal because the phone app only allows you to control the main relay box, but the next version of the phone app will include the ability to control additional relay box outlets. By the time you end up buying yours and setting it up, it will probably be an available option.
- TWO 5' T5 fixture
Pretty much same response as the LED's. Assuming you have 1 plug for each T5 fixture and 3 each for white/blue LED's... that's 8 plugs total and would take up an entire additional relay box.
- MOON light
This throws a wrench into things. You could either just keep this separate as is and not have to worry abot buying another relay box. Or, you can buy one of RA's dimmable moonlights for $20 extra. It plugs directly into one of the 2 PWM signal ports on the main relay box and requires no additional power plug. You could then use the RA to control the timing and intensity of your moonlights! With your 210, you may need 2 of these to cover the whole tank, but you can have 2 easily since there are 2 PWM ports. I'd suggest ordering 1 first though because it may be enough to cover the whole tank. Either that, or ask around on their forums for info from people who bought them. I didn't since my LED's came with moonlights.
my tank is pretty much fully automated... First off, when you say "monitoring", I think you may be misunderstanding this ability of the RA. The RA only tells you if the relay box outlets are energized (ON) or de-energized (OFF).
What the RA does NOT do is determine whether something plugged into the relay box is actually working or not. It only knows if that ac outlet has power. So, if your return pump fails for whatever reason, the RA only knows that the plug is getting power and assumes it's on. It won't know that it stopped working.
That should answer a bunch of your items below in general. I'll give some more details/questions on each one though.
- LitterMeter III for auto water change
Do you have your LM3 setup to constantly change out your water at a slow rate (always on) or do you have it set to quickly remove/replace a certain amount of tank water or for a certain amount of time? Depending on your replies, I'll have some more detailed answers to give you later.
But, you can plug the LM3 into a relay box and then have complete control over when it turns on/off. You can have the RA set to turn that ac plug on/off at specific times or for specific durations... or you can manually turn it on/off from the phone whenever you want. The only other option is to leave it on full time and let the LM3 main unit control the schedule as you do now... but if that's the case there's no sense in using up a relay box outlet unless you want to be able to manually turn it off with the phone.
More info in the Sump Light section below.
- ATO
You can use one or both (for hi and low level monitoring) of the float switches that come with the RA to replace this setup if you want. The head unit has 2 ports to connect their float switches to, and by default one of the relay box outlets is set to work as an ATO system based on the signals of these switches.
- Kalk Reactor
I'd need to know your schedule for running this to give more info, but you can monitor/control the on/off status if you plug this into a relay box AC outlet.
You could also set this outlet to go ON/OFF at specific times or a specific duration also, or manually whenever you want via the portal or phone app.
- Sump Light
I have mine plugged into a relay box outlet which has it operate opposite of my actinic LED lights schedule. When my blue LEDs go off, my fuge light goes on, then it turns off just as the blue LEDs come on in the morning. Also, I can manually turn it on during the day with the phone app. Very useful when I need to do a spot check of my sump.
Also, this next part isn't specifically for the fuge light, but it's involved so I thought I'd mention it. When I use the phone app or the head unit to put the controller into "Water Change Mode" the RA will turn my fuge light ON (so I can see what I'm doing); and then shut off my return pump, skimmer, peller reactor, heater (its in the sump section that I pump out of for water changes and don't want that to run "dry"). All this happens with the push of one button on my phone! When I'm done with the water change, I "Exit Mode" and all relay outlet boxes go back to their previous state.
If you wanted, you could specify the outlet that your LM3 was plugged into as a "Water Change Mode" outlet, and entering that mode via the head unit or the phone app will power up your LM3 to do your water change. I'll explain this stuff in more detail on Saturday if you want.
- SKIMMER
I have a similar setup as you, minus the auto cleaner and I have a pressure switch in my skimmate collector bucket instead of a float switch... but same concept. My skimmer is plugged into the pressure switch controlled outlet... which is plugged into an RA relay box outlet. The RA controlls when the skimmer is running (always on, except during water changes or when I turn it off for cleaning/maintenance) but the pressure switch controller will cut power if the collector container gets too full (preventing a flood).
I think you could do a similar setup and be very happy with it. You might even be able to use one of the built-in float switch ports to do this automatically (but that would limit you to only 1 for ATO control). I'd suggest just plugging your existing float-controlled skimmer plug into a relay box outlet like I did.
As for "monitoring", like everything else, all you can do is know/control when the relay box outlet is on/off. If the float switch shuts off the skimmer then you won't know it... unless maybe you can use the ATO function for this, which can send you a text message or email on a "HI level" alert. I'm really not sure if you can have 2 independant "ATO" settings though, so you may have to use it for this or the ATO, but not both. I'd have to ask on the forums about this if interested.
- RETURN PUMP
I agree with you here that it should be always on. But, if you plug it into a relay box outlet, you can include it in "Water Change Mode" and/or "Feeding Mode" where you can temporarily turn it off during those modes (which run either manually or automatically set at specific times/durations.)
- 3 RedSand LEDs fixture
Would need to know the power draw on each of these fixtures (per plug) but it's generally recommended to have only 1 plug controlled per outlet (ie, no piggy back with a multi-prong adapter) since that may wear out the outlet too fast by drawing too much power. I ended up buying a separate relay outlet box for my LED's because I have 6 plugs over 2 fixtures also. If you want to eliminate the 2 timers you have, you'll have to do this too... and then you can use the RA head unit to set the timer functions... but also have the option to manually turn them off remotely if you want. At the moment, you can only do this via the web portal because the phone app only allows you to control the main relay box, but the next version of the phone app will include the ability to control additional relay box outlets. By the time you end up buying yours and setting it up, it will probably be an available option.
- TWO 5' T5 fixture
Pretty much same response as the LED's. Assuming you have 1 plug for each T5 fixture and 3 each for white/blue LED's... that's 8 plugs total and would take up an entire additional relay box.
- MOON light
This throws a wrench into things. You could either just keep this separate as is and not have to worry abot buying another relay box. Or, you can buy one of RA's dimmable moonlights for $20 extra. It plugs directly into one of the 2 PWM signal ports on the main relay box and requires no additional power plug. You could then use the RA to control the timing and intensity of your moonlights! With your 210, you may need 2 of these to cover the whole tank, but you can have 2 easily since there are 2 PWM ports. I'd suggest ordering 1 first though because it may be enough to cover the whole tank. Either that, or ask around on their forums for info from people who bought them. I didn't since my LED's came with moonlights.
Part 2...
- Powerheads - 2 Vortex MP40
For these, I'd suggest buying the RF module, which is a transmitter for VorTech pumps. It will also control VorTech Radion LED's if you ever get those at some point. Anyway, this transmitter will act as a "Master" controller for VorTechs and you just set your pumps to be in "slave" mode. Also, you can set them pumps to be in sync (running on the same cycle) or anti-sync (running on opposite cycles) modes. Once you set all that up, you have complete control over your MP40s... either via your default settings of your code on the head unit (where you can set it to run in specific modes for specific times/durations) or you can change it to whatever mode you want "on the fly" via the phone app or the web portal. You can control the mode it's in, the speed it's at, and the pulse duration (for pulse modes only). As a bonus, whenever your RA is put into "Feed Mode", the RF module puts your VorTechs into feed mode as well!
Also, you can plug the MP40's power supply into any regular outlet or power strip. They don't need to be plugged into an RA oulet box because the control will be handled via the RF module.
Again, if you get a Radion LED, you have total control of all 5 channels they have as well as overall intensity. At the moment, you can only do this via the head unit or via the web portal. Might get added to phone apps at some point I would think.
- 1 TUNZE pump
Not sure how you have this setup exactly. Do you mean that it's just always running and plugged into a UPS so in case the power goes out you still have movement? If so, no need to plug it into the RA. The RA won't be able to monitor if the UPS is drawing power or not, so there really is nothing to monitor.
If you plug the Tunze into the UPS, then the UPS into the RA relay box... the UPS would just kick in to battery power as if the electric power went out whenever you had the outlet turned off via the controller. So that would be useless.
I don't know what your UPS is rated for, but if it's strong enough I'd suggest plugging the RA main relay box into it instead of the Tunze... then if the power in the house goes out, your controller head unit and everything plugged into the main relay box will still run. I'm guessing that this is just a small UPS though since you only ran a single Tunze on it. If it can't handle the load of 8 plugs, I'd just keep the Tunze plugged into the UPS as you now have it for backup purposes.
- 1 Air pump
Pretty much same situation as the Tunze above. Is this in the same UPS as the Tunze? Maybe it's a bit bigger than I thought, but even still these two combined won't draw too much power. Would need to know more info on your "special home made device" and how that works now to comment further.
- 3 Heaters
You can get 3 temp probes (one is included with the RA, extras are another $9 each) and monitor the temp on 3 different places. I'd need more info on where your heaters are located, but for example: if you wanted 1 in the DT, 1 in the Sump, 1 in a frag tank... you could do that easily. Then, you can assign each heater to operate based on temps of each of the temp probes independantly. You write your code to power-on the heater 1's relay box outlet when temp probe 1 reads a min temp, then you set power-off heater 1 when temp probe 1 reaches a Max that you set. Basically, the controller monitors the temp probe constantly to the tenth of a degree (ie. you can make it 79.9 or 80.0, etc.) and based on your specified Min/Max temps it will turn ON/OFF that heaters power. Hope that makes sense, I'll explain better on Saturday.
There is also an "Overheat" function built in where you set Max Temp and can direct the RA to turn off as many specific outlets as you want. You can have it turn off heaters, pumps, lights... whatever you thing would add heat to the tank. If the temp probe you assign as the "Overheat" probe reaches the max temp... it will shut down everything you assign to it, and then (optionally) send you an email or text notification. I believe this requires a manual reset that has to be done at the head unit itself to turn everything back on, but I think they were revising this so that you can reset it via the phone app too and/or have it reset based on a lowered temp reading on the probe.
- House Fan
This would work similar to the heaters, except they use a different function. There is a chiller function that is basically opposite of the heater function (Off at Min temp, On at Max Temp). This can be assigned to any of the temp probes (possibly all 3, not positive though). The fan would have to be plugged into a relay box outlet though.
- Powerheads - 2 Vortex MP40
For these, I'd suggest buying the RF module, which is a transmitter for VorTech pumps. It will also control VorTech Radion LED's if you ever get those at some point. Anyway, this transmitter will act as a "Master" controller for VorTechs and you just set your pumps to be in "slave" mode. Also, you can set them pumps to be in sync (running on the same cycle) or anti-sync (running on opposite cycles) modes. Once you set all that up, you have complete control over your MP40s... either via your default settings of your code on the head unit (where you can set it to run in specific modes for specific times/durations) or you can change it to whatever mode you want "on the fly" via the phone app or the web portal. You can control the mode it's in, the speed it's at, and the pulse duration (for pulse modes only). As a bonus, whenever your RA is put into "Feed Mode", the RF module puts your VorTechs into feed mode as well!
Also, you can plug the MP40's power supply into any regular outlet or power strip. They don't need to be plugged into an RA oulet box because the control will be handled via the RF module.
Again, if you get a Radion LED, you have total control of all 5 channels they have as well as overall intensity. At the moment, you can only do this via the head unit or via the web portal. Might get added to phone apps at some point I would think.
- 1 TUNZE pump
Not sure how you have this setup exactly. Do you mean that it's just always running and plugged into a UPS so in case the power goes out you still have movement? If so, no need to plug it into the RA. The RA won't be able to monitor if the UPS is drawing power or not, so there really is nothing to monitor.
If you plug the Tunze into the UPS, then the UPS into the RA relay box... the UPS would just kick in to battery power as if the electric power went out whenever you had the outlet turned off via the controller. So that would be useless.
I don't know what your UPS is rated for, but if it's strong enough I'd suggest plugging the RA main relay box into it instead of the Tunze... then if the power in the house goes out, your controller head unit and everything plugged into the main relay box will still run. I'm guessing that this is just a small UPS though since you only ran a single Tunze on it. If it can't handle the load of 8 plugs, I'd just keep the Tunze plugged into the UPS as you now have it for backup purposes.
- 1 Air pump
Pretty much same situation as the Tunze above. Is this in the same UPS as the Tunze? Maybe it's a bit bigger than I thought, but even still these two combined won't draw too much power. Would need to know more info on your "special home made device" and how that works now to comment further.
- 3 Heaters
You can get 3 temp probes (one is included with the RA, extras are another $9 each) and monitor the temp on 3 different places. I'd need more info on where your heaters are located, but for example: if you wanted 1 in the DT, 1 in the Sump, 1 in a frag tank... you could do that easily. Then, you can assign each heater to operate based on temps of each of the temp probes independantly. You write your code to power-on the heater 1's relay box outlet when temp probe 1 reads a min temp, then you set power-off heater 1 when temp probe 1 reaches a Max that you set. Basically, the controller monitors the temp probe constantly to the tenth of a degree (ie. you can make it 79.9 or 80.0, etc.) and based on your specified Min/Max temps it will turn ON/OFF that heaters power. Hope that makes sense, I'll explain better on Saturday.
There is also an "Overheat" function built in where you set Max Temp and can direct the RA to turn off as many specific outlets as you want. You can have it turn off heaters, pumps, lights... whatever you thing would add heat to the tank. If the temp probe you assign as the "Overheat" probe reaches the max temp... it will shut down everything you assign to it, and then (optionally) send you an email or text notification. I believe this requires a manual reset that has to be done at the head unit itself to turn everything back on, but I think they were revising this so that you can reset it via the phone app too and/or have it reset based on a lowered temp reading on the probe.
- House Fan
This would work similar to the heaters, except they use a different function. There is a chiller function that is basically opposite of the heater function (Off at Min temp, On at Max Temp). This can be assigned to any of the temp probes (possibly all 3, not positive though). The fan would have to be plugged into a relay box outlet though.
malulu
NJRC Member
Yes, totally understood...
that is exactly what i mean, no need to control them... BUT i do wanted to know whether they are ON or OFF (have power?)
i believed my current setup is quite safe, i just wanted to know if it is on or off just in case.
i want it to ONLY run few times a days and 2 mins each run...etc. to monitoring just in case
water change mode... hum... i will need to do more thinking on this controlling behavior... in ideal, i would want to manually turn ON/OFF each individuality controlling units, and once done, click a BACK TO BUSINESS button to resume all normal schedule.
Question: is it possible/easy to just turn on/off any individually outlet? (without going into each menu/sub-menu to press on/off...etc.)
yeah... you are right, i can't really monitor it this way... I probably go with a text message or email on a "Hi level" alert, please ask the forums about this.
agreed
once using RA, no more timer for me, let the RA do it!
those are 120W LED, so 3 whites or 3 blues each should 60W x 3 = 180w.
i checked the RA's accessory, they seems the same MADE model/size as mine, i have my 2 moonlight connected together, i think i can utilized the PWM signal ports for this without using relay box outlet
malulu
NJRC Member
i don't think i need to control them, just need to know if they are on or off.can one RF module controlling 2 ?? and how much is it ?
RA RF --control--> Vortex1
Vortex1 --control--> Vortex2 using default wireless setting...
yes, in theory since it in in UPS, it should be always on... yes, no need to monitor this all all.
I am planning to plug RA into UPS. 1 relay box into surge protection side, 1 relay box into UPS side.
the air pump was plug it in all the time, it will not run, it will only run when power is out (as i don't need air in the tank when the return pump was running, it should run opposite schedule as the return pump) when power is out, i need to know if it is on or not just in case.
it is 1 in display, 1 in sump, 1 in refugium. want to monitor them if too hot, i was thinking to turn them off one by one... now you mentioning this, may be i could just turn them all off at once.
understood...