ATO using three sensors

Hi can someone tell me what settings I should choose and/or have to make to have ATO operate with three sensors.
Sensor one as a low level sensor to turn ATO on , sensor two as a safety high level sensor to turn ATO off should a high level be reached and sensor three as a low level pump protection should the ro top up container run low on water.

I have tried to find details both in the manual and the programming guides but I can't find use of three in this way,and I am sorry but I don't understand what to do. So if someone could please post it up as a list, ie level one , choose ATO with two sensors, or choose max/min control, socket X set this as Water 1 or what ever it has to be.

Thanks

Can nobody help?

Can't you use this as a starting point ?
http://www.aquariumcomputer.com/Foru...thread.php?t=3
And just add your 3th sensor where it comes into play ?

I have looked at that, and yes some of it points me in the right direction , but all the screens i see on the software are now different and I do not know if it is correct. I just don't understand what the manual or the threads mean in some places without a step by step guide, as explained in the first post.
surely it is not too much to ask from a brand new user that someone can explain in simple steps what to do?

I think you should go step for step

first setup the ATO with 2 sensors
what to do:
1. set mode of level sensor 1 to "ATO with 2 sensors"
2. set the function of the socket in question to "water 1"

when this is working you should go to the next step

Hi Matthias

Thank you this is exactly what I want to do.

I have sensor one connected and it is working on it's own as ATO
I have set the socket No5 to water1

This is working OK with a setting of 3 seconds as the detection and ten seconds as the max pump time.

I would now like to set up the level 2 so that if the level 1 sensor sticks then it will turn off the pump at a max level.

Then if I understand it right I can add level 3, I think as an inverted function?
so that it can turn off the pump if the level in the RO container becomes too low?

if you use "ATO with 2 sensors" sensor 2 will automatically have the backup function for sensor 1
-> then sensor 1 and sensor 2 determine the state of water 1 - nothing more to do, just use this mode

for the third sensor: use for level 3 mode "return pump"

after you did the above we can continue

I have now done that the levels 1 and 2 appear to work correctly, and I have set level 3 up as return pump but I keep getting an alarm on level 3.

I'm not sure if I need to add something else maybe in programmable logic but I am lost again

Any help on the alarm issue?
I'm getting the same thing when I have level 2 as return pump?

Any help on the alarm issue?
I'm getting the same thing when I have level 2 as return pump?
Level 1 is ATO
Level 2 is Return pump
The states of both levels are behaving like they are suppose to...

Ok so I figured out a work around.
I set the max on time for the return pump to 0, and used programmable logic to get it to do what I want.

The only downside is there is no alarm to warn me when my top-off container is empty.

On another note, the computer software it displays 12:00:00AM for Max. on-time. (Probes/sensor controls -> Level 1)
I'm assuming this is just a bug?

thanks for the hint - of course 0 should not be displayed as 12:00AM, is fixed in next version

Any plans on fixing the auto-top off alarm issue we are having?
I would really like an alarm to tell me when my top off is empty and not to have to wait until my sump is below the sensor level.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jjk_reef00

Ok so I figured out a work around.
I set the max on time for the return pump to 0, and used programmable logic to get it to do what I want.

The only downside is there is no alarm to warn me when my top-off container is empty.

On another note, the computer software it displays 12:00:00AM for Max. on-time. (Probes/sensor controls -> Level 1)
I'm assuming this is just a bug?

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any chance you can post what you did so it may help me fix my problem?or maybe Matthias can continue where you left off and continue to guide me on the next step?

This is only for 2 sensors (Leve1 in my sump, and level 2 in my ATO container):

Reaction Max on-time
Level1 ATO 10s 3:00
Level2 Return Pump 5s 0 (this doesn't give the alarm)


Socket Functions:
Function = Programmable logic 1 ( Description = ATO pump)


Programmable logic:
G1 AND Water1 Water2

I was able to figure this out by putting a small bucket of water next to my computer and watching the output of the levels, and the reaction of the socket I was programming.
This computer software is very handy and makes it much easier to program than most other controllers on the market.

You can try the same experimenting with the 3 sensors. Once you play around with it for a little while it is really easy.

On a side note I have a kalk reactor that pumps water out of my ATO container.
Programmable logic:
G2 AND Timer4 Water 2

Socket Functions:
Function = Programmable logic 2 ( Description = Kalk pump)

That way I will only run my kalk pump if there is water in the ATO container.

GHL is there any plans for making the alarm work when the return pump is empty?
I really want an alarm when my ATO is empty!

Thanks, I'll have a try just substituting level3 where you have level 2.
I do think we need a reply with an answer on this alarm though, it must be possible to set it up so that it works after all one of the safeguards on a return pump does need to be shutting it off should sump levels fall to protect the pump.
I don't know but does it need to be inverted , as a normal return pump would be running constantly unless switched off, but what we need is to turn the socket off so it can't run if the level is too low.
Anyone please.

What I have done turns the socket off if the the level is too low.
'Return Pump' works properly (inverted as you say) as long as Max on-time is set to 0 to disable the bug in the alarm.
My issue here is that there is no alarm saying the water level is too low.

I understand, I'll try that and wait for a comment from the GHL guys on the alarm issue as that too causes me concern

what exactly is the question regarding alarm in simple terms?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Matthias

if you use "ATO with 2 sensors" sensor 2 will automatically have the backup function for sensor 1
-> then sensor 1 and sensor 2 determine the state of water 1 - nothing more to do, just use this mode

for the third sensor: use for level 3 mode "return pump"

after you did the above we can continue

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by jimdoniom

I have now done that the levels 1 and 2 appear to work correctly, and I have set level 3 up as return pump but I keep getting an alarm on level 3.

I'm not sure if I need to add something else maybe in programmable logic but I am lost again

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it is from here that I am not sure what to do next, I would like to set it so that I only get an alarm if the third sensor shows the water level in the top up container is too low... but from what the other poster says it does not appear possible ? is there a work around or is it something that may be fixed in a future version?

the mode "return pump" works as follows: the return pump runs when the level is high enough, if the level is low the return pump is switched off until the level is high enough again

-> in this mode we assume that a low level from time to time is a normal operating condition and not a reason to cause an alarm

OK I understand that, that will work for me now all I need to understand is how to stop the constant alarm condition of sensor 3, and whether I need to add any programmable logic to get all three sensors to control the same socket.

1 and 2 work just fine as ATO with two sensors , however the third one does not cut off the socket when the water is low and is set as return pump and after around a minute causes an alarm condition.

I presume that the alarm can be prevented by the setting of time on as above, but I can't see how to get it to work on the same socket so that the top up is turned off at a low water level.

can anyone say how to do it?

you can switch off the alarm when you set the max on-time to 0s