New to this, could use some help!

Hi everyone,

I just took receipt of a new 3.1N and hooked it up with my wife on Friday evening. Figured out the illumination and basic functions very quickly - and am very impressed. Then I ran into a roadblock:

Here's my issue - I have my Return Pumps 1 & 2 connected to PAB Socket 1 (tank is an RSM 250)
Heater is connected to PAB Socket 2
Skimmer is connected to PAB Socket 3
Spectrapure ATO system connected to PAB Socket 4.
Socket 5&6 are currently blank.

I've gone into maintenance 1 and named that as my Water Change and it turns off Socket 1, 3, and 4. Perfect.

I'd like to delay the start of Socket 3 for 3 minutes after water change (so my skimmer doesn't go crazy) and Socket 4 for 5 minutes after water change (gives time for all the water levels to settle). Essentially, I want to delay the start of pumps AFTER Maintenance 1 has ended. I've tried about 40 different configurations and never get the delayed start - please help me correct what I'm doing wrong.

If anyone could walk me through this logic that would be great. Screenshots are an added bonus! Thanks in advance for your help - and please keep in mind I'm a programming idiot so please feel free to talk down to the most basic level.

Will the blockout delay solve the problem ?

I think the blackout delay only works if power goes off.



Doggydoc

Yep, I tried the blackout delay and that didn't work. In my reading, it appears that blackout delay is indeed only for full power outages. If only the programmable logic was, well, logical - or the manual took some time to explain it. I've even looked at the Prog-Logic guide and it did little to help. I'd really, REALLY, like to have this solved soon. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Gary

Levelsensor? Water to high skimmer doesnt work the same for the pumps. Progamming with PL.

Not sure I understand the last comment? I'm specifically looking for help with the programming logic. This really can't be that hard for someone that understands the unit really well (unlike me).

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Originally Posted by TheGolfBallKid

Not sure I understand the last comment? I'm specifically looking for help with the programming logic. This really can't be that hard for someone that understands the unit really well (unlike me).

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Hi have a look at this post. (just did a search for start delay) Start Delay.
If you can't get it from this, just ask about which part you don't understand and I should be able to help.

That makes sense for Feed Pause ( and I believe there is only 1 FP program available). Can this be done with the Maintenace modes ( of which there are 4)? It seems that this type of programming can't be done to Maintenance - which really wouldn't make sense. If that's the case, the I'll have to use FP for maintenance and vice versa.....

If you go to programmable logic, you will see that you can select the pump you want (Skimmer), then you select the type of action(Delay) this can then be set in seconds.
The description in the other post is just that, a description for that user on why he has it configured, in fact the delay will happen regardless of how the unit is turned (either feed pause or maintenance).
And there are also 4 feed pauses available.

Not sure if you have read the manual, but have a look here. Specifically the programming guide and the programmable logic.

So here's what I tried after re-reading the manual as well as the above posts:

Programmable logic 1: input - Filter 2 (skimmer)
Delayed on
20 seconds (to test)

Socket 3: Assigned to PL 1

Turned on Maintenance mode, and all pumps turned off. Then shut down the maintenance program and ALL pumps - including the skimmer, turned on immediately. Followed the directions to a "T". - what have i missed?

Wow, this was an effort in humility - I understand logic well, but not programming. Here's what ultimately worked:

PL1: Input: Maintenance 1 (Inverted)
Action: Delayed On
Time: 210s (tested with multiple small delays first)

Socket 3 (Skimmer) - Assigned to PL1
Socket 4 (ATO) - Assigned to PL1

Interestingly, when I created a PL2 with a delay of 360 seconds for the ATO on Socket 4 as I'd done for the skimmer on Socket 3, Socket 4 would always be off. I tried both Inverted and normal, yet the socket wouldn't come on. When I assigned it to PL1, all was fine. Is it possible a socket is faulty on a brand new unit, or would the fact that the ATO system doesn't draw any current unless called upon cause a strange behavior with the logic? Interested to hear thoughts on this.

Thanks for all the help thus far. I'm still in the steep part of the learning curve.

Seems you have got it to work for you.
I am pretty sure that just putting a delay should work for the Maintenance and feed mode and I wonder if there is something not quite right since the last update, I don't have this enabled as my skimmer is external so don't have the same issues as others do.
The problem with the logic you have is that the feed pause (If you turn the skimmer off) will not delay start now. I tried this just now!

To do this you need to create 2 more PL, one with the pump with delay and then another with PL 1 (in your case) and the PL just created with AND logic and then assign this to the socket. This worked, but at the cost of using 3 PL's total.

Of course this may not be a problem for you, and what you have is quite adequate.
Now that you have your head around this, I am sure you will be giving others advice soon!

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Originally Posted by Antipodes

Now that you have your head around this, I am sure you will be giving others advice soon!

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And so the community grows stronger again :)

Well said Paul :)