ATO circuit - Printable Version +- Robo-Tank DIY Aquarium Controller Forum (https://www.robo-tank.ca/forum) +-- Forum: Robo-Tank Arduino Based - NO LONGER AVAILABLE (https://www.robo-tank.ca/forum/forum-16.html) +--- Forum: Robo-Tank Circuit Board Questions (https://www.robo-tank.ca/forum/forum-17.html) +--- Thread: ATO circuit (/thread-100.html)

ATO circuit - ChrisC - 04-08-2016 I am starting to install the ATO system and am checking to see if anyone else has done this. I have the optical, float and pump all hooked up and ready to install. I'm looking for suggestions on mounting, spacing and in general any suggestions for success. Thanks RE: ATO circuit - Rob F - 04-09-2016 Hi Chris, the optical sensor is the main sensor, the float is used as a backup. I would say the float switch should be sitting just above the optical sensor, this way if the optical sensor fails the float switch will cut the circuit. The float switches are reversible, if you flip the ring it woks opposite. With it setup like this none of the sensors are in the water which should help in the long term for reliability. RE: ATO circuit - ChrisC - 04-10-2016 In setting up the ATO level in RT it allows a number between 1 and 10 What does that equate to? Also the manual states the the optical sensor triggers when the water touches it. Is that correct or can the sensor activate without the water touching it? RE: ATO circuit - Rob F - 04-10-2016 Hi Chris, the water level setting changes how sensitive the optical sensor is, 10 being the most sensitive. Only the tip of the optical sensor touches the water, when water is touching it the pump doesn't run, as soon as the water level drops the sensor notices the water level changed so the pump turns on. If you have the water level set to 1 then the water barely touches the sensor before activating, if you have it set to 10 it doesn't come down much before the pump turns on. So if you want more evaporation before the pump runs set it to a lower level.  This is why the float switch goes above the optical sensor, if the optical sensor quits working and the water goes above it the float will rise and turn off the pump. Hope this makes sense. PS: You don't really want to submerse the optical sensor in water. RE: ATO circuit - ChrisC - 04-10-2016 Thank makes sense, thanks RE: ATO circuit - ChrisC - 05-10-2016 Rob, finally getting around to setting up the ATO. I do have a couple of questions. Does the back up float switch need to be normally open or closed? Also when I go into hardware I only have 5 options there is no expansion ports button. Does that mean the controller can't see the expansion board I do have web access so it is communicating to some degree. RE: ATO circuit - Rob F - 05-10-2016 Hi Chris, the float switch needs to be closed, if it's open no power gets to the pump. You'll also need to switch the "High" / "Low" in the sketch for the ATO pump because its backwards.    You don't see the "ports" button because its in the new version. I'm very close to finishing the update, its been a hard one because of the sensor logic. I also made the ATO system better and safer. Now the home page has a small "ATO" icon under the date. When the icon is gray the system is idle, when the icon is green the ATO is running and if it turns red the ATO malfunctioned. If you turn the alerts on you get an email when the ATO starts and stops and you always get an email if the ATO malfunctions. There's now a setting where you can set the maximum amount of time the ATO pump is allowed to run, if the pump runs longer than the set time the ATO is shut down, the icon turns red, an email is sent and the system will never restart until you press the ATO icon and press ok. This is good because you'll know when the optical sensor needs cleaning, that's whats being checked. RE: ATO circuit - ChrisC - 05-11-2016 So I'm clear I need to swap the High and Low references in the Ethernet sketch in the checkATO () function? RE: ATO circuit - Rob F - 05-11-2016 yeah that's right, line 509 and 513. RE: ATO circuit - ChrisC - 05-13-2016 Thanks for the help, it's working! RE: ATO circuit - Dom59 - 07-16-2016 Hi Rob, I have got an optimal water sensor with only 3 wires. Can i use it? It seems yours has 4 ones. RE: ATO circuit - Rob F - 07-17-2016 Hi Dom, yeah you can still use it but not on the ATO ports which means the ATO status light and alerts for it won't work. This is how you would do it. Plug your DC top up pump in port 5. Then use port 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 for your optic sensor, you can also use one of those ports for a backup float switch. Then in the hardware settings go to "expansion ports" and set the ports to a float or sensor for each of them. Then go to "sensor actions" and press the port you added the optical sensor and set the low level you want it to go off. Then select the ATO pump so it turns on when this happens. Then on the high level sensor set the level and tell it to turn off the ATO pump. Do the same for the float switch and both of them should be controlling the pump. On the PCB make sure the jumpers for the ports you use are set to "other".