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Powerhead Control Ideas - Printable Version

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Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 03-04-2016

Hi, so I'm getting ready to add the powerhead control, it'll be able to handle up to 4. I just got two Jebao's and they seem to work good.

So this is my idea, good, bad or in between?

Here's where you set the daily schedule for each of the 4 modes, you have a morning, afternoon, evening and night mode. On another screen you select the speed of each power head for each of the 4 modes. The "Length" is how long it takes to ramp to the next mode.

[Image: Powerhead_Schedule.jpg]

When you select one of the above ramp modes you get the screen below. This is where you select the start time for the ramp to begin and how long it'll take to gradually get to the next mode.

[Image: Powerhead_Schedule_Edit.jpg]


The next screen is for all the settings. 

On the left the 4 modes are shown, this is where you adjust the speed of each powerhead for the different modes using the four sliders.

There's basically two modes, auto and manual. Manual would be used if you only want waves. The intensity of the waves would go with the schedule above.

Auto mode would adjust the powerheads speed according to the schedule and the powerheads would randomly pulse at different times. You can adjust the "Pulse Speed" of each powerhead, the controller will then add +-20 and randomly select a number in the range.

You can also select how many periods of waves you want each day and how long each period should last. It will also add something in the range of +-5 minutes so its slightly different each time. These settings only work in auto mode.

The Small, Medium and Large Wave buttons would work in both auto and manual mode.

You can also choose to disable the automatic top off (ATO) while waves are being made.

And you can choose to create waves during a storm. Every time a storm runs the powerheads will create waves, the waves size will be based on the mode they're currently in.

[Image: Powerhead_Modes.jpg]

This screen might change a bit but that's about it.

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - rott - 03-04-2016

looks great now how to interface with it

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - ChrisC - 03-05-2016

I like the interface (very clean) and the ability to tie the waves to a storm. Will this use PWM control or just on and off for each powerhead?

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 03-05-2016

For now its for digital powerheads, 5v or 10v PWM or 5v or 10v analog. The ports could also be used for PWM fans or port 8 and 9 could be used for regular DC fans for LED's.

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - aron04 - 03-06-2016

Digital powerheads?

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 03-06-2016

Well I call them digital, not sure what the industry calls them, but they have 3 wires coming from them, power, ground and signal. They usually come with a small controller because they're variable in speed.

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - aron04 - 03-07-2016

Like the jebao pumps / wavemaker?

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - rott - 03-07-2016

yes exactly like those If you read the first sentence in this thread

"so I'm getting ready to add the powerhead control, it'll be able to handle up to 4. I just got two Jebao's and they seem to work good"

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 03-07-2016

Yeah but you need to be careful because not all Jebao's are controllable. The WP series is, I got the smallest ones, WP-10, for me they're perfect.

Tunze also has some, the Turbelle Stream Electronic and Turbelle Nanostream Electronic but they cost quite a bit more.

There are other companies as well.

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - zfreak_1125 - 02-20-2017

Rob,

Was this feature fully built into V2.3? When I go to the powerhead settings the page says "Coming Soon".

If it wasn't fully built in, what section of the code was this to be built in? Really want to add this feature in if you never got it finished up? Thanks

Matt

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 02-20-2017

Hi Matt, no sorry this feature wasn't added to the original controller. I was going to add it on the expansion hub but was having problems getting the data moved around because of the Mega 2560 in the middle. If you add it, it would probably be easier on the Mega 2560.

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - zfreak_1125 - 02-20-2017

(02-20-2017, 04:17 PM)Rob F Wrote: Hi Matt, no sorry this feature wasn't added to the original controller. I was going to add it on the expansion hub but was having problems getting the data moved around because of the Mega 2560 in the middle. If you add it, it would probably be easier on the Mega 2560.

Rob,

Ok. Would you happen to have any of the code you were working on that you'd be willing to send me? Getting a little bit of a head start would be awesome.

I found the section of the code in the display sketch for the power head screen. Are the screens you showed above already on the display SD card images or do I need to build them as well? What software did you use to create the images?

Thanks
Matt

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 02-20-2017

I don't right now but I'm going to be working on them in a week or two. I can send you some images and display code at that time. I use photoshop for making the layouts.

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - zfreak_1125 - 02-20-2017

Sounds great. Thanks

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Arne - 02-21-2017

The idea sound great to me and the interface looks great too... ;-)

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 02-21-2017

Thanks Arne, now to make it work. :)

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - seb540 - 04-29-2018

Hi Rob,

Where is the coding for wavemaker ? Can we hope to see it in a future update ?

Have a nice day

Seb

RE: Powerhead Control Ideas - Rob F - 04-29-2018

Hi Seb, it'll definitely be coming. :)