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RKL+myreef 2 for Dummies


bioload

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This is exactly what I needed! Thanks bioload! I'm currently waiting for my SID to return from DA.

 

I'm interested in getting the NET unit. What's a good USB over wifi unit?

 

Spyrule hopefully (or someone else) can answer that.

 

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...&hl=spyrule Nice setup Spyrule!!! Good resource to add to this topic.

Edited by bioload
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BRS is selling the updated version... For those who were curious.

 

 

Nice find kgoldy.....99 bucks for the RKL with the V2 SID? What do they charge for shipping like 50 bucks? :D

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Nice find kgoldy.....99 bucks for the RKL with the V2 SID? What do they charge for shipping like 50 bucks? :D

 

Well if you're ordering tons of stuff at the same time, you don't have to worry about shipping.

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TheNorthernLight
Hey Spyrule- can you school us on the Wet-floor sensors? (where to get them, how to set up, etc?) I've never heard of them before this thread...

 

It works in conjunction with either the SL1 / SL2 or SW5 modules.

 

There is two main ways of doing wet floor sensors with this setup.

 

1) Passive Sensor :

 

Pro : Does not consume any electricity, sensitive enough for medium to large water sources

Con : No where near as sensitive as the active sensor, can be set off accidentally. Limited area of detection.

 

Simply use two flat metal points that come in contact with the ground, and wire each contact to each pole on a single switch location. When the two poles connect from water, they pull down the switch signal, and this sets off your programmed alarm. There is 100 ways to wire this setup. Be warned, that this setup requires there there is enough water to CONNECT both points. Also, you don't want them being too close either as salt dust that will eventually gather under the points will set off the alarm.

 

Here is a link to the original thread on DA's support site.

 

Here is a link to a type of wet floor sensor you could use... although I don't like it because it will eventually fail from rust/degradation of the sensor paths.

2) Active Sensors :

 

Pro : Unlimited area of detection, uber sensitive

Con : uses an active power source all the time, CAN cause a shock if power set too high, uber sensitive, can

also be set off accidentally.

 

This type of configuration can be much more elaborate and can have a lot more capability then the passive module. This sensor requires you to use a N-O solenoid switch that is driven by a low-wattage/voltage power supply (think radioshack brick), that uses single-side sticky metal tape that you lay down two strips very close to each other (side-by-side) and they act as a switch. Once they get wet, the circuit is closed and the solenoid switch fires, triggering a switch on the RKE/L. The REALLY important thing to understand with this, is that you MUST make sure you do NOT send ANY power to the RKE/L switch sensor. The sensors are passive driven, and if they receive any actual voltage you will fry the switch/module... THIS IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND.

 

The big benfit is that you can run the tape, pretty much anywhere and as much as a single drop of water will set it off... which is both good and bad, personally I'd rather err on the side of caution.

 

I cant seem to find the original thread that I had seen this setup (it was either here on NR, or on DA's support site... ).

 

 

Regardless of which one you choose, it is important to understand that the way the wet floor switch works in the RKE/L is that you set the sensor so that 1.0 is normal, < 0.9 sets off the alarm. This means the switch has been triggered. It's a bit backwards from what you would think, but you have to think of the switchs on the RKE/L as Normally Closed switches, which means they are positive signal, but drop to 0.0 when triggered.

 

Hope that helps some people.

 

Cheers.

 

Spyrule :ninja:

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Good info spyrule! You should be happy to know I took your advice and lowered my alarm trip temps. And I programmed via using the head unit, not the puter. Myreef is nice but as you so eloquently pointed out you need to be able to prog using the RKL head unit too! I'm loving the RKL the best non-essential equipment I've bought although the mp 10 is a close second best. You can live without either but I'm loving them both.!

!!!

Edited by bioload
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TheNorthernLight

Yeah, if it wasn't for lack of room, I would automate new-saltwater changes, and then my system would be completely automated... except for feeding.

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Yeah, if it wasn't for lack of room, I would automate new-saltwater changes, and then my system would be completely automated... except for feeding.

Yeah that would be great but I like to think I'm making SOME contribution to my tank without machines doing everything for me :mellow:

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Yeah that would be great but I like to think I'm making SOME contribution to my tank without machines doing everything for me :mellow:

:lol:

 

I agree on the RKL and the MP10 as two of the best purchases I made for my tank, not necessary but extremely useful.

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TheNorthernLight
Yeah that would be great but I like to think I'm making SOME contribution to my tank without machines doing everything for me :mellow:

Likewise... I'm just to lazy... so I figure my $$ makes up for it! :lol:

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:lol:

 

I agree on the RKL and the MP10 as two of the best purchases I made for my tank, not necessary but extremely useful.

 

 

#1......on this valentines day I gotta say I love them both......don't let my wife know111111111111111

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Been using the RKL for a little while now and I really like it.....doing everything perfectly. But I have a question I have not been able to find the answer to.If, for example, you set an alarm to trip a channel off at a certain temp, does that channel stay off until you reset it or will it start again on its own once the temp drops below the set point? Hopefully it will start back up on its own or else there could be problems if you are away for a couple days.??

Edited by bioload
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I got my USB to recognize the SID card for a few seconds.... Then nothing. I've tried all my USB ports repeatedly, and none will recognize the card. When I say repeatedly, I mean, for the last 20 minutes I've been plugging the thing in and getting no results.

 

I'm inserting it so that the metal contacts where it's supposed to in the USB... Why the hell didn't DA just make this a standard USB plug?

 

Anyone got tips or tricks on getting the thing to work?

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TheNorthernLight

A couple typical things to try with wonky USB ports...

 

unplug all other usb devices except your mouse/keyboard, then reboot completely.

 

Plug in the SID v2 into a USB port, and wait... on slow pc's it can take quite awhile before it's detected.

 

Once it shows up in your Device manager as (I think its call Dynon Instruments ReefKeeper System Interface Device".

 

Once you see that, then launch myReef.

 

also may sound stupid, but make sure your inserting it into the usb port the correct way.

 

copper slides should face the MIDDLE of the USB port (the little black bar inside the usb port).

 

Cheers,

 

Spyrule.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update in case anyone else has this issue. Last night we were laying in bed and my wife says"what is that flashing blue light?". I checked it out and it was coming from the pc4 unit, channel 4. I'm thinking WTF. I turned the unit away from view for the night because I was already half asleep.I looked it up this morning and it seems if you set a channel up for MH it has an automatic function that it won't try to turn on for 15m once it turns off the channel, or if power is interrupted.During that time the blue led will blink continuously(15m). Don't know anyway to disable that so we will just have to keep the pc4 out of sight at bedtime.

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TheNorthernLight

Change the light from MH to Other, and the safety time delay disappears.

Edited by spyrule
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Change the light from MH to Other, and the safety time delay disappears.

 

I'm assuming disabling that safety feauture won't hurt the MH unit or bulb in any way? If not that's what I will do....the wife puts up with enough with my obsession as it is :)

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TheNorthernLight

Well if it actually IS a MH bulb, then leave it as one. Otherwise yes, trying to fire the MH bulb too soon after turnoff WILL wear out the bulb and possibly the transformer prematurely.

 

But, if the channel is blinking late at night, it's because you had a power failure. I would check that.

 

If in the end it's still bothering you, but a small piece of black electrical tape over it.

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So DA is sending me a new SID card. I have to change out my 90 gallon display tank (see thread in sig) so this weekend I'll hopefully get everything set up for good.

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Well if it actually IS a MH bulb, then leave it as one. Otherwise yes, trying to fire the MH bulb too soon after turnoff WILL wear out the bulb and possibly the transformer prematurely.

 

But, if the channel is blinking late at night, it's because you had a power failure. I would check that.

 

If in the end it's still bothering you, but a small piece of black electrical tape over it.

 

Yes it is an actual MH fixture. It started blinking after the MH turned off at about 10:15. We never noticed it before, the pc4 must have been placed in such a way that we just didn't see that light.. This morning it was no longer blinking so I think it just blinks for 15m whenever the pc4 detects that the MH channel is turned off for any reason.

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