AC Outlet Timers & tank automation.

[Squatch XXL]

I have been looking at "timers" for controlling a pair of powerheads. I have found that marineland brand makes a really nice surge strip with built in....But being realistic, I believe that this product can be had much much cheaper...probably from a home improvement place and with different branding.

I am looking for outlet control at 5 min on/off (Minute intervals would be great as well), and unlimited on/off cycles. Realistically, I will run for a hour or more. Individual units with a single outlet should work if they have a digital timer that is synchronized within a few moments.

I have been using analog timers for a few decades, and I do love the ease of use....I notice that they get off time....Some more than others. Is there a reason for this?

I had a small 160 gph powerhead on a timer, as well as 2 sets of lights. After more than a year, each of my light timers are about an hour off, but are identical......The powerhead was off by 10 hours in a few weeks. It does this to every timer I have used including new ones. I am guessing that the effort required to click on and off is creating drag on the timer....My powerhead was on every other click around the wheel daytime, and twice during the night for short spells. 10 hours off makes that not work for me.

Certainly a reef controller would fix every issue I have, but I am too cheap. I have looked into DIY Linux and PC software, but it is very limited and somewhat useless to me. I have sooooo many pc parts floating around my place, it would be nothing for me to put together some sort of franken-puter. There is just enough info and partial software that something could be had, but requires quite a learning curve for software and hardware. I am more interested in "Here is my software, buy all the hardware here". Pc/linux based suit me more than a custom specific reef-controller...but only because of price.




What do you do to have a better living through advanced automation.

 

[DaveK]

...
Certainly a reef controller would fix every issue I have, but ...

Yes, it sure would.

Now if you want the fun of building the system out of spare computer parts, and interfacing it to the outside world, working out all the problems and maintaining the hardware and software, the look into some of the DIY aquarium controller projects online.

If your interested in fixing the issues you have with the timers getting out of sync, and getting back to watching the tank, then get your self a controller. Something like an APEX Jr should work nicely for you and it's not that expensive, about $240. You plug it it, connect everything to it, set it up and your in business. It's also expandable.

I don't think you could build a DIY project that is as functional for that much less. Also, you need to figure your time is worth something.

You may have seen other posts I have made where I tell people to only get a controller if you really have something to control. You seem to have more then just turning the lights on and off. I recommend you look into the lower end controllers and get one of them.

 

[StirCrayzy]

I like mechanical timers because of the simplicity, I've not noticed them being far off when I adjust /clean them yearly. But I've recently started using cheap digital relay based timers. They have a ton of programmability very easy to use, some require a 12v source to operate the relay, and keep time, others just plug in to your outlets. I have seen the ones that can be set right down to minute by minute on/off, but the only ones I use are the simple 8 cycle/day versions.
This one is the heart of my QT light.


They will operate 5-240v items, and if you link a bunch on a board I bet you could could technically call that a "controller"

There are also tons of support groups, and step by step DIY kits to build an arduino based controller too. That's the next step between timers, and a full blown big-box controller.
Yes It would be way easier to just buy an Apex, but not as much fun

 

[Squatch XXL]

How far into an airplane would you get if that was in your luggage?

I have also been looking at some of these "wavemakers" come with controllers that do more than off and on.

 

[DaveK]

.... But I've recently started using cheap digital relay based timers. ...
There are also tons of support groups, and step by step DIY kits to build an arduino based controller too. ...

That's quite a timer, but it begs the questions, where did you get everything, and how much did it all cost? Also, if it's a DIY project how long did it take you to build?

 

[StirCrayzy]

I felt very awkward putting this together at work. Visually speaking of course. My coworkers are quite used to me building tank related contraptions though, so that is always their first assumption. I chronicled the build here....http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/cheap-diy-led-fixture-for-full-qt.96544/ I took my time, never really spent more than a lunch break 20 min per day.

The bulk of the cost was about $60 ish from rapidLED for driver and diodes. The timer and temp switch were about $3 ea from China.