Hydros Owners: how happy are you long term?

[n2585722]

All running 197.
The one I received had to update before being able to to program it

I am not sure what could have caused it. Was it just one device are all of them? I don't normally leave an app open any longer than it takes to do what I need and then I close it.

 

[flyfisher2]

I am not sure what could have caused it. Was it just one device are all of them? I don't normally leave an app open any longer than it takes to do what I need and then I close it.

All three controllers.
No info.
It was as if they had been freshly installed but they each said ‘Normal’
Only info was the controllers temp, voltage
The refresh or resubmit was unresponsive. I then went to help and got the ‘Gee’ that’s a new one’ message.
I’m used to either resetting the app or putting a magnet to the controller so I knew one or the other would work.LOL

 

[n2585722]

All three controllers.
No info.
It was as if they had been freshly installed but they each said ‘Normal’
Only info was the controllers temp, voltage
The refresh or resubmit was unresponsive. I then went to help and got the ‘Gee’ that’s a new one’ message.
I’m used to either resetting the app or putting a magnet to the controller so I knew one or the other would work.LOL

What I meant by device is the one you are running the app on. Are all of your controllers running as a single unit and not in a collective? If so that is strange. I have not had to use a magnet on any of mine since the first one and I think that was more my fault since I was new to the controllers then. I have 8 controllers but they are all in a collective together. The only time I have reinstalled the app is when there is an update for it. If your issue happens again you may want to get with CoralVue about it.

 

[flyfisher2]

No collective
In my case where I have three separate systems, what are the advantages if any, of running as a collective?

 

[n2585722]

No collective
In my case where I have three separate systems, what are the advantages if any, of running as a collective?

There may not be any if the systems are completely separate. At this time I only have one tank. I have three controllers at the tank and 5 in the garage with the storage tanks, RODI unit and ATO, AWC and dosing pumps. I do have a second tank but it is not setup yet, but the systems in the garage will be shared with both tanks. In a collective all the controllers have to be wired together with buss cables and have terminators on each end. Once they are in a collective it is like one larger controller with all the inputs and outputs of each controller combined.

 

[flyfisher2]

There may not be any if the systems are completely separate. At this time I only have one tank. I have three controllers at the tank and 5 in the garage with the storage tanks, RODI unit and ATO, AWC and dosing pumps. I do have a second tank but it is not setup yet, but the systems in the garage will be shared with both tanks. In a collective all the controllers have to be wired together with buss cables and have terminators on each end. Once they are in a collective it is like one larger controller with all the inputs and outputs of each controller combined.

yeah, I was trying to see if there would be a valid reason for making them a collective being that they are in close proximity to each other. Was thinking that in the event of one controller failing another might be able to pickup?

 

[n2585722]

yeah, I was trying to see if there would be a valid reason for making them a collective being that they are in close proximity to each other. Was thinking that in the event of one controller failing another might be able to pickup?

They could control outputs on remaining controllers and wifi strips but any inputs or outputs on the failed controller would be lost. You could create a page for each tank and show the controller, inputs and outputs that pertain to that tank and you won't have to go back and forth between each controller in the app. That will limit the wifi devices to only 8 though. I am not sure how many you have.

 

[flyfisher2]

They could control outputs on remaining controllers and wifi strips but any inputs or outputs on the failed controller would be lost. You could create a page for each tank and show the controller, inputs and outputs that pertain to that tank and you won't have to go back and forth between each controller in the app. That will limit the wifi devices to only 8 though. I am not sure how many you have.

I'm using 5 of the the Power4 Outlet Strips. and I need to physically install two USB feeders. Haven't gotten to it just yet.

 

[n2585722]

I'm using 5 of the the Power4 Outlet Strips. and I need to physically install two USB feeders. Haven't gotten to it just yet.

That is under 8 so you would be good there.

 

[flyfisher2]

That is under 8 so you would be good there.

Yeah, I'll have to read up on this more and come back and pick your brain if that's okay?

 

[n2585722]

Yeah, I'll have to read up on this more and come back and pick your brain if that's okay?

That is fine. Make sure and get the buss cables you need and the terminators. You may have to get the power packs with built in terminators if you use them. I have controllers on each end that have built in power supplies so I no longer use the power packs so I have a free buss connector on each end. If you have a buss cable that will need to be longer than 15ft you will have to use a data only cable for that run. If they are all less than that you can use just one power pack and probably one terminator. Make sure each power pack is separated from any other power source with a data only cable. Basically the rule is a power pack cannot be used any where there is another form of power. That could be another power pack, a WavEngine or the XP8. The WaveEngine and XP8 can be on the buss together without issue. It is just the power pack that is the issue with doing that.

 

[flyfisher2]

That is fine. Make sure and get the buss cables you need and the terminators. You may have to get the power packs with built in terminators if you use them. I have controllers on each end that have built in power supplies so I no longer use the power packs so I have a free buss connector on each end. If you have a buss cable that will need to be longer than 15ft you will have to use a data only cable for that run. If they are all less than that you can use just one power pack and probably one terminator. Make sure each power pack is separated from any other power source with a data only cable. Basically the rule is a power pack cannot be used any where there is another form of power. That could be another power pack, a WavEngine or the XP8. The WaveEngine and XP8 can be on the buss together without issue. It is just the power pack that is the issue with doing that.

Okay... back to School. LOL
I was thinking a cable and done. Definitely have to read up.
Thanks for all the info

 

[Joe31415]

Well, I finally got it connected to my tank (in my previous tests, I was just using lamps in the power strips so I could see what was going on).
Seemed to be working fine. However, someone made a post on facebook that made me pull up the app (at work, nowhere near the hydros). It showed both power strips (and the three pumps) as not responding and the high water sensor as dry. My first thought was that it's disconnected, but the status screen shows the stats (temp, voltage etc) and the temp sensor is still reading the tank temp.
...actually, now I can't even pull up the status screen.

I'm sure everything is fine, but I live just a mile away from where I work, so I try to run home just to make sure it's not doing something stupid like emptying the tank.*


*That gives me an idea, I have the hose from the drain pump going down fairly far. I really should put it about an inch below how far it typically drains during an AWC just for some protection in case it does start draining on it's own.


ETA, the status screen just came back, but still with all the errors.

 

[Simon Reefing]

Yeah this is the kind of stuff they need to fix in the firmware before I consider purchasing

Most of those is the wifi itself. CoralVue has no control over what wifi router a customer has. Like I said I rarely have an issue like that unless I am rebooting or changing firmware in thr controllers. If for some reason in a collective the wifi master switches to a different controller it will cause a power strip reconnect with the new wifi master but I does not take very long to happen. I do not run ATO, AWC or dosing from a wifi power strip. I also don't control my RODI solenoids with a wifi power strip. I use the drive ports for those which I have 6 of them on three different controllers. I have no problem using the wifi power strips for controlling heaters, skimmers, return pumps, cooling fans and other similar devices. I do have MP10's for flow pumps with a battery backup. My tank has been without power for over 4 hours so it had no return pump, skimmer, heater, cooling or lights for that amount of time. Every thing survived. In fact last February we had rolling blackouts for almost a week and it was below 32 degrees outside the house. At one point the power was off for 4 hours and on for 4 hours at a time. I guess they were going with 50% balance of on and off. They do have the XP8 that s a wired controller if you are worried about wifi issues and the power bars. So you can alway put mission critical devices on it. It has 8 AC outputs and has power monitoring on each output. Below is a output powering my skimmer on a XP8. Below that is the setup on that output.

It’s not the router like people are saying it is something with the WiFi chip. I never had a problem and now I am. I have a gig up and a gig down top of the line ASUS router. Followed all the steps split my WiFi and the router is less than 5 feet away. I guarantee the new one will be better than the 20 dollar WiFi strips they come with now.

 

[n2585722]

It’s not the router like people are saying it is something with the WiFi chip. I never had a problem and now I am. I have a gig up and a gig down top of the line ASUS router. Followed all the steps split my WiFi and the router is less than 5 feet away. I guarantee the new one will be better than the 20 dollar WiFi strips they come with now.

I am not to sure what your issue is. Are you getting alerts for the wifi strips? I have 4 and I went back a week and only found 2 alerts for wifi strips. One was Saturday and the other was Monday. It was two different strips. I do have an Asus router but it is not one of the more expensive ones. I think it was around $100. I have the 5ghz channel completely turned off. I also have another router as an access point with only 2.4ghz. It has the same name and login as the router so it does not matter which one the controllers or strips login to.

 

[n2585722]

Well, I finally got it connected to my tank (in my previous tests, I was just using lamps in the power strips so I could see what was going on).
Seemed to be working fine. However, someone made a post on facebook that made me pull up the app (at work, nowhere near the hydros). It showed both power strips (and the three pumps) as not responding and the high water sensor as dry. My first thought was that it's disconnected, but the status screen shows the stats (temp, voltage etc) and the temp sensor is still reading the tank temp.
...actually, now I can't even pull up the status screen.

I'm sure everything is fine, but I live just a mile away from where I work, so I try to run home just to make sure it's not doing something stupid like emptying the tank.*


*That gives me an idea, I have the hose from the drain pump going down fairly far. I really should put it about an inch below how far it typically drains during an AWC just for some protection in case it does start draining on it's own.


ETA, the status screen just came back, but still with all the errors.

Was there an issue?

 

[Joe31415]

Was there an issue?

Yup. Everything still says 'not responding'. I did try power cycling (and using 'reboot' in the app) the Hyros. When that didn't work, I power cycled one of the wifi power bars, again, nothing.
It'll be interesting to see if it does that water change tonight. Since, I assume, the app/cloud doesn't control it, but rather it has onboard software/firmware driving it, I would assume it'll still work, but we'll see.

 

[n2585722]

Yup. Everything still says 'not responding'. I did try power cycling (and using 'reboot' in the app) the Hyros. When that didn't work, I power cycled one of the wifi power bars, again, nothing.
It'll be interesting to see if it does that water change tonight. Since, I assume, the app/cloud doesn't control it, but rather it has onboard software/firmware driving it, I would assume it'll still work, but we'll see.

Do you have a mesh network? Have you tried rebooting the router?

 

[Joe31415]

Do you have a mesh network? Have you tried rebooting the router?

No mesh and the router is [from the hydros and one of the power bars) about 15 feet and a direct line of sight.
In any case, I changed the channel on the 2.4ghz network and everything seems to have reconnected. Whether that was because I changed the channel or, now that you mentioned it, the router rebooting itself in the process, I don't know.

I'll test that out if it happens again.

I'm am kinda curious if it would have performed the scheduled task. I may have to test that as well.

 

[n2585722]

No mesh and the router is [from the hydros and one of the power bars) about 15 feet and a direct line of sight.
In any case, I changed the channel on the 2.4ghz network and everything seems to have reconnected. Whether that was because I changed the channel or, now that you mentioned it, the router rebooting itself in the process, I don't know.

I'll test that out if it happens again.

I'm am kinda curious if it would have performed the scheduled task. I may have to test that as well.

If the controller cannot communicate with the power strips then they will not change states. When communication is lost they will stay in whatever state they are in until communication is restored. That is why I don't use wifi outputs for ATO, AWC or dosing. If you do make sure it cannot drain below a certain level and same with fill make sure the fill container does not have enough water to overfill the sump. The same goes with ATO.