Apex Question

[rdnelson]

I have been having trouble controlling my lights lately. I believe it is the apex and it will need to be repaired. But before I do that, I would like to wipe the memory clear, reload latest firmware and start from scratch. Anyone know if it is possible and if so, how to go about it?

Assuming I had to send it in, anyone have a spare they would loan out for a week or two?

 

[picoreefguy]

do you still have your display? if so go to System->Init memory->All and that should clear the memory and if you dont have a display you can borrow mine if you cant find someone closer with one.

 

[ringo®]

Are you running it on a wxm? Try reseting power to the module.

 

[rdnelson]

Picoreefguy;1034545 wrote: do you still have your display? if so go to System->Init memory->All and that should clear the memory and if you dont have a display you can borrow mine if you cant find someone closer with one.

Yup did that several times.

 

[rdnelson]

Ringo[emoji768 wrote: ;1034547]Are you running it on a wxm? Try reseting power to the module.

Nope straight off the controller.

 

[picoreefguy]

if you need to send yours off and need to borrow my head unit let me know. ill reset it and bring it to you, cause i don't see my self needing it for the next few weeks/months lol

 

[myreefclub0070]

What kind of light rich?
Are the just off the power outlet?

 

[rdnelson]

The lights are the same DIY LED as Reefman. Can't remember the name but quality lights. The drivers are a bit obscure though and I can't find info on them. Some will go to 100% if you remove the signal wires but I am not sure about these. At any rate, I get almost nothing no matter if the control cable is connected or not. But, I have been getting strange stuff from the apex so it is hard to nail down which is the culprit.

I would suspect the drivers but with 3 each on 2 lights I find it hard to believe all 6 went bad at the same time.

Today I cut a patch cord and measured the output from the Apex and it didn't make a lot of sense.

According to Russ on the Neptune Forum I may be reading the wrong pairs. I will double check that as well.

 

[camellia]

Did Russ tell you that Apex could communicate with your lights?
Or are you just using Apex as an outlet as Marlon asked? If your just using as outlet try using one of the relay switches 4 or 8. It could be when your LEDs come on low, moon lighting... It's not triggering the apex but 4 & 8 will reconize most any voltage.

 

[rdnelson]

Camellia;1034600 wrote: Did Russ tell you that Apex could communicate with your lights?
Or are you just using Apex as an outlet as Marlon asked? If your just using as outlet try using one of the relay switches 4 or 8. It could be when your LEDs come on low, moon lighting... It's not triggering the apex but 4 & 8 will reconize most any voltage.

Not sure I am following you. But, the power for the lights is off of outlets 1 and 2 on a 4 outlet energy bar. I have measured the voltage and it is the correct 120v. I am talking about the variable speed outlets (0-10v DC).

 

[myreefclub0070]

rich on the eb4 and eb8 the voltage should be constant but on both the intelligent internal circuits activate the outlet on current draw and 2&4 on the eb4 is relay activated, so the light should be plugged in to 2&4 cause when they come on on low setting it might not turn on and off like it should.
also the vr control on the apex will control most apex approved stock lights fine but on modified light most turn off or wont turn on as they get to 10% or 1 volt off of the vr control.
you would have to program the outlet to turn on or off as the vr control gets above or under 1 volt .
get me a call if talking it out helps understanding it better.

 

[rdnelson]

I understand what you are saying but that isn't the problem. Outlets 1 and 2 on the EB4 are working as they should. No issues. These drivers have a minimum of 14%. I have them set at 15% min. But even when I manually run it to 100% I get almost nothing. In addition, it is sporadic. For a while I will have very dim blues on one fix and nothing on the other. Than I will get medium whites on the other fixture but nothing on the first. I really think it has to do with the Variable Speed outlets on the main unit. Either they are fried or the software is corrupt.

 

[myreefclub0070]

sounds like their might be and issue with the running vr program, if it is on one of the preset pulse mod for power heads you would get something like what you experiencing.
if you can get on fusion and manually adjust the setting one the light I would check the programming if not check to make sure that the vr pairs of wire are correct.

if all else fails resort to a beer and fire arms!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rdnelson]

LOL on the last resort. .

I can access thru fusion. I have set all programming and run the latest firmware. No change. Now yesterday, I reset fusion and I am more confident in what it is reporting to me but still have the issues with the light.

To clarify, the intermittent aspect of the problem is not short durations. It will be in one state for a good part of a day to a couple days before it switches.

I am in the middle of trying something Ben (sewerurchin) suggested.

 

[rdnelson]

I should have known not to take Ben's advice. LOL. Actually, it was good advice but it didn't work. I have one more set of readings to take and I will post them here.

 

[reeferman]

you have P47's from Reefledlights.com and they are very compatible with an Apex.
the best bet is contact Bill at Reefledlights and he will steer you through your problems,his customer service is second to none.
and btw Rich...its reefERman lol

 

[rdnelson]

LOL thank you sir. My apologies for getting it wrong.


I now suspect it is my drivers. :-(

Here are my findings:

The first reading in each set is with everything run up to 100%. The second is with everything run down to 0%.

Pinout A readings:
V1/V2
B/W to Orange 10.2v DC - 0v DC
G/w to Green 15.9v DC - 16v DC
V3/V4
B/W to Orange 10.2 - 0
G/W to Green 16 - 16.1


Pinout B readings:
V1/V2
B/W to Green 10.2v DC - 0v DC
O/W to Orange 10.2v DC - 0v DC

V3/V4
B/W to Green 10.2v DC - 0v DC
O/W to Orange 10.2v DC - 0v DC

So it appears to me that the patch cable I am using uses Pinout B and everything from the Apex is correct. Time to start checking all the driver connections.

 

[rdnelson]

reeferman;1034615 wrote: you have P47's from Reefledlights.com and they are very compatible with an Apex.
the best bet is contact Bill at Reefledlights and he will steer you through your problems,his customer service is second to none.
and btw Rich...its reefERman lol

Boy you were not kidding Reggie. I sent an e-mail via the website expecting I wouldn't hear anything back before sometime next week. 30 minutes later Bill called me. Long story short, he is sending my new drivers. My cost?? $15.00 shipping and handling and he said he would refund the difference between that and actual shipping cost. Hard to beat that with a stick.

 

[reeferman]

the dude is legit and stands behind his product like no other.
funny story...i was talking to him on the phone one day after he returned my call.he tells me to hold on one minute,i waited,he came back and proceeds to tell me it was a smooth landing.hes a pilot and he was calling me from the cockpit just before a landing !!

 

[rdnelson]

LOL. Yeah he no longer uses these drivers so he is sending some from his personal stash. He has some killer ones I will purchase when I can. They are only $7.00 each but you have to have the storm controller which about $70. That will be one of my upgrades soon.