ReefKeeper Lite question

[acroholic]

I just replaced my RKL head unit with an RKE unit. I want to use the RKL head unit to only monitor pH in a freshwater tank. Question is, if I only want to use the RKL head unit, an SL1 module, and a pH probe, how do I get electricity to the head unit?

Is the only way to do this is have a PC4 in the system?

 

[gnashty]

Yes, the system has to be powered by a PC4. Or maybe you can use an expansion socket??

 

[acroholic]

I don't see another way to do it. I can use one for the tank pump or something, but I was hoping to keep the PC4s for my reef tank.

 

[superclown]

Got a phonechord jack in your house?

 

[gnashty]

I dont believe you can use regular phone jack lines on the DA equip.

but Dave, you could always just run the SL1 off of your RKE if you can run the line to the FW tank. honestly its probably the same price for another PC4 vs the long cable you may need to do this.

 

[acroholic]

gnashty;595531 wrote: I dont believe you can use regular phone jack lines on the DA equip.

but Dave, you could always just run the SL1 off of your RKE if you can run the line to the FW tank. honestly its probably the same price for another PC4 vs the long cable you may need to do this.

Can I buy this type cable locally, like at Frye's or Microcenter? I know it is not a standard phone line. The run to the other tank under the ceiling would be like 50 feet.

 

[weaglereefer]

No, but you can make it. It's a phone line, but insead of being a crossover, it's a straight thru design.

 

[gnashty]

weaglereefer;595538 wrote: No, but you can make it. It's a phone line, but insead of being a crossover, it's a straight thru design.

yeah, you can make them pretty easily and should be able to buy the components locally at radio shack and/or home depot

 

[acroholic]

Found this cable thread on the DA Forum. Looks pretty easy and looks like everything is available locally. Just have to make sure you get the right connectors and wire and like Jeff said make sure the wire is straight thru.

 

[landonl]

Acroholic;595543 wrote:
http://www.forum.digitalaquatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1103&st=0&sk=t&sd=a">http://www.forum.digitalaquatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1103&st=0&sk=t&sd=a</a>[/QUOTE]

Based on this thread, it seems the bus is running at about 9VDC and 300ma. This seems right, as I remember reading somewhere you can power the bus with 9V battery in the event of a power failure. The same should be possible with a wallwart of a similar rating, so the headunit will work without a PC4.

The thread I read about the 9V battery bus power, was done using the RKM-HUB. If you can find that thread, you can find which wires you need to power.

Hope this helps,
Landon

 

[landonl]

*update*

I found a thread in the RKM-HUB sub-forum on the DA site. It appears the RKM-HUB comes with a power port that is meant to be used with a 9v power supply, or can also be used with a battery as a DIY type project. It doesn't tell which pins carry the power, so you would have to find that out yourself.

I guess you could either buy a RKM-HUB, or get out the voltmeter to determine which pins carry the power. Or maybe if someone here has a RKM-HUB, they can open it up and look at the board to determine which pins carry the power?

Hope this helps,
Landon

 

[superclown]

Dave I was not being serious I just thought it was odd when I for my rke it looked like a bunch of phone cables.

 

[cr500_af]

The expansion socket won't power a head unit, FWIW. It has no bus cable connections at all.