THE DLOs Polario mod!

[THEDLO]

calling all electonic modding wizards......so today while in class i came up with this amazing idea....see i recently inherited a polario, and i really like it, but....here's the issue im having.....i have been manually dialing it back at night (gradually) right before lights out and then turning it up in the morning, so it dawned on me..."there has to be a way that this thing can be modded so that it gradually increases flow in the morning, and decreases in the evening...with out my help." so i ran my idea by a good friend (thanks richie!), and its doable...so what im going to try to do is...figuratively speaking...im going to put together the controller for the polario, and a vortech controller.....im going to try to get the schematics for both controllers to see how programing would be possible. suggestions are appreciated!

i currently have 2 vortech controllers that are graciously being donated for this project, so if at first i dont succeed......try :smash: and try again?

the main thing with using the vortech controllers is that they have voltage regulators (this is how there are able to smoothly increase and decrease the GPH) the next thing i would have to figure out is how to time it...i could use a ligh sensor, or just a simple timer that would trigger the increase or decrease, regardless of what echotech setting its on...(a perk of the whole project...if it works) im open to sugestions and observations

...and PLEASE dont ask "but Thed-lo why not just get an mp40" if i could afford 2 MP40s i would have 2 MP40s...and because this way is more fun, and rewarding IMO.... :birthday:

side note...i posted this on reef central as well.

 

[wonderballz]

Cool T-Hedl-O. Keep us informed!

 

[THEDLO]

Cool T-Hedl-O. Keep us informed!

lol u know that not my name....

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Dave I like the Idea.....Keep me in the loop....:splitspin

 

[THEDLO]

im talking to smoq right now, lol and it creating new ideas...:batangel:

 

[THEDLO]

The vortech controllers are in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now to convince echotech to send me the schismatics. i hope to start messing with stuff on friday

 

[roc5288]

Hey Dave. Great idea. One ? why don't u get two MP 40s :joke:

 

[THEDLO]

jezz stan it had to be u huh? lolol

 

[rkaragozler]

Any luck with the prints.

 

[rkaragozler]

Here you go, any questions just ask.

<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/7/6/6/5/dlo_circuit.jpg" alt="Dlo Circuit" />

 

[rkaragozler]

Just noticed the 2 Negatives out of the relay has to be reversed.

 

[THEDLO]

is there an wiki page for reading this? lol this is alot more technical then im used to

 

[rkaragozler]

no their is richieki, let me explain,what you are looking at is 2 different circuits
the 1st one is a light to dark controlling circuit. we use a item called an LDR to control voltage drop across a circuit, the same way a dusk to dawn light works, but in dc.
the 2nd is a switching step down circuit, what this does is takes a common dc voltage and drops it down to a predetermined voltage.
the way it works is when your lights are on voltage from your polario controller is sent directly to the motor, then when your lights shut off the ldr senses a voltage drop and sends current to the relay which in return sends a signal to the step down board and drops the voltage going to your pump, now that the voltage is lowered your pumps are rotating at a lower speed.

 

[THEDLO]

wow richieki is some good chit. lol so let me ask u this, is tha change in V gradual? cause idealy id like the change to occur over the course of an hour.

 

[rkaragozler]

that depends on the setting of the variable resistor (100K) I don't think half hour though

 

[THEDLO]

is there anyway that can be adjusted? we can still use the vortech controllers.

 

[rkaragozler]

I have to see the schematic of the vortech, and see if its the same voltage ratings.

 

[THEDLO]

we will need to talk more between now and sunday.