Create a way to detect a power outage without using the IceCap battery.

[jtichenor]

I have a very large lithium battery with an inverter to use as a battery backup on my tank. I would like a simple and inexpensive way to put the Hydros in a mode that is used when I have a power outage. This allows me to run one of my two heaters, my return pump and a couple circulation pumps (all powered by the XP8) when the power goes out.

Suggestion: Allow the X4 controller to use one of the 0-10v channels (other than the one used for switching modes) to monitor for voltage (from a usb charger or other wall wart). When the power is lost, the low voltage signal will drop to 0v triggering the lower power mode. I can't use the normal 0-10v channel assigned to mode changes for this because I'm already using this channel with a button box to change modes for other reasons.

 

[Carlos]

The battery does not trigger the low power mode. It is the actual master that does that. If the master detects that the power goes down from 24V to something lower than 19V, it will trigger the low-power mode.

 

[Jeffbear]

The battery does not trigger the low power mode. It is the actual master that does that. If the master detects that the power goes down from 24V to something lower than 19V, it will trigger the low-power mode.

So for my system, I have a APC UPS Battery back up. The xp8 is plugged in to the battery backed outlet of this and will share power over command bus with an x3, x2 and an x4. I would like to have it switch to low power mode when the UPS switches to battery. I was thinking of having a 10v in trigger the low power mode using a 10v power adapter plugged in to the surge suppressor only outlet on the UPS. I would have to wire the adapter to a 10v Hydros Plug, that's easy with all of the pin out info you have on these forums, It's the logic using the Hydros collective I'm curious about.

Your thoughts? Or is all of this for naught and it will switch to low power on the momentary switch to battery in the UPS by seeing the bus voltage go low for a split second?

 

[Danny]

Select the left menu and choose options. On the options screen there is an item called Mode Control Input. Select the 0-10v input you want to use to trigger the modes. Now in the low power mode there is an item called input voltage. Here you select the voltage you want to use to trigger the mode on the previously selected 0-10v input. As far as a 10v power pack. Even though it is labeled as 10v it may have a higher voltage than that when there is no load. If you want to use a power pack you might want to go with a lower voltage and adjust the set voltage to match the output. The 0-10v inputs normally float around 2.5v so it will not drop to 0 volts when you loose power on the transformer. You may want to use a relay powered by the supply and use the normally closed contacts on the 0-10v input. when the relay is energized it would be an open circuit and float at around 2.5v when power is removed and the stored power drained from the caps in the power pack the relay contacts would return to the normally closed position and you would then have 0 volts on the 0-10v input. In that case you could use 0v on the low power mode to trigger it. That way you could still use different voltages and you can still use one of the third party button boxes to manually trigger the other modes since they will be triggered on the same 0-10v input.

 

[JeffB418]

I have put together a tutorial here on how to do this: Low Power Mode/Prime Power Loss Detection w/ Icecap Battery (or WE/WELE)