Sole/AWC - How to

[James]

I’ve noticed that some people are curious about using the Sole in an AWC environment. At the moment, the AWC doesn’t have the option to select Sole as a fill or drain pump just yet. I reached out to the team at CV, and they shared that this feature is definitely on the way in a future update! While they couldn’t provide a specific timeline, they assured me it will be sooner rather than later. In the meantime, if you’d prefer not to wait for this feature, I’d love to share how I’ve navigated around the current limitations.

1. Create two separate water level sensors in the Inputs section. One labeled HIGH and the other LOW.
2. Create an Advanced > Generic Output and call it Virtual Fill
   1. Set the Input Count to 0
   2. Leave the Output Device set to None.
3. Create a second Advanced > Generic Output like in step 2 and call it Virtual Drain.
4. Create a Doser > Smart Doser Output and call it Fill Doser
   1. Under Output Device, select one of your Sole pumps
   2. Enable Runs Constantly
   3. Set the speed you wish the pump to run
   4. Under Depends On, select the Virtual Fill output you created in step 2. Set the Dependency to Off if Off.
5. Create a second Doser > Smart Doser Output for your second Sole and call it Drain Doser.
   1. Under Output Device, select one of your Sole pumps
   2. Enable Runs Constantly
   3. Set the speed you wish the pump to run
   4. Under Depends On, select the Virtual Drain output you created in step 3. Set the Dependency to Off if Off.
6. Create a new AWC Output
   1. Set your High-Level input to the one you created in step 1
   2. Set your Low-Level input to the one you created in step 1
   3. Set your ATO Output Device (this is the drive or AC outlet for your ATO pump)
   4. Under Drain Output Device, select the Virtual Drain output you created in Step 5
      1. Enable Advanced Settings
      2. Enter a Maximum Time (As a user, you must run your Drain Pump and manually time it until the water sensor tells the pump to stop. Add a reasonable amount of time to it and this will become a failsafe stop that will prevent the AWC from draining your tank if the sensor fails.)
   5. Under Fill Output Device, select the Virtual Fill output you created in Step 4
      1. Enable Advanced Settings
      2. Enter a Maximum Time (As a user, you must run your Fill Pump and manually time it until the water sensor tells the pump to stop. Add a reasonable amount of time to it and this will become a failsafe stop that will prevent the AWC from overflowing your tank if the sensor fails.)
   6. Continue below to configure a SIMPLE AWC schedule. If you want something more elaborate (such as choosing every X number of days or a specific day of the week), enable "Use External Schedule" and create an AWC schedule in the Schedules section.
7. Upload changes

 

[tjiddy]

Thanks for this James. I'm curious why drain and refill seems to be the recommended approach. It seems like running both pumps simultaneously (draining from sump entry, refill into sump exit) would be more beneficial. (no need to stop ato, not reliant on level sensors, etc...). Is it just to reduce the dilution effect, or is it to account for pump calibration drift?

 

[Carlos]

If the pumps were identical and operated at the same flow, your proposal would be feasible. Unfortunately, each pump has slight variations.

 

[tjiddy]

So even if we calibrate the 2 sole pumps to be the same rate, the simultaneous drain/fill approach wouldn't be a recommended approach?

 

[Brhutchi]

So even if we calibrate the 2 sole pumps to be the same rate, the simultaneous drain/fill approach wouldn't be a recommended approach?

this was my thought, yes there still could be variation in the pumps, but if properly calibrated, it should work.

 

[Danny]

this was my thought, yes there still could be variation in the pumps, but if properly calibrated, it should work.

I use the Minnow pumps for my AWC but it is split into 4 times a day. They do not run at the same time but they do run sequentially. I also have a output setup to halt the ATO while the AWC is running and the ATO has a 5 minute delay so it does not turn on between the drain pump run and the fill pump run. You can also do the same with the sole. I have a maximum on time and run past max on time set to off in the ATO. I also have a Maximum off time set for the ATO of 3 hours. So if either of those happen I will get an alert and I can check things out. Here is a link to my build thread were I have post with screenshots and descriptions of what I am doing, The AWC post using the Minnow starts qt post # 197 on page 10 of the thread on Reef Central. Here is the link Hex Tank Build . The link should take you to page 10 so you would have to scroll down to the post, Let me know if you have any questions about it.

 

[blaineklein09]

@James I have tried this from both the app on my phone and the app on my computer and can not get past adding the drain/fill virtual plugs. The ones created in the first couple of steps do not come up as choices of selection. What firmware number is this working on?

 

[Danny]

@James I have tried this from both the app on my phone and the app on my computer and can not get past adding the drain/fill virtual plugs. The ones created in the first couple of steps do not come up as choices of selection. What firmware number is this working on?

Are you trying to use the Sole Pumps for AWC?

 

[blaineklein09]

@Danny yeah, as you could deduct from my post about it. Lol.

 

[BR260354]

So even if we calibrate the 2 sole pumps to be the same rate, the simultaneous drain/fill approach wouldn't be a recommended approach?

That's what I do on my two Versa pumps. I do about 1.75 gallons every morning over 1.5 hours. Seems to be fine. I may switch to Sole or Minnow (if possible) when the Versas give out. I bought the Versas before the X10/Minnow came out.