Status Light meaning on controller

[thecodingart]

Does anyone know where I can find the color code information for the status LED light? One of my X10s is red after adding it via a drive to an XP8 and I’m unsure of what that means.

 

[Danny]

For one you don't have the power supply plugged into it. Without it your dosing pumps will not run. For anothet thing the open command bus port does not have a terminator.

 

[thecodingart]

For one you don't have the power supply plugged into it. Without it your dosing pumps will not run. For anothet thing the open command bus port does not have a terminator.

You only need 1 terminator per the documentation, I have my terminator on the XP8.

The power I was unsure of as the documentation mostly notes to not have 2 power supplies when using a command bus with data + power.

I did end up plugging it in, but the documentation seems incomplete in capturing that the x10 can take power from both the command bus and a dedicated power supply.

 

[Danny]

You only need 1 terminator per the documentation, I have my terminator on the XP8.

The power I was unsure of as the documentation mostly notes to not have 2 power supplies when using a command bus with data + power.

I did end up plugging it in, but the documentation seems incomplete in capturing that the x10 can take power from both the command bus and a dedicated power supply.

For small collectives you can probably get by with just one terminator but the next time you order you might want to get another so you will have it when you do need it. If you keep adding to the collective at some point you will need the second terminator.

The only power supply that has an issue being with another source of power is the one that plugs directly into the command bus. The controllers that do have the separated power input the reason is that the outputs on these could possibly overload the bus power since the bus power is not meant for high power loads. The X10, XD, XP8, Launch and wave engines can be in the same collective together and all are power givers if needed. Also the brain of these units can be powered from the bus but the outputs cannot. In your case the X10 brain can take power from the bus and function but the pumps and drive ports would not work.

 

[thecodingart]

For small collectives you can probably get by with just one terminator but the next time you order you might want to get another so you will have it when you do need it. If you keep adding to the collective at some point you will need the second terminator.

The only power supply that has an issue being with another source of power is the one that plugs directly into the command bus. The controllers that do have the separated power input the reason is that the outputs on these could possibly overload the bus power since the bus power is not meant for high power loads. The X10, XD, XP8, Launch and wave engines can be in the same collective together and all are power givers if needed. Also the brain of these units can be powered from the bus but the outputs cannot. In your case the X10 brain can take power from the bus and function but the pumps and drive ports would not work.

Awesome explanation and thank you. I was specifically trying to seek this exact information in the documentation and don't believe it was detailed out well. Thank you for that.

As for the terminators, do you perhaps have insights on what they "exactly" do beyond just covering the termination port from the outside world? That's something I've been wondering for a while now tbh. Functionally speaking, I'm not entirely certain I understand their purpose.

 

[Danny]

Awesome explanation and thank you. I was specifically trying to seek this exact information in the documentation and don't believe it was detailed out well. Thank you for that.

As for the terminators, do you perhaps have insights on what they "exactly" do beyond just covering the termination port from the outside world? That's something I've been wondering for a while now tbh. Functionally speaking, I'm not entirely certain I understand their purpose.

The terminators are a resistor that is across two pins of the command bus and allows communication between the controllers that are connected to the bus. It is a type of CAN bus system similar to the one used in cars. I am not sure the exact differences so that is why referred to it as similar to the one used in cars. Without at least one terminator the communication would not occur but the power would still be present and power any controllers that do not have their own power source. There is a DIY section in this forum that has a lot of information on all the different ports and the pinouts to the ports. In that section it has the two pins that the resistor is attached and the resistor value. But at the price of the connector and time it would take to do it yourself you would not save much by making your own. Unless you needed it faster than you could get one would be the only reason I would make one and I am a electronics technician by trade.