Profilux II plus aquarium controller

[big blue]

New Update of my WLAN Tutorial (baud rate / timeout) for download on my homepage

WLAN Tutorial

[niloc16]

thanks big blue. question for you. i have two computers at home, one connected to the modem/wireless router hard wired and the other computer is connected wirelessly to this unit. i have been trying to connect to the controller with the computer that is wireless, is this right or should i be using the computer that is hardwired to the router?

[Matthias Gross]

hi niloc16

in any case you must establish the connection directly (ad hoc) for the initial settings!
Please use the wireless computer for configuring with Deviceinstaller and shut off the router while this procedure, maybe he would disturb this process!
Please tell me when you got access to the PLM-WLAN, than i will go on with support and tell you what to do next.

And don't forget:
- assign a static IP to your wireless notebook before searching the device with DeviceInstaller
- if not allready done: Reset the WLAN settings in Profilux to defaults

[Aqua-IT]

Originally Posted by big blue

Please be informed that there is already a large potential of know-how related to the Profilux controller in the www.aqua-it.de forum and you are welcome to post your questions there in the English section. There are a lot of other Profilux users who will answer your questions much faster than here where we found your questions only with a hint of Matthias.
here.

Hi,

the original link to the German-Support Forum for Profilux is http://forum.aqua-it.de. We have a new English section for Profilux Customers in Canada/USA and near 2000 Postings about Profilux in german. The English section is moderate by Matthias Gross (Manufacturer) and Big Blue...

[niloc16]

just tonight i had the same problem as bullit67, my halide would not shut off. the led is out but there is still power my wife had to unplug it to get it to go off. i dont understand why a heavy load would effect the relay system if the bar is rated for 1500w. it is too late now to bang on the power bar to see if it will work but i'll try in the morning.

[Matthias Gross]

Hi niloc,

bullit67 wrote he did NOT connect metal halide lamps to the socket which seems to make trouble.

To your case
The powerbars are even designed for 15A switching current. The relays are applicable for 250/16A.
The problem is the high so called inrush-current of inductive loads (here are the coils of your ballast inductive). At the moment of switching on the metal halide we have a current of up to 150A for some miliseconds! This current peak is to short to blow the fuse (otherwise your housefuse would also blow) but in some cases long enough to damage the relays.
This problem is always given with switching coils (eg ballasts for metal) and there are these solutions:
- use of an inrush current limiter
- spread the load to several sockets (maybe you connected some lamps to one socket?)
- use of an digital electronic ballast. (These electronic ballasts are standard in our metal halide lamps)

I know that other manufacturers of switchable powerbars have these problems too. Some solved it by the use of electronic switches. But these have the disadvantage that the can't shut off small loads (eg valves).
Others solved it using more sensitive fuses - here we have the problem that higher non inductive loads can't be driven either.

And could you please give me the exact watts for metal halide lamps you connected to the socket? Maybe you have the model/producer of your lamp/ballast?

Greetings

Matthias

[niloc16]

matthias,

i only have one metal halide lamp connected to this power bar. it is a 400w lumen max2 reflector with and aquaconnect 14k bulb and a 400w icecap electronic ballast. the other bar i have has 2 of these same units on it but are programmed to come on 1 minute apart from each to reduce the large load all at once on the power bar.

colin

[support@proline]

Hi Matthias
The ballast colin is using is the same ballast we had on the fixtures @ MACNA
so they are a bit different than your european version of electronic ballast
There will be a intial start up surge ,with most these ballast.
Colin how is the W-LAN working for you?

[niloc16]

the WLAN is not working, i have not attempted installing it in about a week. i was getting extrememly frustrated so i left if for a bit and actually played with the controller, got it setup in the tank finally. but possibly this week i may try again. matthias and bigblue have given some ideas to try so i'll try that. by the sounds of it my issue is my wireless network and since i've only used the wireless internet for about 3 months i'm pretty inexperienced in troubleshooting and setting up the network.

[Dave C]

Originally Posted by support@proline

Hello Psyire
Thank you for sharing your experience ,I don't want to hijack the thread ,however ,I am not sure why you think aquatronica is more felxible ,I have not had the opportunity to play around with the Elos Controller much ,but as far as profilux ,It has way more features than Aquatronica ,The programing is alot more advanced & has way more failsafes for each feature ,We had these units unveiled @ MACNA this year ,so the reason that there are currently more northamerican users for aquatronica is that ,profilux is new here ,Matthias Gross ,Designer /Programmer of Profilux did take it's time to make sure all commponents are UL tested & tested the north american versions for few months before production. (unlike other brands)
There are alot more Profilux users in germany than Aquatronica ,I do have family in Colonge germany & visit quiet frequently ,you can find profilux in many aquarium shops ,in case of aquatronica it was distributed by fauna marin in the past & only in a few shops
http://www.ghl-kl.de/Produkte/Aquari...e_handler.html

http://aquatronica.de/haendler.html
Also GHL won an award for this controller in 2005
http://www.ghl-kl.de/Produkte/Aquari.../uber_uns.html.


I do frequent some of the aquatronica boards & I believe more than anything majority of the posts are about the flaws ,problems & part replacements they need.I have read your post & I believe you are very knowledgable aquarist &very hands on & familliar with aquatronica ,but I believe it will be hard to judge a unit without Having experience with it,I amsure given the chance you will be very impressed with profilux .
We have our first shipment of Profilux plus II units on the way they should be here shortly & I will be doing a overall review ,specially on all the new componnents & I hope you get the chance to read it .
Along Many extra features of profilux ,what sets them Apart
1- advance programing
2- Better quality probes ,specially the conductivity probe in case of aquatronica they use a graphite one ,profilux uses platinum probes that is actually meant for SW
3-The Dimming light options that come stock with unit
4- Powerbars are alot better quality & they can handle 30 amps between the 8 sockets,in case of aquatronica is only 15.
Also each socket has a seprate fuse.
5- the W-LAN option that is already out & tested makes this unit alot easier to work with.
6- Combo Interfaces instead of having to buy a seprate interface for each option .
& many ,many more ,as I promised I will keep you guys posted very soon.
& also I have to agree with you RK2 dosen't even play in the same playgrund.
Regards
Proline

I was pretty sure this post would come back & bite someone in the butt. I wish you lots of luck with this controller & I don't doubt that it will be working for you soon. This thread & the issues pointed out show that no matter how well tested something is in advance of it's issue to the customers there can always be problems. That works for Aquatronica & Profilux as well as any other brand. It would be unfair at this point to make a broad statement like "the majority of the posts about Profilux are about the flaws ,problems & part replacements they need" but at this point that would fit.