Reef Central Online Community - View Single Post - AI SOL led Mix-N-Match?

zoolan70 · 03/29/2011, 10:56 AM

Just for future searches on this topic:

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Tim Payne, Mar-28 14:04 (CDT):
I'm planning to buy 3 SOL BLUE units for my tank in the coming months. I was just offered a chance to buy a slightly used SOL WHITE unit, so I'm wondering about the possibility of running them together. I plan to control them with an Aquacontroller Apex controller using their VDM module, but please don't let that muddy the question.
Can I just run them all inline together? If so, the controller, either AI or Apex, controls the LEDs in a simple channel scheme, right? For example, in the SOL BLUE, white may be channel 1, blue is channel 2, and royal is channel 3. Each puck (3 leds) passes the info onto the next, and from whole SOL units via the control cable, correct? So if I increase the power to channel 1, all the white LEDS across all the units increases to the new power output. In the case of one being a WHITE module, what happens? What channel controls the 'blue' led in that unit? I'd guess the 'white channel' and 'royal channel' would then control the two white LEDs, correct?
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Chris Clough, Mar-29 09:20 (CDT):
Hi Tim,
You can mix them together, but you will be unable to control the Sol White and Sol Blue channels independently from each other. Your assumption regarding how they would all control is correct.
If you decide to purchase the Sol White, and want to make it a Sol Blue, you can send it in for $200 and we can swap out for Sol Blue and reprogram. Not sure if that makes sense dollar wise, but it's an option.
Best regards,
-Chris

03/29/2011, 10:56 AM	#7
zoolan70 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 248	Just for future searches on this topic: --------------------------------- Tim Payne, Mar-28 14:04 (CDT): I'm planning to buy 3 SOL BLUE units for my tank in the coming months. I was just offered a chance to buy a slightly used SOL WHITE unit, so I'm wondering about the possibility of running them together. I plan to control them with an Aquacontroller Apex controller using their VDM module, but please don't let that muddy the question. Can I just run them all inline together? If so, the controller, either AI or Apex, controls the LEDs in a simple channel scheme, right? For example, in the SOL BLUE, white may be channel 1, blue is channel 2, and royal is channel 3. Each puck (3 leds) passes the info onto the next, and from whole SOL units via the control cable, correct? So if I increase the power to channel 1, all the white LEDS across all the units increases to the new power output. In the case of one being a WHITE module, what happens? What channel controls the 'blue' led in that unit? I'd guess the 'white channel' and 'royal channel' would then control the two white LEDs, correct? ________________________________________ Chris Clough, Mar-29 09:20 (CDT): Hi Tim, You can mix them together, but you will be unable to control the Sol White and Sol Blue channels independently from each other. Your assumption regarding how they would all control is correct. If you decide to purchase the Sol White, and want to make it a Sol Blue, you can send it in for $200 and we can swap out for Sol Blue and reprogram. Not sure if that makes sense dollar wise, but it's an option. Best regards, -Chris __________________ 500 gallon in-wall with 250 extra gallons of sumps / frag tanks / etc behind it.