You maybe aware I have been having a few problems with my Aquasuite and Aquaero interface. Along with not being able to get my tubemeter to talk to the Aquaero via the Aquabus connection.

Warning, it is vital that all your connections are correct particualry the USB connections at the MB and Aquaero are of the correct polarity, or like me you will destroy your Aquaero's and the MB USB. READ BOTH YOUR AQUAERO AND MB MANUALS CAREFULLY, and do not try and save time by making changes to the USB connections with the computers power on, remove the plug as your USB's remain live after shut down.

Assuming you have connected all the cables correctly here is my worked solution to the strange bug I have encountered with the Aquasuite software. I am hoping you will find this helpful if you have this same problem and maybe steer Aqua-Computer to locate the software bug and solve it in a later Aquasuite release. Lets face it, the AC stuff is really nice and I want everyone who uses it to enjoy it the way it should be.

Some General information about my set-up:

Aquasuite version 4.39.2375.16734

Aquaero info:

Firmware version 4.10a
OS version 2.03
Hardware Version 4.00
Language Eng

Jumper set 1-2 to allow for main power only

1 Molex power cable connected
1 Aquastream cable connected
4 fans connected
6 temp sensors
2 LED's
1 Flow sensor
1 Aquabus connected to Tubemeter

No relay or expansion connection.


Aquastream info:

Firmware version 1.31
Default frequency set
Status Pump ok

1 Aquastream cable connected
1 pump cable
1 Frequency of pump to MB cable

The Molex power supply in not connected as per the Aquaero manual.

Tubemeter info:

Firmware 1.05 (Needs 1.06 to work correctly I think, but it will not let me flash it to 1.06. I have tested my other tubemeter which happens to be firmware version 1.06 and that works a treat. However version 1.05 does show I have 100% water in it even when this is not the case. It is mounted upside down though, changing them over is not a easy task)

Hardware version 1.01

I had the following symptoms:

1. Cannot alter any parameters of the temperature sensors via the 'Sensor tab' for the Aquaero in the Aquasuite software.

E.g. If a parameter is changed it looked like that change had registered in the software, but if you then change another parameter the previously changed parameter would then change to the 100% value for that parameter. This would then be transmitted to the aquaero, rendering the heart of your monitoring system useless. Then if you looked at another 'Tab' and came back to the 'Sensor Tab', this action itself would alter the max limit setting of sensor 1 to 100%.

2. Tubemeter does not talk to the Aquaero via the 5-pin aquabus connection cable. Stange things like sensor names would be changed or lost within Aquasuite, my pump would be shown as not connected when it was etc... Even some of the sensors would show some strange readings and the LED does not flash.



So here is my fix to these problems:


Temporary Aquaero fix:

Only use the menu system of your Aquaero to alter the Sensor parameters that control your fans. I know this is fiddly when compared to using the software but this will work for the time being if you have this problem. You can use the software to change all your other settings for all the other components. In the meantime, do not use the Aquasuite software to change any Sensor parameter settings or it will change them to 100%. If this happens go back to your Aquaero and manually change it.

If you visit the 'Sensor tab' after making your manual changes there is a chance it will alter the max limit setting of sensor 1 to 100%. Due to this I have deleted the 'Sensor tab' so I dont look in it. To do this, when in the 'Sensor tab' click on the 'X' of the Aquaero box next to the arrows and it will remove that tab. If you want it back click on the Aquaero menu at the top which brings up the firmware etc options and click the 'Return to default settings' that will bring all the deleted tabs back.

Now to view your temp settings you can do this by looking at the 'overview tab'. If you have lots of different profiles then save them and you can load them up when needed.

Try it and see, it certainly works for me untill the bug is fixed.


Tubemeter fix:

This took me ages to work out, but infact it was a simple solution. I am sure from reading other problems which seem to produce simlar symptoms to mine the same mistake could have been made.

For info, when I connected my Tubemeter to its own USB connection on my MB it worked ok within Aquasuite. the one with firmware version 1.05 always shows 100% water level but the one with 1.06 works fine. That way you can see if you have a faulty tubemeter, if no readings at all it is probably faulty. I'm sure if I could flash my 1.05 to 1.06 it would work ok with the latest Aquasuite version.

The reason for all the strange events was I connected my Tubemeter incorrectly. I am usually very careful with such things, but I have been caught out twice now, hence my warning above. The reason is due to being silly, but the USB cable that comes with the Tubemeter, Aquaero and multiswitch have 5 cables on the connector. The 5-pin aquabus connection cable has only 4 wires comming out of it. As my tubemeter instruction are all in German, and I was not thinking (wishing I learned German now at school) I had mistakenly connected the black wire to the 1 pin of my Tubemeter. Not helped by the angle I can see it in the computer and only having 4 wires, double conformation bias, I was convinced my connection was correct for ages. It was not until I played with my other Tubemeter that was outside that computer, I realised the mistake!

With the cable connected correctly, it instanly worked, the LED started flashing, my pump was registered as OK again and I could see all the info was being correctly passed to the Aquaero and dispalyed in the software. Despite the firmware not working, atleast it now does something.

Further info, for my particular system and problems, at no time did powering the Aquastream as well solve my situation. In fact it produced further stange annomilies. With the correct connection to the Tubemeter it all works fine and no molex is connected to the Aquastream.

Here is a Pic of how to connect your 5-pin connector to your Tubemeter:





I hope this helps someone.


SNIFFY

Cheers again.

yep that does work, however when you revisit the 'Sensor tab' you still will have to adjust the Max limit of the left sensor that is selected.

In fact you can shorten the process by clicking on the box you want to change, enter the value you want including the decimal place using a ',' or even '.,' to seperate the decimal place, do not use '.' though.

eg. 40,9 or 40.,9 not like 40.9

then move the mouse off that box and left click. no need to press enter at all.

Then you should see the ',' or the '.,' change to a '.' and the colour of the yellow background become the same as the others. The value is then saved.

However when you come back to the 'sensor tab' you will have to re-enter the max limit setting of the left displayed sensor. thats when the '.,' method is the quickest way to do that.


Thanks though, your method works well, wish I new about that earlier. Many thanks for you post.


SNIFFY

I would also add, its only values with a decimal place which have this bug. all others even on the sensor tab which don't have a decimal place do not require this technique.

That is where the problem may lie in the coding for the decimal place.