Hey guys,

I bought a light for my aquarium. It has a 3 way switch. I’d like to find a way to have each position set to a timer.

Does any one know where I can get a component that could switch it?

I was hoping to find a replacement inline switch that either has a timer, or wifi access.

Any ideas?

 

What three time periods do you want the timer to implement? Is the timer switching 120VAC to the light? How much current does the lamp draw?

 

What three time periods do you want the timer to implement? Is the timer switching 120VAC to the light? How much current does the lamp draw?

It would turn on at 10am, switch to the lower setting at 9pm then turn off at 10pm

The lamp pulls 13w, and the switch would have to run on that

 

https://www.banggood.com/SONOFF-S20...5.html?rmmds=search&ID=3426&cur_warehouse=USA


Regards, Dana.

 

https://www.banggood.com/SONOFF-S20...5.html?rmmds=search&ID=3426&cur_warehouse=USA


Regards, Dana.

Thanks. But these are simply on off switches. I’m looking for something that toggle the inline switch

 

Can you post a link to the light?

 

I have an idea. Pick something that can be automated and provides 2 contact closures. Insteon, UPB are options.

2 switches give you 2 bits. 2 bits can encode

00 off
01 position 1, contact A closed
10 position 2, contact B closed
11 position 3, contact C closed

I am assuming 3 differnet positions, BUT you could make it what would be called a 3-way switch for a light bub where you have 2 filaments your controlling:

00 off
01 position , 100 W, contact A closed
10 position 2, 200 W, contact B closed
11 position 3, 300 W, contact A and B closed

The first one is harder and the second one is really easy. I'll bet you have the second instance. You could parallel the existing switch. When using automation, that switch has to be off.

If it's the former, I would suggest building externally the logic and relay drivers.

Once you have insteon or UPB, all sorts of options open up for you.

e.g. https://smartenit.com/product/ezio2x4/

I did not look extensively. Depending on the module, you might have to add your own external relays. Don;t know if two simultaneous commands occur synchronously or does it even matter?

What voltage does the 3-way switch switch? What is the switching arrangement?


You have 2 filaments your controlling

 

Your descriptions of what you have and what you want are not at all clear.

Is it a toggle, rocker, or rotary switch?

What is the order of the three switch positions? (Is the OFF position in the middle or at one of the ends?)

Is it switching 120/240 Vac line voltage, or DC out of a wall wart, or something else?

Are you asking about an electro-mechanical device that activates the switch you already have, or do you want to replace the switch with circuits/relays/etc?

Please post a photo of the switch.

ak

 

Sorry for the vague information.

I attached a photo of the product I bought

It’s an inline rocker switch. It’s positions are
Left: all LEDs on
Center: off
Right: red and blue leds on.

Ideally, i can find something that lets me simply remove the switch, and replace it with something that can be automated.

 

voltage?

 

In post #3 you refer to the 'lower setting'. How does that relate to the red and blue LEDs?

It would turn on at 10am, switch to the lower setting at 9pm then turn off at 10pm

Presumably that means 'all LEDs' come on at 10am?
Without knowledge of how individual LEDs are wired and powered, interfacing timer circuits with them will be something of a gamble.
I'm puzzled as to why you would want a light to come on during the day and go off at night?

 

Does the cord go directly to a normal size wall outlet plug, or to an inline power supply of some kind?

ak

 

View attachment 187019 Sorry for the vague information.

I attached a photo of the product I bought

It’s an inline rocker switch. It’s positions are
Left: all LEDs on
Center: off
Right: red and blue leds on.

Ideally, i can find something that lets me simply remove the switch, and replace it with something that can be automated.

Hi

There are some good questions asked in post #8. You should provide answers if you can.
How about providing a part number/mfgr for the product. Then we can lookup the data we need to help provide a solution.

eT

 

A lot depends on what your lights are.
There are plenty of example compliments of Google...

https://www.instructables.com/id/Aquarium-Light-PWM-With-Arduino/
https://www.hackster.io/indoorgeek/automated-led-lighting-for-planted-aquarium-f82cd5
https://hackaday.com/2012/03/26/arduino-aquarium-lights/
https://sites.google.com/site/caddnima/myreeftank/led_controller

Looking through some of these may give you ideas.

 

Sorry for the vague information.

I attached a photo of the product I bought

It’s an inline rocker switch. It’s positions are
Left: all LEDs on
Center: off
Right: red and blue leds on.

Ideally, i can find something that lets me simply remove the switch, and replace it with something that can be automated.

 

You still have not told us any technical info about the light.
A number of folk have asked and until you answer, any help is difficult to supply.
Again, what is powering the light?
Is it directly from mains, 110V or 240V, or from a power supply, and if so, is it AC or DC, and what is the voltage?
If you cannot answer these questions, do not try to modify the light as you obviously do not have the skill to do it, and could well create a dangerous condition.

 

Ideally, i can find something that lets me simply remove the switch, and replace it with something that can be automated.

You LIKELY don't have to remove the switch. The switch is likly an SPDT or DPDT center off.

Let's say tat one could use two automated switches to create an ON/OFF and color x and color y type of control with 2 bits.

Guessing: You have some sort of DC supply from a wall wart, The switch effectively powers the red/blue and the other color, so there is some internal switch arrangement of the contacts.

So, you need operating current and voltage ratings. 13 Watts is something to go by, but it's clearly not enough.+

We need contact ratings (we can use the 13 W), but we need voltage. How the switch is wired (take it apart) and if it's connected to a wall wart power supply can help determine if you can use two automated relays directly. If say there was 12 V available, some "glue logic" as we like to call it can do things like prevent 2 relays from being on at the same time and set the modes:
What 00, 01, 10 and 11 define.

Many automation system will likely have SPDT low voltage contacts available. Considering the cost of the modues, you might want external relays.

==

Now you get to the automation end of it. You probably want say cell phone control and timer control.

I'll try to convince you, that you may not want "timer control". You may want "astronomical timer" control. This type of timer has latitude and longitude associated with it and it calculates sunset and sunrise. You can do stuff, like i do at home. One light comes on 1/2 hour after sunset and goes off at 11:30.

UPB *Universal power bus") and Insteon have emerged as good wireless automation standards. The first was x-10.

Insteon uses both power line and zigbee. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insteon

See what UPB and Insteon can offer.

Example: https://www.smarthome.com/insteon-hub-for-homekit.html

A blurb: https://forum.insteon.com/forum/main-category/new-insteon-device-wish-list/97793-simple-timer

and: https://www.smarthome.com/insteon-2245-222-hub.html

It can be controlled by those voice assistant things too.