Controlling External Loads with AlphaMon

Configuring Relay Window Settings in AlphaMon.net

AlphaMon.net allows you to configure relay windows for different times of the day and days of the week. This lets you control when specific relays are activated or enabled. The actual on/off state of the relay when activated, as well as the trigger event, can also be defined using Configuration File settings.

AlphaMon can control an external Solid State Relay (SSR) with a 0-5 volt DC switching input signal. This allows you to control high-power devices such as a hot water heater (to dump excess solar power) or disconnect a battery system from the grid (to prevent charging during peak tariff periods when power is most expensive).

Important Note: AlphaMon’s internal relay is a 250mW MOSFET and is not protected from reverse current spikes. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to use an SSR for switching inductive loads or any load that could generate reverse current spikes. Do not directly connect mechanical relays or other inductive loads to the AlphaMon’s internal relay output.

Here’s a guide on how to format the value field to define these relay windows.

Key and Value

The key and corresponding value pair you’ll use depends on the relay and season you’re configuring.

Note: Currently, only RELAY1 is accessible via a screw terminal connector on the Outdoor Module PCB of AlphaMon, however other relay signals are available at other locations on the PCB.

As an example, to define the time-based activation windows for Summer months using Relay 1, you’d use the Config File key value “RELAY1_SUMMER“.
Here’s the general format of what you’ll enter into your Terminal Emulator app:

RELAY1_SUMMER = "start_time1-end_time1 days1, start_time2-end_time2 days2, ..."

Explanation of the Format

• start_time and end_time are specified in 24-hour format (e.g., “10:30”, “17:15”, etc.) and refer to your local time.
• You can define multiple time windows for the specified relay by separating them with a comma (,).
• days represents the days of the week that the time window applies to. You specify days by concatenating the day abbreviations. Valid days are Mo (Monday), Tu (Tuesday), We (Wednesday), Th (Thursday), Fr (Friday), Sa (Saturday), and Su (Sunday). For example, “MoTuWe” means Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Examples

Here are some examples of how to define relay windows:

• Example 1: Relay 1 is enabled on weekdays from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM during Summer months

RELAY1_SUMMER = "10:30-12:30 MoTuWeThFr"

• Example 2: Relay 1 is enabled on weekends from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and weekdays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

RELAY1_SUMMER = "09:00-11:00 SaSu, 17:00-19:00 MoTuWeThFr"

• Example 3: Relay 1 is enabled on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

RELAY1_SUMMER = "13:00-15:00 TuTh, 14:00-16:00 WeFr"

• Example 4: Relay 1 is enabled on all days from 00:00 to 23:59

RELAY1_SUMMER = "00:00-23:59 MoTuWeThFrSaSu"
or
RELAY1_SUMMER = "00:00-23:59"

Things to Check Before Saving

• Ensure there are no typos in the key/s (RELAY1_SUMMER, RELAY1_WINTER, RELAY1_SPRING and RELAY1_AUTUMN). Also check start times, end times, or day abbreviations.
• Verify that the colons separating hours and minutes in start and end times are correct (:).
• Check that commas separate different time windows (,).
• Make sure day abbreviations are concatenated without spaces (e.g., “MoTuWe”, not “Mo Tu We”).
• Remember to use double quotes around the entire value.
• Make sure start times are before end times.

Example for RELAY1_WINTER

The configuration for the winter season (RELAY1_WINTER) follows the same format but will likely have different time window/s. For instance, you might set shorter relay activation times during winter due to shorter daylight hours:

RELAY1_WINTER = "08:00-16:00 MoTuWeThFrSaSu"

Relay Activation and Deactivation

It’s important to understand that configuring these time windows enables the relay during the specified periods. Whether the relay is actually on or off depends on other system settings. Outside of the defined time windows, the relay is deactivated or disabled.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you can accurately configure relay window settings in AlphaMon.net. Remember to double-check your entries before saving to ensure your relay is enabled according to your desired schedule.