OK here we go.............
Order the basic system (no c02) and an extra plug controller.
Since none of my computers have serial ports I had to get a usb to serial adapter, paid $40 for the damn thing at staples just cause I didn't feel like waiting another week to get one online for 10$...should have waited.
So I hooked everything up but every time the software would start would get errors saying the adapter could not be found
![Sad :-( :-(](/styles/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
At this point I think 75% of normal user would have been f'ed in the A... Sent an email with the issue....
Lucky me I'm very computer savvy so I looked into the hardware settings and noticed that the usb adapter was set to use Comm port 16....
With Serial Com ports Ive had issues in the past with software not being able to use stuff with higher port numbers so I noticed COM port 2 was available on the system so I switched the adapter to use that instead..... BING! Everything start working, I pat myself on the back and send another email to growtronix stating my solution....
Everything looks great running correctly in the living room.
Sooooooooo.
I take everything down to the install location, run my cables and screw the senors into their final living spots.....
I notice the console logging "Can't find Humidity sensor [name] on the network". It logs this like 20 times a min and the humidity display is not showing values.
Frustrated I give up for the day and email growtronix the situation.
Now let me say they really really do try to be helpful and are pretty quick to respond.
In short they start on the "are you using digital ballasts" angle which indeed I am.
So they tell me its most likely the RF interference generated by the digital ballasts messing with the senor signal on the cables.
At first I'm not convinced but I ran some test where I unplugged ALL the gear, at that point the sensor comes back on and reads values again.
So I plug in everything one at a time (ballasts last) and its only when I turn the relay for the two ballasts in the same room as the sensor that the humidity sensor goes AWOL again proving it is indeed RF interference.
So Ive got a bunch of shielded cables coming in, hopefully that fixes the issue for good but if not my backup is to build Faraday cages around the ballasts to block the RF signals.
Now I can say, the system is indeed very cool. The graph and charting features are great and will come in very handy over the long haul BUT......
If your not good at troubleshooting computers...I wouldn't get it
If you have short patience this isn't for you
If you need stuff working yesterday not tomorrow its not for you....
If your willing to put up with some BS and troubleshooting then it seems like it going to be great...assuming I get it working for real anyways....