AT Control

The official name is AT-Control. Aqua Medic’s preserved product page uses that name for a central microprocessor controller and identifies the commercial item as a system set. It does not establish a second independent device called AT Control System: that wording describes the same ecosystem, making the neighbouring catalog record an identity duplicate to merge rather than a technical variant. This is a legacy product, not a current equivalent of Aqua Medic’s newer controllers. The manufacturer’s present download site still hosts its software and driver, while the product page and technical manuals survive as archived copies of official publications. That context prevents unsupported claims about cloud services, mobile applications or present-day compatibility from being attached to the product.

The architecture starts with the AT-Control set and needs a Power Box to support the bus and switch connected loads. The set contains the controller, holder, connection to the Power Box, computer interface, software, temperature sensor and documentation; the operation manual treats the Power Box as a separate required component. Basic operation covers temperature control, timer functions and a computer link. The design is modular, so dedicated interfaces add further measurement and regulation without turning every accessory into standard box contents. Anyone assessing a used example should therefore inventory the actual boxes, cables, probes and power components. The controller on its own is not a complete operational installation, and a photograph of the display cannot establish that the required system parts are present.

Programming is available from the controller keys or from the computer program described by the official manuals. Sockets can be named, switched manually or assigned schedules, and the documentation also describes pump alternation, tide simulation, post-outage behaviour and a seasonal function. Supported parameters can follow fixed references or curves through the day, with separate switching thresholds and visual or audible alarms. Stored readings can be recalled and presented graphically by the software. These are capabilities of the historical system rather than promises of faultless automation. An incorrectly assigned socket, an uncalibrated probe or an incomplete configuration can issue an unsuitable command even when the controller itself follows its program, so each output needs a deliberate functional test before unattended use.

The Power Box provides 6 controllable mains sockets, 7 USB system-bus ports and 2 direct connections for temperature or level probes. Other parameters need the matching Interface Box and correct probe: pH, Redox potential, conductivity for fresh or purified water, density for marine water and level are not all included in the set. Units communicate through USB-shaped connectors used as the platform bus; that does not make arbitrary generic USB peripherals compatible. The manual allows expansion with a hub and additional Power Boxes, but each component still has to be recognised by the controller. The Ethernet module, computer interface and other accessories belong specifically to the AT-Control platform and should not be substituted merely because a connector or an Aqua Medic controller name looks similar.

Installation should treat the product as a legacy system that switches mains-powered equipment. Internal bus and probe connections are completed first, controller, Power Box and interfaces are secured in stable positions, and the Power Box is connected to power only afterwards. Sensor boxes are closed again to protect delicate contacts, cables remain identifiable, and similar-looking leads are not exchanged by assumption. The documented network module is not watertight, is intended for indoor use and contains no user-serviceable parts; the same cautious placement principle keeps the wider assembly away from splash, condensation and salt deposits. For used equipment, cables, outlets, holders and switching behaviour should be inspected and tested before any essential heater, cooler, pump or valve is entrusted to it.

At startup the controller recognises attached sensors and modules progressively, and the user confirms the components before building programs. Temperature is the base measurement, while other parameter menus appear only with the appropriate interface and probe. The menus provide calibration and recording where relevant, but the manuals do not support one universal service interval for every probe. Condition, age, deposits and comparison with suitable reference solutions or instruments determine when attention is needed. During calibration, the output that could be driven by that measurement should be neutralised so a temporary reading cannot trigger dosing, heating or another load. A disconnected sensor or damaged cable produces a warning state; the fault should be investigated rather than concealed through repeated resets.

AT-Control’s useful quality is local integration of measurements, timers, outlets and programs in an expandable platform without requiring a remote service. Its documentation is detailed and exposes behaviour through both controller and computer. The limitations are equally important: it is legacy hardware, requires a separate Power Box, depends on optional interfaces and probes for many functions, and its software was written for historical Windows environments. Files still hosted by Aqua Medic do not prove compatibility with modern operating systems or current support. The dossiers’ industrial-precision language, perfect autonomy, guaranteed stability, disparaging comparisons and scientific use presented as certified product performance have been removed. An incomplete or untested second-hand unit should not be described as a ready automation solution.