help setting up pinpoint temp controller

[firebirdcrzy]

I have just purchased a pinpoint temp controller for my chller and heater. The chiller is a JBJ Artica 1/5 hp and heater is a ebo-jagger 200 watt. I have been trying to keep temp stable at 78 deg. I currently have the chiller set at 78 deg so it kicks on at 79 and off at 77. heater is set a 77. my problem is the temp fluctuates between 77/79. I want to keep temp more stable at 78. I have been having problems with the heater as them temp setting on it dosn't seem to be accurate. I purchased the temp controller to try to help with my problem. My question is how should I set the controller to keep my temp more stable at 78? Anyone have any experience with these controllers please help me out.

 

[firebirdcrzy]

Anyone? I know they have sold more of these controllers then just the 1 I bought.

 

[oldsaltman]

I use fans and not a chiller, but my temp is staying between 79 and 79.5. I set my heaters to turn off at 79 and my fans to come on at 79.3 and to turn off at 79.
Why does you chiller stay on until the temp gets to 77? Why does your heaters not come on until the temp hits 77? It looks like that is your problem.

 

[GT3000XX]

I have a Pinpoint Temp controller. Read your instructions and they will tell you how to set the closest setpoint. I believe the closest you can set the setpoint swing is 1 degree. Plug your heaters and chiller into the unit. Make sure to set your chiller at a lower temperature than you want it to cool to and let the Pinpoint turn your chiller off and on. Let's say your set point is 77.4 on the low side (heat on) and 78.4 on the high side (chiller on) If I remember correctly your heater will not turn on until temp reaches 76.9 and your chiller will not turn on until you tank temp reaches 78.9. So you can have a swing of 2 degrees which is a close as you can get it. Keep in mind the swing will be slow up and down which will be fine for the aquarium life. I hope I explained everything correctly and accurately. Good Luck !

 

[oldsaltman]

With my 55g I used a Ranco controller and it kept the temp within 1/2 degree. I bought a Aquacontroller Jr for my new 90g and it too keeps the temp within 1/2 degree. I am not saying that 1/2 degree is necessary, but I would not like the constant swing of 3 degrees. I think you could keep it closer.

 

[woz9683]

Do Ranco's even display partial degrees? Mine didn't, they were the same as that pinpoint. Set it at 79, and the fans kick on at 80, heaters on at 78. That's a two degree swing too. I'm not sure how the rounding for the display is connected to the control though, so I suppose it could keep temp. swings within 1.2 degrees. For example, set point 79, display turns to 80 at 79.6 degrees, and kicks on fans possibly, so only .6 degree temp swing up. But if it stayed within a half a degree it was a coincidence or a different unit than the two types I've used.

firebirdcrzy, your tank should be fine with a 2 degree swing. That's not uncommon, and not detrimental.

 

[woz9683]

Oh, plus if you want to keep the tank at exactly 78, you'll be constantly switching back and forth between chiller on and heaters on which would be a waste of energy.

Oh, I guess that's how you could get a Ranco to stay within 1 degree. Make the set point for chiller 78 with 1 degree fluctuation, so it stays on until temp gets to 77. Then you'd have to make the heater set point 77 and stay on until it gets to 78. But, again, this is a huge waste of energy as the two will constantly be fighting each other. One or the other would always be on under these conditions.

My guess is the programming for the pinpoint is similar to this situation, but I can't say for sure. I've never used one. So, chances are that's the most constant you could get it.

 

[oldsaltman]

No, the Ranco doesn't display partial degrees. I use a digital thermometer for a second temp reading in my tank. Now that I use the ACjr. which does display degrees to the 1/10th. I use the Ranco as and alarm it the temp gets too high or low. I prefer to have two different digital readings of the temp in my tank.

 

[oldsaltman]

You can use whatever you want to control the temp in your tank, but the OP ask how to keep his tank at a more stable temperature.

 

[woz9683]

Which I did based on a guess that the pinpoint is programmed similarly to the Ranco. It's wasteful, but I did explain how to do it. You however, still have not suggested how that might be done with his current controller Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[GT3000XX]

woz9683:
You are correct. To get the temp to be 78 there would always be a constant fight between the chiller and heater. That is why the Pinpoint design has the swing it does. You would probably see an average of 78 degress.

 

[oldsaltman]

It appears that he has a 2 degree built in difference between the chiller and heaters. He wants his temp set at 78. His chiller does not come on until the temp is 79. That will not keep his temp at 78. His heaters don't come on until the temp hits 77. That will not keep his temp at 78. If he wants a more constant temperature then he will need to change one or both of his settings. I think that is the way you keep a constant temperature.

 

[oldsaltman]

And if he doesn't want a constant temperature then he can leave it like it is.

 

[GT3000XX]

Bottom line is the Pinpoint temp controller you purchased will not keep you tank at exactly 78 degress consistantly.

 

[woz9683]

Oldsaltman, that's not how it works. If you just read my explanation before it would make sense. If you want the heaters to come on when the tank gets to 77, you could make a set point of 78 with a 1 degree down differential. This means the controller will allow the temp to drop to 77, then turn on the heaters. THE HEATERS WILL STAY ON UNTIL THE TEMP GETS BACK TO 78. This is the key. The object being controlled has to have a start point and end point. So, that's half the battle. At this point, if I really wanted only a total of 1 degree fluctuation I could give my chiller a set point of 77 with a 1 degree up differential. This would allow the chiller to come on as soon as the tank temp hits 78, and stay on until it gets back to 77. Herein lies the problem. Yes, I'm now keeping my tank within a 1 degree range. But, the chiller and heaters constantly fight each other. Say, the tank temp drops to 77, then my heaters come on. Great! And, they stay on until the tank hits 78 like they're supposed to and then go off. Great! But now my tank temp is 78, so my chiller comes on to cool the tank back to 77. It goes down to 77 like it's supposed to, but now my heaters are going to come back on immediately. It's a constant cycle.

The only reasonable way to set a controller like this is to use a total 2 degree differential or more. Midpoint 78, heaters set to come on at 77 and go off at 78; chiller set to come on at 79 and go off at 78. This way, as long as I'm between 77 and 79 nothing is on, unless something is already trying to get back to the midpoint. But, once the midpoint is reached, everything stays off until I stray outside that range again.

Now, with a full controller like a ReefKeeper or a AquaController, you get temp readings in the 1/10 degree range, so you can keep the temp much closer. But, the programming is still identical, just reduced by a power of 10. So, I could keep the temp within a 0.2 degree range and nothing would ever be on at the same time. If I tried to keep a 0.1 degree temp range I'd end up with the same problem I had setting the Ranco or Pinpoint for a 1 degree range, a constant battle between chiller and heaters. Now, realistically you'd never want to keep a 0.2 degree range even though you could do it, because you'd still end up with a lot of unnecessary back and forth plus a lot of cycling on and off.

Bottom line, a two degree range is entirely sufficient for our tanks and the health of the inhabitants. So, even if you have the capability with a full controller, it's not worth the extra energy resulting from trying to keep the tank temp within such a tight range.

GT3000XX, thanks for the backup, and you're right as well. The settings I'm suggesting would leave you with an average of 78 degrees.

 

[firebirdcrzy]

WOW! This subject has realy become a debate. Thank you all for posting to my question. The chiller has a built in temp reading/controll, you set it at the temp you want (78 deg) and it will turn on when it reaches 1 deg (79 deg) over your set point, then shuts off 1 deg (77 deg) bellow your set point. I was hopeing the controller will help keep the chiller from droping he temp so far down by shutting it off before it can chill that low (78deg). I can leave the heater set to come on at 77 deg if temp happens to fall that low on its own and shut off at 78 deg. I am running 2 fans to help cool my t-5's but they can't seem to knock out all the heat from my 2x250 watt halides. I was hopeing to keep the temp more stable but it appears that alittle swing in temp shouldn't hurt anything. I just dont want the temp to keep swinging by a 2 deg up/down from 78 all day.
I do have 1 more quick question, my heater is not accurate at all by its own temp controlls. If I leave it set at 77 it will not turn itself on till temp drops almost to 75, i have it set somewhere around 80 for it to kick on at about 77 or so. With the pinpoint could I just leave it's own temp setting on as high as it can be set and the chiller will acctuallly be controlling it on/off instead?

 

[woz9683]

Yes, so if you leave the setting for the chiller alone it will cut on at 79 degrees, the controller will force it to go off at 78 degrees by cutting power to it completely. And you should definitely use the controller to get the heaters to come on at 77 and off at 78. Those little thermometers on the heaters are notoriously inaccurate, so crank that dial up so you know it will actually come on as soon as the controller tells it to do so.

 

[firebirdcrzy]

Thank you woz9683, thats what I was wanting to hear. I have been fighting with my heater for a few weeks trying to get it to be close to where I wanted it but not very succesfull. i purchased the controller to help with this problem and to try to get temp more stable then it has been. I will hopefully get things up and running today and see what happens. Once again thank you to all who have replyed to my questions.

 

[woz9683]

Happy to help. That's exactly why I first purchased a two stage Ranco. You just can't trust the heater thermostats.

 

[GT3000XX]

Your welcome and good luck