New Apex Temp Problem - Drop to 20 degrees

Brent Thomann

New member
I'm setting up a new apex, only have a temp probe plugged in with 2x EB8 & two heaters. once a day or so my temp probe reading will go from the correct 75 degrees to 19 to 20 degrees triggering my heaters on of course. I unplug the apex resetting it and this fixes it. but then a day later same thing, look at my apex and the temp reads 19 or 20 degrees again. Like theres no probe plugged in.

Any suggestions? Very Frustrating, this is only 1 week old.

Same thing happens to the PH reading, drops at the same time. I don't have a PH probe plugged in so the reading is always around 3.65 ph normally. At the same time the temp reading drops to 20 my ph reading drops from approx 3.65 to approx 2.60 ph. after I reset the apex it goes back to the normal 3.65

22:10 04/15/2011 75.2 3.35 921 0.0 0.0
22:20 04/15/2011 75.2 3.65 921 0.0 0.0
22:40 04/15/2011 19.3 2.60 921 7.7 0.0
22:50 04/15/2011 19.3 2.60 921 7.7 0.0

reset-
00:50 04/16/2011 19.3 2.60 921 7.7 0.0
01:00 04/16/2011 19.3 2.60 921 7.7 0.0
01:10 04/16/2011 78.2 3.85 921 0.0 0.0
01:20 04/16/2011 78.2 3.67 921 0.0 0.0

problem happened again from yesterday-
22:10 04/15/2011 75.2 3.35 921 0.0 0.0
22:20 04/15/2011 75.2 3.65 921 0.0 0.0
22:40 04/15/2011 19.3 2.60 921 7.7 0.0
22:50 04/15/2011 19.3 2.60 921 7.7 0.0


prior time it happened (no heaters plugged in yet, notice PH didn't change?)-
19:00 04/13/2011 71.8 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
19:10 04/13/2011 71.8 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
19:30 04/13/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
19:40 04/13/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0

prior time it happened (no heaters plugged in yet)
18:40 04/11/2011 73.1 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
18:50 04/11/2011 73.0 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
19:00 04/11/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
19:10 04/11/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0

time prior-
03:40 04/10/2011 72.4 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
03:50 04/10/2011 72.4 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
04:00 04/10/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
04:10 04/10/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
 
Had the same problem is the unit new if so try updating to 4.05 it really helped mine they where just as puzzled as i was just minor glitches now no big temp or Ph drops or rises
 
Had the same problem is the unit new if so try updating to 4.05 it really helped mine they where just as puzzled as i was just minor glitches now no big temp or Ph drops or rises

yes, brand new, just got it. It was made to order from Neptune. Thats what the store where I got if from said when he ordered it for me. Version looks like 4.04_2B11.

*Also, I notice after the temp drop/glitch happens the buttons on the display are very slow. Very slow response time over all, even when viewing through browser. Once I restart it by unplugging it, everything works until the next glitch. **Until this last time (see log below), when I went to restart it I noticed the display was frozen, from the time it glitched it looked like. Still had the 76 temp but non of the buttons worked (temps showed 20 through browser). I then unplugged everything to restart and now the display doesn't work at all. I tired plugging it in to different spots with no luck. I can still access it through a browser, its really slow though, times out half the time.

This makes me very concerned, having problems right away with it to the point where I can't even use it and I have to trust it to manage many thousands of dollars in corals once it is usable.

Hope someone can help soon. I emailed Curt Friday night but haven't heard back. I need to get this apex working with my new reef system asap. Losing corals right now with this delayed transfer process.

(Notice the amp spike this time? So far I only have two heaters plugged in one eB8 and one light plugged in the other EB8, planed to add more modules once this is working)
02:30 04/16/2011 76.7 4.08 921 0.0 0.0
02:40 04/16/2011 76.6 4.08 921 0.0 0.0
02:50 04/16/2011 76.6 4.06 658 0.2 0.9
03:00 04/16/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
03:10 04/16/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
03:20 04/16/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
 
Hate to say it it may have been ordered to your order but not made to order. you can update the firmware to the beta version or contact Neptune systems directly. If they cant figure it out they will have you send it in for repair.
 

thanks Russ.

I was able to update the firmware after several attempts it finally went through all the way.

It keeps timing out when trying to update the web pages. The files start to upload but really really slow, and then it will time out in the middle.

I rebooted the apex and still no display.

I can still login in through browser but everything is really slow, times out half the time. temp still reads 20 degrees through browser even after rebooting.
 
Brent,

just so you know the link Russ gave you is still a beta Version, it may cause other iussues. If you are not willing to troubleshoot or if you just do not have time to solve issues I would not install that firmware.

4.04 2B11 is the latest stable release
 
Brent,

just so you know the link Russ gave you is still a beta Version, it may cause other iussues. If you are not willing to troubleshoot or if you just do not have time to solve issues I would not install that firmware.

4.04 2B11 is the latest stable release

but 4.04 2B11 is what it came installed with and I originally had the problem with.

I even tried reinstalling 4.04 2B11 again but no difference. Display still doesn't work, no probe readings, controller very slow through browser.

Please help.
 
I had an incident where I managed to enter erroneous code in a virtual outlet. It was causing erratic behavior, it took a number of tries but I was able to delete the outlet and that fixed it. My point is that you might have some bad code that is causing the problem. Can you navigate to each outlet and check the code?

I am just grasping at straws, but if reloading the firmware has not improved things, then the only other thing I can offer is to completely reset the device. Wipe out everything and start over. There are instructions to do this in the New Users Guide.

The alternative is to wait until you hear back from Curt at Neptune.

Todd
 
I had an incident where I managed to enter erroneous code in a virtual outlet. It was causing erratic behavior, it took a number of tries but I was able to delete the outlet and that fixed it. My point is that you might have some bad code that is causing the problem. Can you navigate to each outlet and check the code?

I am just grasping at straws, but if reloading the firmware has not improved things, then the only other thing I can offer is to completely reset the device. Wipe out everything and start over. There are instructions to do this in the New Users Guide.

The alternative is to wait until you hear back from Curt at Neptune.

Todd

I haven't got to setting up any virtual outlets yet. I won't be able to reset it because the display doesn't power up any more. Not even if plugged into different spots.

The only thing I had entered in any advance spot was for my Return Pump Outlet which was-

Fallback ON
Set ON
If FeedA 000 Then OFF

Does that look correct? I just now removed it and reinstall 4.04 2B11 but still no change.
 
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I don't have anymore time to mess with this Apex and haven't heard back from Curt. Just going to get a label and have it sent back and get a new one from my local store where I got it from, luckily he had one left in stock.

I already picked up the new one and swapped Bases. Everything works now but I can't get my modules named the same. My current 2 EB8's are now numbered as 4 & 5, used to be 3 & 4. Anyway to reset all the modules. I tried "Initializing all" from new Base but that didn't seem to change it back to where they were (3 & 4).
 
There isn't an end user way to renumber the aquabus addresses. Email neptune support and they can walk you through renumbering them.
 
Thanks for your replies.

I was able to get it straiten out. I unplugged everything for 24hr+ and Initializing all again. That seemed to work.
 
Having another problem that hopefully someone can help with. Last night I was able to get my modules numbered in order. So everything was fine with correct temp reading. I then had to worked on other stuff on the tank for the night and left the apex alone with nothing plugged into either EB8's. Only had the temp probe installed.

This evening I went to work on the apex again to start actually using it finally and found the display to be locked up in the on position with a 121 degree water temp reading. The time was also stuck from last night (04/20/2011) at 04:20am, several hours after I was working on it.

I unplugged both EB8's and replugged back in and now the display module doesn't light up at all again and the EB8's are stuck in their Fallback positions no matter how I set them from the Status Page through browser. The temp probe now reads 19 degrees too.
I have a green status light on the base, it changes from orange to green after resetting. It does seem a little slower to access through browser from last night.

Here's the log (again, nothing is or was plugged in to the EB8's)-
03:30 04/20/2011 69.5 2.61 921 0.0 0.0
03:40 04/20/2011 69.5 2.61 921 0.0 0.0
03:50 04/20/2011 69.5 2.61 921 0.0 0.0
04:00 04/20/2011 69.5 2.61 921 0.0 0.0
04:10 04/20/2011 69.5 2.61 921 0.0 0.0
04:20 04/20/2011 121 11.8 629 1.4 0.8
04:40 04/20/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
04:50 04/20/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
05:00 04/20/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
05:10 04/20/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0
05:20 04/20/2011 19.3 2.60 921 0.0 0.0

I'm sending another email to Curt but thought maybe I could get faster help from here. I've going out of town soon and need to have this setup and working before I go. I'm getting a little concerned about leaving my very expensive reef ($25+ grand just in corals) in the hands of this apex though. Would of had two crashes in less then 2 weeks if I did have everything setup on it. Has anyone else experienced these problems?

PS, my original problem had to do with a faulty Base module. I have to send it back to Curt. This Base module is from the same batch of Apex's my local reef store received. Maybe its something in common?
 
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I'm getting a little concerned about leaving my very expensive reef ($25+ grand just in corals) in the hands of this apex though.

I don't think it is a good idea to make changes (or in your case, finish setting up) a new control system just before you are going out of town. If anything, I would leave the old control system in place and use the Apex to monitor your system and alert you when you have conditions out of range. I like to be at home for a few days to monitor things when making changes to my controller config just to make sure I programmed it correctly... :)

On to your problem. You are experiencing the exact same problem (right down to the probe readings) with the replacement base module... seems very odd that the numbers would be exactly the same... Anyway, did you replace the temp probe when you received the new base module? Also seems odd that when this occurs, the log is missing an entry.

What color is the status indicator on the EB8s? When outlets get stuck in a fallback position, they have lost contact with the base module and the EB8 status indicators will be flashing orang/yellow. I suspect you have a bad Aquabus cable somewhere. Are you using the cables that came with the Apex? Do you have some extras you can swap out? I would start with the cable from the base to the first EB8.
 
I don't think it is a good idea to make changes (or in your case, finish setting up) a new control system just before you are going out of town. If anything, I would leave the old control system in place and use the Apex to monitor your system and alert you when you have conditions out of range. I like to be at home for a few days to monitor things when making changes to my controller config just to make sure I programmed it correctly... :)

On to your problem. You are experiencing the exact same problem (right down to the probe readings) with the replacement base module... seems very odd that the numbers would be exactly the same... Anyway, did you replace the temp probe when you received the new base module? Also seems odd that when this occurs, the log is missing an entry.

What color is the status indicator on the EB8s? When outlets get stuck in a fallback position, they have lost contact with the base module and the EB8 status indicators will be flashing orang/yellow. I suspect you have a bad Aquabus cable somewhere. Are you using the cables that came with the Apex? Do you have some extras you can swap out? I would start with the cable from the base to the first EB8.

Thanks for your reply.
The EB8's do have orange/yellow light on.
I am using the cables that came with it. My new Base is also now broken so I don't think new cables will help. I can access it through browser but all modules and probes don't work now. Everything was working fine for 12 to 24hrs.
I checked the voltage from my GFI Outlets that I have my EB8's plugged into and they read 127v to 125v. It fluctuates throughout the day. Think that would cause a problem. It reads on the EB8's max volt 120. Maybe it fried something?
 
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