Program Issues affect reported Temp?

[ZippyBoy]

OK, the last time I had to do some programming was 15 years ago. Here is the script I cpoied/modified for my AC III.

If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON
If Time > 00:00 Then HT1 OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then HT2 OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then ALM OFF
If Time > 14:00 Then ALM ON
If Time > 14:05 Then ALM OFF
If Time > 09:00 Then MH1 ON
If Time > 21:00 Then MH1 OFF
If Time > 11:30 Then MH2 ON
If Time > 22:00 Then MH2 OFF
If Time > 09:30 Then MH3 ON
If Time > 21:30 Then MH3 OFF
If Temp < 65.0 Then MH1 OFF
If Temp < 65.0 Then MH2 OFF
If Temp < 65.0 Then MH3 OFF
If Temp > RT+3.0 Then MH2 OFF
Max Change 030 M Then MH2 OFF
If Temp < RT+-0.5 Then HT1 ON
If Temp < 65.0 Then HT1 OFF
If Temp > RT+0.0 Then HT1 OFF
Max Change 005 M Then HT1 OFF
If Temp < RT+-1.0 Then HT2 ON
If Temp < 65.0 Then HT2 OFF
If Temp > RT+0.0 Then HT2 OFF
Max Change 005 M Then HT2 OFF
If Temp > RT+0.5 Then FN1 ON
If Temp < RT+-0.5 Then FN1 OFF
Max Change 005 M Then FN1 OFF
If Temp > RT+1.0 Then FN2 ON
If Temp < RT+0.0 Then FN2 OFF
Max Change 005 M Then FN2 OFF
If pH > 08.50 Then KLK OFF
If Time > 02:00 Then KAL ON
If Time > 02:15 Then KAL OFF
If Time > 14:00 Then KAL ON
If Time > 14:15 Then KAL OFF
If Temp > RT+3.0 Then ALM ON
If Temp < RT+-3.0 Then ALM ON
If pH > 08.50 Then ALM ON
If pH < 07.80 Then ALM ON
If ORP > 420 Then ALM ON
If ORP < 200 Then ALM ON
If Power Fail Then ALM ON

MH1$-B1 (MH 1)
MH2$-B2 (MH 2)
MH3$-B3 (MH 3)
FN1%-A5 (cooling fan 1)
FN2%-A7 (cooling fan 2)
KAL#-A1 (kalk reactor powerhead)
HT1%-A2 (heater 1)
HT2%-A3 (heater 2)
SKM#-A4 (skimmer)
KLK&-A6 (water feed through kalk reactor)
ALM&-J13 (alarm - no audible alarm hooked up)

I have the season table set to 000:00:00 long 00:00:00 lat.

Here's the strange part. When I was running this program. Reported temps spiked. The AC was reporting 100 degree plus temps when the reality was 79 degrees (as reported by two mercury thermometers as well as a Radio Shack digital thermometer). Ehrn I deleted the above prgram and replaced it with the original program, reported temps went back to normal.

What did I do wrong?

By way of background, I am only currently using A1-8 on a DC 8. I'm going to wait till I'm more comfortable with the unit before I get a DC4 for the halides.

 

[clp]

I have not heard of anyone having a similar problem, so I don't think it is a firmware issue. Just to be just make sure that you have the latest firmware in your AC3 (see selftest). If it is not version 3.00S 2A05 then install the latest. You can download the latest firmware from http://www.neptunesys.com/manuals.htm.

Curt

 

[ZippyBoy]

Self test has the firmware version of 3.00S - 2A06. The unit is 2 weeks old.

After a brief period of reporting the correct temp, the unit is back to reporting temps in the 155 degree+ range. Due to truncation, the temps of over 100 degrees drop the 1.

Here is a tank report:

"Reef Tank"

"Tank Conditions Report" "Tank Size:" "100" "AquaController ID:" 1,596 "Report Created:" 3/12/2006

"Date" "Temp" "pH" "ORP" "Alkty" "Ca" "S.G." "D.O." "Cu" "NH3" "NO2" "NO3" "Cond"
"2006/03/12 14:00:00.00" "07.6" "8.21" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 13:00:00.00" "00.6" "8.23" "270" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 12:00:00.00" "" "8.19" "276" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 11:00:00.00" "" "8.18" "277" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 10:00:00.00" "" "8.18" "277" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 09:00:00.00" "95.4" "8.19" "280" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 08:00:00.00" "03.2" "8.19" "281" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 07:00:00.00" "01.8" "8.21" "281" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 06:00:00.00" "04.4" "8.22" "282" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 05:00:00.00" "91.2" "8.23" "280" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 04:00:00.00" "84.8" "8.25" "278" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 03:00:00.00" "80.0" "8.27" "277" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 02:00:00.00" "79.4" "8.28" "274" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 01:00:00.00" "81.5" "8.30" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/12 00:00:00.00" "82.1" "8.32" "268" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 23:00:00.00" "81.0" "8.35" "265" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 21:00:00.00" "84.4" "8.39" "264" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 19:00:00.00" "80.3" "8.36" "263" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 18:00:00.00" "79.8" "8.36" "267" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 17:00:00.00" "79.4" "8.35" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 16:00:00.00" "79.3" "8.33" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 15:00:00.00" "79.9" "8.32" "272" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 14:00:00.00" "79.1" "8.31" "270" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 13:00:00.00" "79.8" "8.20" "273" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 12:00:00.00" "80.2" "8.20" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 11:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.18" "278" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 10:00:00.00" "78.5" "8.17" "279" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 09:00:00.00" "78.5" "8.16" "281" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 08:00:00.00" "77.5" "8.16" "280" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 07:00:00.00" "77.7" "8.17" "279" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 06:00:00.00" "77.9" "8.18" "279" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 05:00:00.00" "78.2" "8.20" "277" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 04:00:00.00" "78.7" "8.21" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 03:00:00.00" "81.2" "8.22" "278" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 02:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.24" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 01:00:00.00" "80.1" "8.26" "272" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/11 00:00:00.00" "80.4" "8.28" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 23:00:00.00" "80.9" "8.31" "264" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 22:00:00.00" "81.4" "8.33" "262" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 21:00:00.00" "81.6" "8.35" "265" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 20:00:00.00" "81.5" "8.34" "267" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 19:00:00.00" "81.2" "8.32" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 18:00:00.00" "80.8" "8.31" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 17:00:00.00" "80.6" "8.28" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 16:00:00.00" "80.5" "8.26" "273" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 15:00:00.00" "80.4" "8.24" "273" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 14:00:00.00" "80.2" "8.21" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 13:00:00.00" "80.2" "8.21" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 12:00:00.00" "79.9" "8.18" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 11:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.16" "277" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 10:00:00.00" "79.0" "8.14" "279" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 09:00:00.00" "78.5" "8.15" "283" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 08:00:00.00" "78.2" "8.14" "282" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 07:00:00.00" "78.2" "8.15" "281" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 06:00:00.00" "78.3" "8.16" "280" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 05:00:00.00" "78.6" "8.19" "279" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 04:00:00.00" "78.9" "8.18" "277" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 03:00:00.00" "79.2" "8.20" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 02:00:00.00" "79.5" "8.21" "273" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 01:00:00.00" "79.8" "8.26" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/10 00:00:00.00" "80.2" "8.25" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 23:00:00.00" "80.5" "8.28" "265" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 22:00:00.00" "80.8" "8.30" "264" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 21:00:00.00" "80.9" "8.32" "264" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 20:00:00.00" "80.8" "8.31" "264" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 19:00:00.00" "80.4" "8.31" "265" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 18:00:00.00" "80.1" "8.28" "267" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 17:00:00.00" "79.9" "8.27" "268" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 16:00:00.00" "79.9" "8.24" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 15:00:00.00" "79.8" "8.23" "270" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 14:00:00.00" "79.9" "8.20" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 13:00:00.00" "80.1" "8.17" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 12:00:00.00" "79.9" "8.17" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 11:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.16" "273" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 10:00:00.00" "79.0" "8.15" "274" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 09:00:00.00" "78.6" "8.15" "275" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 08:00:00.00" "78.4" "8.16" "274" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 07:00:00.00" "78.0" "8.16" "273" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 06:00:00.00" "78.2" "8.18" "271" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 05:00:00.00" "78.3" "8.19" "269" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 04:00:00.00" "78.5" "8.21" "267" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 03:00:00.00" "78.7" "8.22" "265" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 02:00:00.00" "78.9" "8.24" "262" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 01:00:00.00" "79.1" "8.26" "259" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/09 00:00:00.00" "79.3" "8.28" "257" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 23:00:00.00" "79.5" "8.31" "254" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 22:00:00.00" "79.7" "8.33" "253" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 21:00:00.00" "79.8" "8.34" "253" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 20:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.35" "254" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 19:00:00.00" "79.3" "8.34" "255" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 18:00:00.00" "79.0" "8.31" "255" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 17:00:00.00" "79.2" "8.30" "255" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 16:00:00.00" "79.4" "8.27" "256" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 15:00:00.00" "79.5" "8.25" "256" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 14:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.23" "256" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 13:00:00.00" "79.6" "8.22" "256" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 12:00:00.00" "79.2" "8.21" "257" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 11:00:00.00" "78.7" "8.21" "258" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 10:00:00.00" "78.2" "8.20" "261" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 09:00:00.00" "77.9" "8.20" "261" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 08:00:00.00" "77.8" "8.20" "262" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 07:00:00.00" "77.8" "8.21" "261" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 06:00:00.00" "77.8" "8.23" "260" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
"2006/03/08 05:00:00.00" "77.8" "8.25" "258" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ""

 

[ZippyBoy]

Curt,

I updated the firmware per your instructions and it had no impact on the reported temp.

I also performed a self test - everything OK, did a menu restart, power cycled the unit and unplugged the unit. No impact.

Oddly, the pH and ORP readings seem to be fine. Could it be a "bad" temp probe? Is there someway to test the probe?

 

[clp]

I think that it is the temperature probe. You can test the probe with an ohm meter. The resistance between the two contact points on the probe's RJ11 connector. It should be about 10K ohms at room temperature. I suspect that it is significantly less than this.
Please send me an email, and I'll issue a RMA #.

Curt