00W's AIO Smorgasbord

[kingranch2003]

Have you tested the heater's calibration? I once got an Eheim that was off by 12 degrees Fahrenheit.

Not yet, but you're giving me food for thought here. Ive never had this issue with an inkbird and have also always used a 200w heater in the past.

 

[kingranch2003]

I would also have the temp on the heater and the Inkbird two degrees apart personally, at least one and a half degrees apart. My Inkbird triggers at just over one degree difference so you could theoretically get a jitter condition where the Inkbird is triggering to turn off while the heater is still triggering on.

Good idea to set the temp difference down to 1°, I think it's at 2 now. I had the inkbird set lower, but I wanted to see if it could actually raise the temp higher. That's when I took the Pic to show you guys and gals.

 

[tharbin]

If it were an office wifi issue, which shouldn't happen tooooo often hopefully lol, it would probably come back on soon enough. The other possibilities listed would also be worthy of checking on too

Guess you don't use Cox.

 

[tharbin]

Not yet, but you're giving me food for thought here. Ive never had this issue with an inkbird and have also always used a 200w heater in the past.

Quick test, raise the setting on the heater to 82 degrees and see if the tank temp starts to go up. If it does the heater's calibration is off. A 150 should work unless you keep your house very cool. I'm thinking your heater's calibration is 3.4 degrees off.

 

[CoralB]

I do have another type of inkbird question. Does anyone get this kind of discrepancy between set and actual temps? Im not sure if the heater and controller are getting along so well.

While using just your heater do you get these numbers

 

[CoralB]

@tharbin
I know it could definitely still be defective, but the heater is only a few weeks old too!

Heaters can be bad out of the box !

 

[CoralB]

Have you tested the heater's calibration? I once got an Eheim that was off by 12 degrees Fahrenheit.

My heater is 5 degrees off and so was the one before it

 

[kingranch2003]

While using just your heater do you get these numbers

Yeah actual.temp is pretty close to the set temp of the heater when used alone.

 

[kingranch2003]

Quick test, raise the setting on the heater to 82 degrees and see if the tank temp starts to go up. If it does the heater's calibration is off. A 150 should work unless you keep your house very cool. I'm thinking your heater's calibration is 3.4 degrees off.

Going to try that now!

 

[CoralB]

Magic lost . Season over

 

[CoralB]

.@&@%&#****%@#@%#&@%t
I’m over it lol!!

 

[kingranch2003]

.@&@%&#****%@#@%#&@%t
I’m over it lol!!

Im a Saints fan, so I get it. Sorry CB

 

[kingranch2003]

Tom, at 82 on the heater, the tank temp shows 76.4 it's been about 15 minutes.
It rose .6.....

 

[tharbin]

Tom, at 82 on the heater, the tank temp shows 76.4 it's been about 15 minutes.
It rose .6.....

So the heater can do the job but it has been shutting off because it thought it was at temperature. The easiest thing to do is put the heater and an aquarium thermometer in a bucket or small tank. Set the temp on the heater to what you want for a tank temp. Assuming the water was cooler than the set temp, the heater should turn on and then turn off when it thinks it is at temp. Read the thermometer, If it reads lower than the set temp, raise the temp setting and try again. When you get to where the thermometer is at the correct temp, that is the setting to get that temp on the heater. Some heaters have calibration knobs (Eheim for example) that let you change the dial to match the real temp. If not, just use the temp on the dial as is.

 

[tharbin]

So the heater can do the job but it has been shutting off because it thought it was at temperature. The easiest thing to do is put the heater and an aquarium thermometer in a bucket or small tank. Set the temp on the heater to what you want for a tank temp. Assuming the water was cooler than the set temp, the heater should turn on and then turn off when it thinks it is at temp. Read the thermometer, If it reads lower than the set temp, raise the temp setting and try again. When you get to where the thermometer is at the correct temp, that is the setting to get that temp on the heater. Some heaters have calibration knobs (Eheim for example) that let you change the dial to match the real temp. If not, just use the temp on the dial asis.

It just occurred to me the other issue you may be running into. Inkbirds also have max heating times. I don't remember if it shuts off or if it errors or if it alarms, I think the default is six hours, but if you want the heater to control the tank and the Inkbird to act as a failsafe, you want the Inkbird on 'heating' 24/7. If the Inkbird shuts off the heater won't be able to turn on until the tank's temp drops below the Inkbird's low temp setting and it turns the power back on to the heater.

I always ran controlled heaters as Inkbird controls tank, heater acts as failsafe. First because the Inkbird should have more robust contacts and because I want the heater always powered.

 

[code4]

Yes, this is what I was trying to convey lol

Shelley was asking for a cheap alternative to the hydros system, for letting her know about power failures. This will let you know when your temp falls after a power outage.

This technically wasn't a power outage. The power strip they were using failed. And this sent me down this rabbit hole. More twist and turns than a than a labyrinth. Then I involved all of you. I thank you all

You guys !! It looked like you were ready to fight but then you came to an understanding . True friendship . Plus everyone else gets educated .

I didn't think they were fighting. More a debate. But I was learning

Looks yummy! We had left over soup and cornbread.

I am envious. Didn't feel like cooking. So popped in the bread and added PB to my toast.

The one thing that all of these miss is that you don't know whether you lost power or just WiFi, or internet. At least though you know you'd better check it out.

Very true. And I live within 10 minutes of their office. Or can call one of them and walk them through it

What if you’re out of town ?

This is why we should have clubs in our area whenever possible.

You'll still know, you just won't be able to do squat without help.

Call Ghostbusters!

My take is either use a controller like a Hydros X2 or a dedicated power monitor. I would not rely on an Inkbird as a power monitor. Use it for its intended use, a temperature controller with notifications.

Both

I didn't even consider being upset. I was just having a terrible time getting my words out. If anything I was upset that my inkbird might have been a hunk of junk

It will make a loud noise to alert you while home at least. Or while I am not at the clinic but others are. Still can help.

 

[kingranch2003]

So the heater can do the job but it has been shutting off because it thought it was at temperature. The easiest thing to do is put the heater and an aquarium thermometer in a bucket or small tank. Set the temp on the heater to what you want for a tank temp. Assuming the water was cooler than the set temp, the heater should turn on and then turn off when it thinks it is at temp. Read the thermometer, If it reads lower than the set temp, raise the temp setting and try again. When you get to where the thermometer is at the correct temp, that is the setting to get that temp on the heater. Some heaters have calibration knobs (Eheim for example) that let you change the dial to match the real temp. If not, just use the temp on the dial as is.

Tom, I appreciate the response. I dont have a tank thermometer right now (I know ) but I will get one. I could put it in my wife's tank and see how it lines up with her heaters temp display until I do.
I may take it off the inkbird until I calibrate it so it isn't continuously heating.

 

[tharbin]

Tom, I appreciate the response. I dont have a tank thermometer right now (I know ) but I will get one. I could put it in my wife's tank and see how it lines up with her heaters temp display until I do.
I may take it off the inkbird until I calibrate it so it isn't continuously heating.

Good idea, It's also possible the Inkbird controller's probe needs to be calibrated. I seem to recall that you were supposed to use the calibrate funcion if you need to adjust the Inkbird's probe but that there was no other information, like how to access the calibrate function or how to use it.

 

[kingranch2003]

Good idea, It's also possible the Inkbird controller's probe needs to be calibrated. I seem to recall that you were supposed to use the calibrate funcion if you need to adjust the Inkbird's probe but that there was no other information, like how to access the calibrate function or how to use it.

Down the rabbit hole I go! There is a cal menu on the controller.

 

[tharbin]

Down the rabbit hole I go! There is a cal menu on the controller.

Tank thermometer = useful. If you have a handheld digital TDS or S.G. or even pH meter, it may have a temp reading as well. I always keep a couple of cheap glass aquarium thermometers around to check probes, heaters, etc. Always handy to have some kinda/sorta reference point.