Alternatives to Digital Aquatics Probes and Parts.

[pecan2phat]

Would you recommend using Plastic Dip on the stainless steel probe and say 6" up the connecting wire to seal against corrosion and moisture?

 

[DesertReefT4r]

If you have a multi meter you can check the probes. They should close to 10k around 75 degrees if I remember correctly. A lower temp will increase resistance. A higher temp will decrease the resistance. A bad probe will usually be open or way off in resistance. If you need a closer value I can look it up when I get home tonight.

Yeah I have a DVOM multi meter. Im pretry sure at this point that probe is bad but just for the heck of it I will take the DA probe to work and ohm it out. Today my replacement amozon probe has been tracking really close to the Itemp probe, off by .2° which I can live with. I will be watching it for a couple of weeks until Im sure its reliable before I use it to control my heater and alarms.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Would you recommend using Plastic Dip on the stainless steel probe and say 6" up the connecting wire to seal against corrosion and moisture?

Its better than having bare steel in contanct with saltwater. Even though its stainless steel it will still corrode over time. It will also helpmseal the probe. I just when with the white plastic probes from amozon.

 

[n2585722]

This is a chart of the resistance of a 10k 3950 thermistor. Hopefully this will help someone that is trying to test a temp probe.

 

[pecan2phat]

Ok I received all my parts to make a new Temp Probe. I found that the original NTC 10k that was mentioned in the above posts was no longer available. So I ordered a different type, still waterproof and NTC 10k 3950's. I also picked up the molex parts from digikey. I put it all together and plugged it into my SLX module (temp port) and have been monitoring it and my iTemp probe to see how it compares. So far it is right on track with my iTemp (after calibration of course). I have a feeling that the metal waterproof housing has made the thermistor less jumpy by buffering the fluctuation in temp from the currents. I have them both in the sump.

Probes: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0185P4MVO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Molex: I ordered black and red with the socket pre-crimped and then the 2 prong connector

• Black wire with socket: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=‎0430300001-12-B2-ND
  
• Red wire with socket: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=0430300001-12-B2-ND
• Connector: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=WM1845-ND

Good Luck

When you wire these probes, does the 2 black lead wires have a correlation to the red/black for the molex connection?

 

[JayBABQ]

When you wire these probes, does the 2 black lead wires have a correlation to the red/black for the molex connection?

No.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Well my white replacement probe still will randomly jump 3°f+-. I oh'd out my suspected bad DA probe at got 10iah ohms at round 72°f and the reading was pretty stable, resistance changed with temp as well, so it seems that probe is working. I dont know what the issue is with it and why it wont work with either the SL1 or wired as Itemp.

 

[n2585722]

Well my white replacement probe still will randomly jump 3°f+-. I oh'd out my suspected bad DA probe at got 10iah ohms at round 72°f and the reading was pretty stable, resistance changed with temp as well, so it seems that probe is working. I dont know what the issue is with it and why it wont work with either the SL1 or wired as Itemp.

The only thing I can think of is some kind of connection problem. The sensors I have seem to react a lot faster than the DA probes. I did a 2 point calibration tonight on all three. I used ice water for the low point and the sensor got down near 32 degrees very quickly compared to the two DA probes. The DA probe that looks like a pH probe was the slower for the three.

 

[pecan2phat]

3º is a lot for variance!

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Totally agree 3° is a lot and I would not trust that to control the temp of my reef. Sucks I need a good temp probe amd dont want to get a new controller. I like my DA gear and if I knew they were closing down months before I setup my tank I would have gone Apex bit really cant at this point.

 

[n2585722]

What module are you using. I am not seeing those swings. I do control one of my heaters with one.

 

[pecan2phat]

I hear you brother, down to my last new probe that I squirreled away years ago.
I don't know why no one has been able to source where DA was contracting their temperature probes from, we know that they did not manufacture them.

 

[domination2580]

Ok so I'm having issues with my outlets. When i turn them on, a few don't send electricity through.... any ideas?

 

[n2585722]

Ok so I'm having issues with my outlets. When i turn them on, a few don't send electricity through.... any ideas?

Which power bar do you have? Which outlets are not working? Which head unit are you using?

 

[Pyrosteve]

I need some help getting a temp probe working. I purchased the molex cables/connectors and 2 different NTC Thermistor 10K 1% 3950 (the white plastic and black stainless) and they both are decreasing temp reading with higher temps and not by that much. I tested them starting at 78 degrees and put them in a glass of hot water and they drop to 77. In cold water they go up to 79. I checked the resistance with a multimeter and they are 11-12K at room temp. What am I doing wrong? any ideas?

 

[n2585722]

I need some help getting a temp probe working. I purchased the molex cables/connectors and 2 different NTC Thermistor 10K 1% 3950 (the white plastic and black stainless) and they both are decreasing temp reading with higher temps and not by that much. I tested them starting at 78 degrees and put them in a glass of hot water and they drop to 77. In cold water they go up to 79. I checked the resistance with a multimeter and they are 11-12K at room temp. What am I doing wrong? any ideas?

There are two different types of thermistors. One type the resistance decreases as the temp increases and one the resistance increases as the temp increases. Make sure it is an NTC and not a PTC thermistor. The NTC should decrease when the temp increases. To test check the resistance at room temp. Then hold the sensor in you hand and recheck the resistance it should go down. If they do then something is not right in the module. Which module do you have?

 

[Pyrosteve]

The probes test correctly NTC and seem to be working. I thought I maybe one was bad or the wrong type so I ordered another. I have a SLX module running 2.03 firmware.

 

[n2585722]

If you have a RKE or RKL you can use myReef to reset that port back to factory defaults. There is a way to save the port data before you do that in case you need to reload the previous dats. The system has to be up and running just like when you program an output but this is an input. Hope this helps. If you have an Archon you can do a 2 point calibrate with the PortCalibrate() command. I have instructions for this in my build thread in my signature.

I will check and see what firmware I have for the SLX when I get home tonight.

 

[domination2580]

Which power bar do you have? Which outlets are not working? Which head unit are you using?

I have a pb4.... with 4 outlets, and the last one and 3rd one aren't working if i remember correctly....

 

[domination2580]

I have the rk elite head unit... the lite one flaked out on me, im guessing i need to flash the head unit but not sure how and where to get the source file