Apex Error 200 - Resolved

[901reefers]

I couldn’t find much detailed discussion on resolving Error 200 for the A3 Apex Jr., so I wanted to share what worked for me in case it helps someone down the road.

The Problem:

• I bought a second-hand A3 Apex Jr. off eBay.
• During setup:
  • The iOS app wouldn’t show any available WiFi networks after connecting to the Apex hotspot.
  • The web browser setup worked to get the Apex on my local network, but when I logged into apex.local with default admin credentials, I’d immediately get an Error 200 (looked like gibberish, no dashboard ever appeared).
• I could still access some account settings and link to my Fusion account, but Fusion reported that the Apex had disconnected hundreds of times per day and never showed anything but the disconnected status for the Apex.
• Tried multiple resets, multiple networks—always the same result.
• Contacted Neptune support; their only solution was sending the unit in for repair.

The Fix:

• I came across discussions about corrupted firmware and replacing microSD cards on older Apex models. Wasn’t clear if the A3 Jr. even had one, but I decided to check.
• Opened the unit (remove 2 Torx screws, then pry the case apart from the top down).
• Sure enough, there was a microSD card inside, held by a small metal bracket.
• Replaced the microSD card, closed it up, and powered it back on. (saw some discussion that max size you can use is 16gb, which is what I used; see picture below purchased for Walgreens)
• Held the reset button until the red light appeared. The unit reset, went into hotspot mode (blue light).
• This time I was able to:
  • Connect to WiFi,
  • Log in with admin credentials (no error message),
  • See the full dashboard, and
  • Successfully connect to Fusion (no more disconnect issues).

Result:
After swapping the microSD card, my A3 Apex Jr. has been running perfectly with no more Error 200 issues.

Hope this helps someone else save time and maybe avoid the repair route.

Few Pics:

Inside of A3 Jr.

SD card bracket open:

Pic of SD card I used as replacement

 

[Sickness69]

16gb? What in the world would that thing need that much space for?

Glad you got it fixed though!

 

[daikaijureefer]

What’s the USB dongle inside this unit being used for?

 

[901reefers]

What’s the USB dongle inside this unit being used for?

My understanding is that the usb dongle is the apex’s WiFi chip.

 

[daikaijureefer]

My understanding is that the usb dongle is the apex’s WiFi chip.

Cool! I’ve been researching them. I’m considering an apex jr bc the price tag is reasonable. Would you suggest one?

 

[901reefers]

Cool! I’ve been researching them. I’m considering an apex jr bc the price tag is reasonable. Would you suggest one?

my tank isn’t setup yet, so I haven’t gotten to use it in an actual tank environmentand am not right person to ask. That said, couple of considerations:

1. It doesn’t have an Ethernet port so can only use WiFi and is only compatible with a 2.4ghz network. If you don’t have good wifi network would expect you to be unhappy with it. That said, would expect jr.’s performance on wifi to be the same as any other apex, so it’s not really a jr. vs a2/a3 comparison if wifi is what you intend to use.

2. When I got it working, I immediately liked it and started looking for a eb832 power bar to add to it. I got the jr. for about $75 on eBay, haven’t had similar luck finding an eb832 for less than $200. If you think you’re going to want a power bar, you may be better off trying to get an apex brain and power bar together (if you’re looking at used). If I had to do it over again I’d probably preserve the $ I spent on Jr. and used it to bid/make offers on a used apex brain that came with a power bar, as I’ve seen some pretty attractive used a3 with eb832 and probe deals.

 

[daikaijureefer]

Cool thanks! I’ll keep this in mind. I won’t have an issue setting up WiFi. I have a dedicated 2.4G service for all the older devices in my house

 

[daikaijureefer]

Cool! I’ve been researching them. I’m considering an apex jr bc the price tag is reasonable. Would you suggest one?

my tank isn’t setup yet, so I haven’t gotten to use it in an actual tank environmentand am not right person to ask. That said, couple of considerations:

1. It doesn’t have an Ethernet port so can only use WiFi and is only compatible with a 2.4ghz network. If you don’t have good wifi network would expect you to be unhappy with it. That said, would expect jr.’s performance on wifi to be the same as any other apex, so it’s not really a jr. vs a2/a3 comparison if wifi is what you intend to use.

2. When I got it working, I immediately liked it and started looking for a eb832 power bar to add to it. I got the jr. for about $75 on eBay, haven’t had similar luck finding an eb832 for less than $200. If you think you’re going to want a power bar, you may be better off trying to get an apex brain and power bar together (if you’re looking at used). If I had to do it over again I’d probably preserve the $ I spent on Jr. and used it to bid/make offers on a used apex brain that came with a power bar, as I’ve seen some pretty attractive used a3 with eb832 and probe deals.

Ended up taking your advice and found an apex A3 for a good price. It ships tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed it arrives in good shape.