Beware issues with new Apex Controller

[Raddock]

Hi all,

Just a word of warning for other "Early Adopters" out there.

I replaced my Classic Apex with the new Apex two days ago. After extensive review with a very helpful tech rep from Neptune, I've replace the initial unit with a second new unit (thanks to my LFS for allowing me to swap from their stock pending replacement from Neptune).

Another issue (and the one that initiated the Technical call) is poor connectivity of the base unit with my WiFi / gaming adapter. The classic unit was connected with almost no interruptions for weeks to the same system, but the new units are showing numerous disconnections from Fusion ( >90 per day) with the same system-

Having installed the second unit and re-entering all the program for the second day in a row - My unit seems to have lost all input from the probes. No display, no graphs and no control (eg, my heater was on all night because the base unit thought the temp was low ).

I'm hoping that the tech from yesterday will call me back today and we can get this fixed, but I thought I'd put it out there, that there seem to be some issues with the new units (two in a row).

George

 

[sfmacguy]

This is the second one i've heard of being faulty, the other one having flooded the person's room.

 

[Raddock]

This is the second one i've heard of being faulty, the other one having flooded the person's room.

Unfortunately, I've had two in a row that were faulty. Two in two days.....either I have really bad luck, or Neptune is looking at a serious production problem.

BTW, I heard back from their customer support this afternoon. They think they might be able to get to my ticket next Tuesday. Hmmmmmm

 

[sfmacguy]

Unfortunately, I've had two in a row that were faulty. Two in two days.....either I have really bad luck, or Neptune is looking at a serious production problem.

BTW, I heard back from their customer support this afternoon. They think they might be able to get to my ticket next Tuesday. Hmmmmmm

Wow! Same fault? Or something different on both of them?

 

[Raddock]

Both units show very poor connectivity to my internet with 100 losses of Fusion connection per day on both units ..this to an ethernet connection (via gaming adapter) that worked flawlessly with the Classic Apex unit. On advice of their tech support, I have WiFi and ethernet connections and still have 100 disconnects in last 24 hours. I also had a couple of spurious temp readings ( where I got an alert saying that my temp had gone from stable 80 degrees to 98.7 degrees!!) which triggered shutdown functions on the Apex even though there were no spikes on the data graphs.

Tech support called yesterday to help with the connection issue and when he tried to change the firmware to a beta version not yet released, The base unit locked up and wouldn't reboot, restart or function at all. Fortunately, my LFS owner stayed late so that I could run over and pick up a second new unit from him (Kudos to Just Fish Biloxi--Gerwin Henn is a great guy- anyone near south mississippi drop in and give him some business). I went home and spent a couple of hours swapping out hardware and reprogramming the second Apex.

The second unit has the same connection issues that the first one had and in addition, the data from the probes isn't being logged properly. No graph display on the orange dashboard tiles and no data being logged to the graphs page.

 

[Elder1945]

I am sorry about your apex but happy its not only me .

 

[Raddock]

I am sorry about your apex but happy its not only me .

My question is "Has anyone got a New Apex that is actually working PROPERLY?"

BTW, I've just run a 50 foot ethernet cable from my router to my base unit to see how that affects connectivity over the weekend....not a longterm solution but maybe it'll get me to the tech support call next week.

 

[ngvu1]

Dang it......

 

[Raddock]

Oh, the message on the Diagnostic page has changed! Instead of talking about wifi signal inefficiency, it now says:

Recommendations

The very large number of disconnections this Apex has experienced during the past 24 hours almost always indicates corruption on the Apex. While this is a rare condition {I'm two for two for this RARE condition}, it's typically a simple matter for Neptune Support to diagnose and rectify.

Please open a support ticket via this link; Neptune Support assist you in resolving this issue. You'll need the following information to open the support ticket:


Since my support ticket started yesterday, I hope I'm already qued up for this "simple fix"

 

[jasonamyers]

Mine died during the firmware update they told me to do in the getting started guide, and is now waiting on them to work on my ticket. Very frustrating!

 

[jasonamyers]

As an update, I'm having to ship mine back as they were unable to fix it because the memory wasn't writable in the state it was in. Their support was very nice on the phone, and it did make me feel like they where going to get it right.

 

[11cmortarman]

Ordered one through my lfs and just cancelled. Sorry about the problems you guys are going through. IMHO i'm tired of all the its a new product and you should expect problems justification. A few minor glitches that can be fixed with an update is fine but complete failure is not acceptable. The money that the unit cost should justify a working product. I know that neptune is a great company but this product should of been more refined. I hope you guys get your problems resolved.

 

[jasonamyers]

While I get the "it's a new product" logic at some level. It wasn't advertised as a beta, so I expect better than a beta. (the cerebra was advertised as a beta)

 

[Raddock]

Follow up. Support called right in time yesterday but was unable to get the unit working properly. They overnight end my third unit which I received and installed today. This unit is functioning ok and the graphic data is updating properly BUT I'm still having very frequent disconnects from fusion. I have tried wifi alone, wifi plus game adapter Ethernet and wifi plus long Ethernet cable from my router. All show about the same number of disconnects. I'm gonna leave it alone for a few weeks and let them figure out this problem before I contact them again

 

[Salty1962]

Glad I stayed with my little RKE

 

[ngvu1]

LOL!

Glad I stayed with my little RKE

 

[Salty1962]

LOL!

I thought that would get a laugh

 

[Marquiseo]

Looks like the new apex is a "beta" product.

 

[CuseReefer]

Yeah I have heard a few people having issues with the new units too. Happy I didn't jump on that boat. They should've offered it at an intro price for a "beta" system.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Got the new Apex, it would not take read of the probes, had 1st session with Neptune support (they are great BTW), was told had a bad head unit. Put down $300, second head unit was shipped. Second unit comes in, I set up support session to set it up (don't even want to do the update myself, fearing it would fail, like everyone else's). They set it up, next morning disconnected flashing yellow (bootloader malfunction). Set up 3rd support session, they reboot it, factory reset it, it seems to work normally. I hook up my WAV pump, bootloader goes off again, can't use it. Support comes in, reboots, rewrites firmware. All working, next day disconnected. Go check it, yellow light flashing, bootloader problem.
Took it off the wall, packed back in its box returned it. Done.
If your unit worked never crashing, go play the lottery, you might win.

Support is what kept me hopeful and believing in the company. Neptune is great. I bought however a product that failed to work repeatedly and return was the obvious choice.