Inkbird allows too much temperature swing.

[TWYOUNG]

Am I doing something wrong. I'm using an Inkbird plugged into an Apex outlet for backup. The Inkbird is set at 77.0 degrees but it seems 1 degree is the smallest temp variance I can set for above and below that value. This allows the temp to drop to 76.0 before turning on heaters, and potentially rise to 78.0 before heaters are shut off. Surely this is too much fluctuation.

 

[Pistondog]

Not sure if that is too much fluctuation.
You want more than a simple on/off controller.
I use an jnkbird pid controller
Inkbird Heating or Cooling PID Temperature Controller IPB-16S Pre-Wired Digital Home Brewing Controller Independent Control Pump Thermostat https://a.co/d/f4ht4cG

 

[The_Paradox]

That’s actually a pretty tight variance considering the Delta. I have mine set for 2 degrees. You’ve got hundreds if not thousands of pounds of mass. Even something like a lab grade process controller would just constantly fight itself if limited to aquarium grade heaters/chillers.

 

[Asm481]

I have the ink bird that has cooling and heating. Mine is set at 79, heater is on at 78.0 and off at 79.0. Cooling turns on at 80.0 and off at 79.0. So by the numbers it could vary 2 degrees. However, practice has shown in warmer weather with ac set at 76, the tank never drops below 78.8, so a 1.2 degree swing. During winter the temp drops in the tank to 78 degrees and heats to 79, a 1 degree swing.

 

[TWYOUNG]

That’s actually a pretty tight variance considering the Delta. I have mine set for 2 degrees. You’ve got hundreds if not thousands of pounds of mass. Even something like a lab grade process controller would just constantly fight itself if limited to aquarium grade heaters/chillers.

I think possibly I just need to raise the temp setting slightly. Initially I set it at 77 thinking with an ideal range of 76 to 78-9 I'd be smack in the middle, not realizing it perhaps wouldn't kick on until 76, which means at times it drops to 75.8-9 which freaks me out lol.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Am I doing something wrong. I'm using an Inkbird plugged into an Apex outlet for backup. The Inkbird is set at 77.0 degrees but it seems 1 degree is the smallest temp variance I can set for above and below that value. This allows the temp to drop to 76.0 before turning on heaters, and potentially rise to 78.0 before heaters are shut off. Surely this is too much fluctuation.

Change the temp setting to Celsius. You can set a much narrower range that way.

Edit to add: I agree that a 2 degree (F) fluctuation is fine.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Change the temp setting to Celsius. You can set a much narrower range that way.

Edit to add: I agree that a 2 degree (F) fluctuation is fine.

Wouldn't it then allow a one degree Celsius difference above and below the set point which would be a larger range?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Wouldn't it then allow a one degree Celsius difference above and below the set point which would be a larger range?

If set in Celsius it is 0.1 degree celsius.

 

[george9]

Not sure which Inkbird model you have but you shouldn't use it in Fahrenheit mode. My tank would swing from 77-79 daily when set to 78 with a cooling/heating differential set to the minimum of 1 degree. This is just fine, but depending on the ambient room temperature, this temp swing could grow a bit.

When I switched to celcius mode, the heating/cooling differential is .3C (or maybe lower depending on the model). So I set to 25.5C (77.9F) and the tank only rises to 25.8C (78.4F) before the fans switch on. I very rarely go above 25.8C (78.4F) now so that's only a .5F (.3C) swing daily versus a 2 degree swing I had in Fahrenheit mode.

Not sure why it's designed this way, but I had to get myself used to the metric system if I wanted a tighter temperature range lol

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Wouldn't it then allow a one degree Celsius difference above and below the set point which would be a larger range?

I will repeat:
Change the temp setting to Celsius. You can set a much narrower range that way.

 

[TWYOUNG]

I will repeat:
Change the temp setting to Celsius. You can set a much narrower range that way.

gbroadbridge, george9 and EeyorelsMySpiritAmimal, I had no idea this was the case. How bizarre! As I'm changing it to 25.3C I see a setting called "calibration" which appears different from the variance which I set at 0.3. What is calibration and what should I set it at? Thanks again.

 

[george9]

gbroadbridge, george9 and EeyorelsMySpiritAmimal, I had no idea this was the case. How bizarre! As I'm changing it to 25.3C I see a setting called "calibration" which appears different from the variance which I set at 0.3. What is calibration and what should I set it at? Thanks again.

I had no idea this was the case either until I got fed up with my temperature swings haha

Calibration is for you to tweak the reading of the Inkbird in case it is not quite calibrated. When I verify calibration, I use about 3-4 regular glass thermometers and set the Inkbird to read right in the middle of all of them by tweaking the calibration value.

For example: Your Inkbird probe is reading 25.3C, but according to your other thermometers showing 26C, this is too low and you wish to adjust it upward. You’d set the calibration option to .7C and it will adjust the probe reading upward .7C, so your Inkbird will now show your tank at 26C, more in line with your other thermometers. The same goes for if the Inkbird reading is too high, you would lower the calibration amount and it will adjust the temp reading from the probe downward.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

the temp swing wouldn't be any worse than it is in the ocean

 

[Sleeping Giant]

chasing numbers isn't always the best idea. how's your tank looking?

 

[907_Reefer]

I will repeat:
Change the temp setting to Celsius. You can set a much narrower range that way.

^^ This is the answer.

I run mine 25.4-25.6 degrees C, which equates to 77.7 - 78.1 F.

 

[george9]

chasing numbers isn't always the best idea. how's your tank looking?

This isn’t chasing numbers IMO, it’s striving to maintain stability. No use accepting a 2 degree swing when a much smaller range is possible just by switching a setting on the controller.

 

[TWYOUNG]

chasing numbers isn't always the best idea. how's your tank looking?

Looks good. Haven’t had any luck with stony corals as yet, SPS or LPS. Doubt it has anything to do with temperature though.