Is My InkBird Heater Controller Working Like It Should?

[bgervaisToronto]

Mine is a 306a... may have to order one extra and test it. How large are the swings on your particular settings?

 

[Fish Fan]

Mine is a 306a... may have to order one extra and test it. How large are the swings on your particular settings?

Seems like just a little over a degree, which is better than my old one was doing. I ordered mine brand new from an eBay seller, it was like $36 for ITC-306A wifi version.

 

[Reef.]

One more follow up on this topic. My inkbird is setup at 77-78F with 2x 500w heaters for 165gallon of water. Yet the tenperature swings all the way to 80F. How is this possible? Something isnt right... replace it?

That is totally normal, with such a large volume of water the heaters need time to register a drop in temp, then the heaters will turn on, whilst they are heating up the water temp is still dropping, a 1000w heater is not going to be able to raise the temp of 165g of water instantly…also room temp plays a big part on how fast the heaters are able to heat the water.

Remember the stated temp on/off temp setting on the controller is when the heaters will turn off then back on, its not indicating what the actual temperature variation of the tank water will be, so if the controller states a 1f variation, the actual water temp is going to be much wider then that.

 

[bgervaisToronto]

But that would be correct if it undershot no? On the way up, once the whole 165gal reaches 78f the heater turns off... why would it keep going and reach 80f?

 

[Fish Fan]

But that would be correct if it undershot no? On the way up, once the whole 165gal reaches 78f the heater turns off... why would it keep going and reach 80f?

Hysteresis in systems, specifically with regard to heating and cooling.

Basically, a lag behind what your controller recognizes, and the actual temp of the system you're measuring.

Imagine that a heater needs to add a bunch of heat energy into a relatively small area - your return pump section - to get the whole tank to the set point of 78 F. The heater heats the water in that small area until the temp in the tank gets to your high temp set point, and the heater shuts off.

But, in an effort to get to the high temp set point, your heater heated the water in the return section to let's just say 84 F.

Now, that relatively hot water has to be pumped into the main tank, raising the tank's temperature to greater than the 78 F you set it to, after the heaters shut off.

That's an example of hysteresis, which I think you may be experiencing.

Also, check where your temp probes are relative to your heaters - sometimes the simplest answer is the right one ;)

I hope that helped :)

 

[Reef.]

But that would be correct if it undershot no? On the way up, once the whole 165gal reaches 78f the heater turns off... why would it keep going and reach 80f?

Where is your temp probe? If in the sump then you probably will get a higher reading, maybe try taking the temp manually from the display at the same time the controller is showing 80f (some controllers do not give an live temp reading, I believe inkbird only takes the temp every few minutes so the temp on the display could be a few minutes out of date, just keep that in mind) see if the display also shows 80f…you would have to check both temp devices are accurate, take the temp with the manual device next to the controller see if they both read the same, then take the temp from the display.

Though I think you are overthinking this, the sea’s temperature is not as stable you are trying to get your tank, if it was perfectly stable I would think that could be a bigger issue as a slight variation in temperature with a water change etc could do more harm to your corals than a constant 2f plus or minus temp difference.

 

[Maize & Blue]

I have mine set to turn on at 78.0 on off at 78.5 and I never see 77.9 or 78.6…

I sent mine back. It didn’t like my WiFi

 

[Maize & Blue]

The big problem with heat controllers is that all they do is shut off the heater at the temperature. The problem is yes the heater is not working, but your lights are still generating heat. Your refugium light is still generating heat. Your pumps are still generating heat so bottom line is even though your controller shuts off your heater at whatever temperature you set it at that doesn’t mean the temperature won’t continue to rise. In a previous reply, I bought these really cool little fans for $12 from Amazon and they keep the temperature down. They literally will drop the temperature between 2 to 3°. If you’ve pointed at the top of the surface of the water even on low speed.

 

[Reef.]

The big problem with heat controllers is that all they do is shut off the heater at the temperature. The problem is yes the heater is not working, but your lights are still generating heat. Your refugium light is still generating heat. Your pumps are still generating heat so bottom line is even though your controller shuts off your heater at whatever temperature you set it at that doesn’t mean the temperature won’t continue to rise. In a previous reply, I bought these really cool little fans for $12 from Amazon and they keep the temperature down. They literally will drop the temperature between 2 to 3°. If you’ve pointed at the top of the surface of the water even on low speed.

You can get controllers with a cold side and a heating side, the cold side obviously turns on if the temp rises above a certain lvl, you can have it attached to a fan etc

What you describe is only really an issue with tanks in an environment that has a room temperature much higher than the tank temperature, Florida for example, if the room temperature is below tank temp then the equipment you mentioned does add heat but that just means the heater need to do less work.

 

[bgervaisToronto]

The fan could be an option, although that would mean a second controller if I want to keep heating redundancy. My room temperature is probably 72f here in toronto. That would mean the uv and the 3 lights would take tenperature from 78.5 to 80? If so, i probably dont need large heaters...