Temp Control: Dumb Question From A Rookie

[Mark Goode]

Good morning,

I need a check on my logic please, nothing complicated. I am always nervous about boiling my tank due to controller failure, so I want to use an Inkbird attached to my Apex as double protection. If I set Inkbird min & max to 77-78, and min & max on my Apex to 79 - 80, my logic suggests that there will always be power to my Inkbird, unless it fails in the 'on' position, then the Apex will take over at a slightly higher temp.

Will this work?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Good morning,

I need a check on my logic please, nothing complicated. I am always nervous about boiling my tank due to controller failure, so I want to use an Inkbird attached to my Apex as double protection. If I set Inkbird min & max to 77-78, and min & max on my Apex to 79 - 80, my logic suggests that there will always be power to my Inkbird, unless it fails in the 'on' position, then the Apex will take over at a slightly higher temp.

Will this work?

I think you're over complicating.

Just set the Apex to turn off power to the inkbird if temp goes over limit.

Personally, I just let the Apex do the whole temp control with an alarm

 

[Mark Goode]

I think you're over complicating.

Just set the Apex to turn off power to the inkbird if temp goes over limit.

Personally, I just let the Apex do the whole temp control with an alarm

well, I'm old, and reluctant to trust electrickery and computers. :)

 

[gbroadbridge]

well, I'm old, and reluctant to trust electrickery and computers. :)

I'm 60 next year and I'm pretty sure that the fancy computers can do a better job than me :)

 

[Mark Goode]

I'm 60 next year

You're just a boy then... :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[neo1738]

If you have inkbird set to those #s it will work fine sometimes heater will be off if temp achieved. Backup w apex seems correct but really the failure is w the heaters themselves not the inkbird. No harm in redundancy but just an fyi.

 

[Mark Goode]

If you have inkbird set to those #s it will work fine sometimes heater will be off if temp achieved. Backup w apex seems correct but really the failure is w the heaters themselves not the inkbird. No harm in redundancy but just an fyi.

Thanks. I have two heaters connected, just in case.

 

[neo1738]

Thanks. I have two heaters connected, just in case.

yeah i use 2 heaters and inkbird attached to a kasa power strip. if temp too high and i get alarm I can manually turn off inkbird.

 

[mav3rick478]

Good morning,

I need a check on my logic please, nothing complicated. I am always nervous about boiling my tank due to controller failure, so I want to use an Inkbird attached to my Apex as double protection. If I set Inkbird min & max to 77-78, and min & max on my Apex to 79 - 80, my logic suggests that there will always be power to my Inkbird, unless it fails in the 'on' position, then the Apex will take over at a slightly higher temp.

Will this work?

That's how i have my setup because you're not always going to be home to manually turn off or reset the outlet if the alarm is going off. Plus i don't like the power bar constantly turning on and off, it wears out that relay. I'd rather have the relay in the Inkbird fail from constantly turning on and off, they are cheaper to replace. A relay only has so much life in it.

 

[SPR1968]

Good morning,

I need a check on my logic please, nothing complicated. I am always nervous about boiling my tank due to controller failure, so I want to use an Inkbird attached to my Apex as double protection. If I set Inkbird min & max to 77-78, and min & max on my Apex to 79 - 80, my logic suggests that there will always be power to my Inkbird, unless it fails in the 'on' position, then the Apex will take over at a slightly higher temp.

Will this work?

Basically yes, assuming the Apex and inkbird are reading exactly the same temperature. I would set Apex a bit higher though as its a failsafe

I have a similar set up in both my systems but with the DD controller below

D-D Dual Temp Controller

D-D DUAL Temp controller - Plug and Play - no wiring!

charterhouse-aquatics.com

The DD is set to maintain 25c give or take, controlling 3 heaters, if it failed for some reason in the on position, at 29c Apex turns the DD off and therefore the heaters.

 

[Biglew11]

Using either one as a backup is fine. Its usually a the thermostat in heaters that go bad. If your heater has a built in thermostat set it high enough so that it won't turn off and use the inkbird as the controller and then set the apex about 1-2 degrees higher for backup.
My Finex heater doesn't have a thermostat, and is going on 5 years old. I have one on the shelf for when it does go bad. I have an Aqualogic (rebranded Ranco) heater controller for the control and apex for fail safe. The Ranco is around 15 years and not one issue.

 

[Mark Goode]

Using either one as a backup is fine. Its usually a the thermostat in heaters that go bad. If your heater has a built in thermostat set it high enough so that it won't turn off and use the inkbird as the controller and then set the apex about 1-2 degrees higher for backup.
My Finex heater doesn't have a thermostat, and is going on 5 years old. I have one on the shelf for when it does go bad. I have an Aqualogic (rebranded Ranco) heater controller for the control and apex for fail safe. The Ranco is around 15 years and not one issue.

I've a couple of D-D titanium heaters without thermostats, 350w each against a recommended 600w for the tank.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I would do it the other way around but have the apex more narrow.

Apex I would set 77.6 to 78.0 and set the inkbird 79 to 80.

 

[n2585722]

I have a 42 gallon tank and use two 50w heater with their own thermostats set around 3 degrees higher than the controller temp which is at 76 degrees. I have not had a heater turn on since March. I have the cooling fans set at 78 and they have been working like crazy the last few months. I have never had a relay failure on the power bars although I did transfer to a different controller a little over a year ago. Of coarse 50 watts on a relay rated for 25 amps is nothing to it. I do have each on a separately controlled output.