Temp probe fail!

[Sleepydoc]

A few weeks ago I got an alert from my apex that the temp was low. I checked the app and saw a momentary dip but the temp looked fine otherwise. I figured it was a glitch but didn't think anything of it. It happed couple more times but then the other day I was feeding the fish and noticed the water seemed cold so I got different thermometer and checked - the temp was actually 69.8º F, despite the temp probe saying it was 79. There was a bit of crud on the probe tried cleaning it off, mainly because that was all I could do. As far as I can tell there's no way to calibrate the temp probe, either.

I picked up a new probe from BRS and things appear to be working normally again. I've never had or seen a temp probe fail - they're typically one of the most reliable sensors (mine is 6 years old.) The odd thing is the probe didn't quit, it just started reading about 8º too high so it wasn't at all evident from the Apex dashboard that something was amiss.

 

[Fungusamongus]

We have to calibrate our temp probes with other NIST certified and calibrated temp devices to ensure they are withing tolerance. It usually takes a long time for them to divert from norm, but it does happen amd they get replaced (these are not apex probes). It sucks that it failed and i hope it didnt cause any serious issues. I think you handled it properly. Might be good to just double check it once a year or so. At least you got a glitch to somewhat notify you something was wrong.

 

[Sleepydoc]

No damage to the inhabitants as far as I can tell - fortunately, fish tolerate colder temps much better than they do warmer ones.

Agree with checking periodically - that was partly why I posted, so it would be on people's radar.

 

[homer1475]

You can't technically "calibrate it", but after checking with a known device, you can reset the reading to what the other device reads.

 

[Sleepydoc]

You can't technically "calibrate it", but after checking with a known device, you can reset the reading to what the other device reads.

So I looked for a way to calibrate (technically adjust, I suppose) the reading and didn't see one. Now that I've hooked up the new probe I see the calibrate button on the bottom of the screen. I'm trying to figure out if I was totally blind and missed it or if something changed. I was actually looking for a calibrate option so it makes me think that it wasn't showing up for some reason but I can't be completely sure. ‍

oh well, I have a new temp probe now and it wasn't that much so I won't stress about it.

 

[Fungusamongus]

Maybe they updated the probe and software to include that?

 

[Dburr1014]

You can't technically "calibrate it", but after checking with a known device, you can reset the reading to what the other device reads.

I can set my Inkbird but is there a way to do the Apex?

 

[n2585722]

Not sure how you do it on the Apex but Hydros has an offset you can change to match another temp source. Also in the heater outputs there is a place for a second temp control. On the heater output setting I think it uses the lowest reading for control but each input has a safe range you can set and if it goes out of that range it will send an alert. So if you have two temp sensors setup and the reading drifts on one enough then you will get an alert if the other one goes out of range. Both of my heaters are in the sump so they will be turned off if the return pump is off.

 

[Sleepydoc]

Not sure how you do it on the Apex but Hydros has an offset you can change to match another temp source. Also in the heater outputs there is a place for a second temp control. On the heater output setting I think it uses the lowest reading for control but each input has a safe range you can set and if it goes out of that range it will send an alert. So if you have two temp sensors setup and the reading drifts on one enough then you will get an alert if the other one goes out of range. Both of my heaters are in the sump so they will be turned off if the return pump is off.

There is a calibration button on the Apex dashboard - I've never used it but I assume it sets an offset like you describe for the hydros. Like I said above, I either didn't see it when I was looking for it (not sure how I would've missed it, though) or it was absent for some reason.

Nominally I could have a 2nd temp input but the main Apex brain only has space for one temp sensor so I'd have to get another module to support it. Even with my current experience in mind I don't think it's worth it.