Timer for BRS Doser keeps shorting out/resetting

rmoore311

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Hopefully I am not the only one that has been through this but I recently started dosing my two nano tanks and decided to get a couple BRS dosers to avoid manually dosing every morning and evening. I do not have any kind of controller so I figured a couple electrical timers would enable me dose consistently every day but it seems that my dosers are overpowering the timers occasionally when they shut off, causing the timer to reset. I've tried two different timers now, both are semi-generic timers that I've bought from walmart and Lowe's, but i wouldn't think those would be the issue. I've tried the set up on a completely different outlet and it does the same thing. Do the dosers really run that much current to where they could short out the timers? Are there specific electrical timers that need to be used for these dosers that are proven to work better than others?

In an ideal world I'd get an apex for each tank but don't have the budget and they tanks are in completely different rooms so I can't use one apex for both. Are there any controllers that are proven to work with the BRS dosers that can be had for under $100 to eliminate this issue all together?
 

TheEngineer

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It's probably a back EMF issue. That's the energy in the motor coils running back into the wires when the power is shut off. A decently designed electrical device should have the ability to deal with that, but I'm not too surprised a cheap timer can't handle it.
 
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rmoore311

rmoore311

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I’d think a decent timer for turning devices on and off would work but apparently not. I am looking into a reefkeeper now since that’s a semi-budget-friendly controller that’s made specifically for our tanks. Seems like the logical route to go without breaking the bank from here on out. Looks like I’ve got some spare outlet timers for Christmas next year
 

TheEngineer

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Just so you're aware... Reef Keepers are no longer being produced. Any you find are either the last ones or used. They are pretty reliable, so if you find one used I'd jump on it. I use one for my QT system.
 
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rmoore311

rmoore311

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Good to know about the reefkeeper not being made any more. I had no idea. I’m over buying individual timers since I’d need one for each doser, so I’m sure BRS would be able to tell me what I’d need, spending $20+ a piece doesn’t sound appealing anymore [emoji53]
 

DivingTheWorld

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How close are your tanks? You should be able to run multiple tanks from one Apex controller if you decide to go that route.
 
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rmoore311

rmoore311

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Totally separate rooms that don’t even share a wall, so one apex for two tanks would work in theory but not in this situation. Good thought though!
 

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