- Joined
- Nov 16, 2016
- Messages
- 61
- Reaction score
- 30
Apex txt'd me around 2pm today saying it lost touch with my controller. This used to happen fairly frequently due to network issues with my internet carrier, so I didn't panic.
But when I got home, the tank was dark, and silent. Everything tank-related was off, even the few things not plugged into the apex (like the sump stand lights).
So, I checked the breaker, and sure enough it was tripped. I reset it, and went back to the tank to watch it "reboot". Lights came on, powerheads came on, but as soon as the return pump came on, the breaker tripped again. Fearing that it might be drawing too much current (since the heater was also kicking on), I turned off the heater, and tried again. Same results.
So, I disconnected power from the return pump, reset the breaker and everything came back on. At that point I threw a spare heater directly in the tank infront of a powerhead, and an airstone bubbling into the powerhead (to distribute the oxygen) to make sure I didn't lose anything in the tank.
At this point, I assume the issue was with the return pump. So I pulled that out, and tried to replace it with cheap pump I used to move water from my RODI setup to my mixing bucket.
Plugging that pump in to a _different_circuit_ than the rest of the tank (the tank is on a dedicated 20amp circuit) caused the tank circuit to trip. So, while my original pump seemed to cause it to trip, so did a different pump (original pump was removed from the system/water altogether). I'll provide all the specs on the system below, and I'm afraid I know the answer, but...
What's the best way to diagnose this issue?
The answer I expect is "unplug everything, and plug things in one at a time until the breaker trips". The reason I'm asking (and hoping for another answer) is that I have two 8-plug Energy Bars plugged into the Apex and both are full (so, lots to go through) and they're both tough to reach.
Here are the details on the tank:
- Red Sea Reefer 425
- Been up and running with current setup and equipment, nothing changed, for > 2 years.
- Dedicated 20 amp circuit
- powerheads: 2 x Hydor Koralia (750-850 gph)
- heater: HMA-S 500W Heater - Finnex, plugged into raindbird controller
- ground probe installed in sump (still trips even if ground probe is remove from water)
- return pump: varios 6 (trips even when replaced with another pump)
- skimmer Skimz SM167
Thanks in advance for any suggestions...
Here's a screenshot of the Apex... as I said, I've got a lot of "stuff" running on this thing.
But when I got home, the tank was dark, and silent. Everything tank-related was off, even the few things not plugged into the apex (like the sump stand lights).
So, I checked the breaker, and sure enough it was tripped. I reset it, and went back to the tank to watch it "reboot". Lights came on, powerheads came on, but as soon as the return pump came on, the breaker tripped again. Fearing that it might be drawing too much current (since the heater was also kicking on), I turned off the heater, and tried again. Same results.
So, I disconnected power from the return pump, reset the breaker and everything came back on. At that point I threw a spare heater directly in the tank infront of a powerhead, and an airstone bubbling into the powerhead (to distribute the oxygen) to make sure I didn't lose anything in the tank.
At this point, I assume the issue was with the return pump. So I pulled that out, and tried to replace it with cheap pump I used to move water from my RODI setup to my mixing bucket.
Plugging that pump in to a _different_circuit_ than the rest of the tank (the tank is on a dedicated 20amp circuit) caused the tank circuit to trip. So, while my original pump seemed to cause it to trip, so did a different pump (original pump was removed from the system/water altogether). I'll provide all the specs on the system below, and I'm afraid I know the answer, but...
What's the best way to diagnose this issue?
The answer I expect is "unplug everything, and plug things in one at a time until the breaker trips". The reason I'm asking (and hoping for another answer) is that I have two 8-plug Energy Bars plugged into the Apex and both are full (so, lots to go through) and they're both tough to reach.
Here are the details on the tank:
- Red Sea Reefer 425
- Been up and running with current setup and equipment, nothing changed, for > 2 years.
- Dedicated 20 amp circuit
- powerheads: 2 x Hydor Koralia (750-850 gph)
- heater: HMA-S 500W Heater - Finnex, plugged into raindbird controller
- ground probe installed in sump (still trips even if ground probe is remove from water)
- return pump: varios 6 (trips even when replaced with another pump)
- skimmer Skimz SM167
Thanks in advance for any suggestions...
Here's a screenshot of the Apex... as I said, I've got a lot of "stuff" running on this thing.