What's the most valuable feature of a controller?

[scubaReef002]

My opinion is temperature monitoring/alerts and control. What’s yours?

 

[Webslinger]

monitoring/alerts that's it. OR use a $15 wifi controlled powerstrip.

 

[scubaReef002]

monitoring/alerts that's it. OR use a $15 wifi controlled powerstrip.

Dose that exist? Whats the name of the product? Do you have a link?

 

[Webslinger]

Dose that exist? Whats the name of the product? Do you have a link?

These are the ones I use as they work good with Alexa. Each outlet is controllable and programmable from smartphone. There are cheaper ones.

 

[Webslinger]

These are the ones I use as they work good with Alexa. Each outlet is controllable and programmable from smartphone. There are cheaper ones. Hopefully these will help drop the price of the overpriced APEX.

 

[User1]

My opinion is temperature monitoring/alerts and control. What’s yours?

If you are going to use a controller, any controller, then the simple answer is reach back / heart beat monitor. This is invaluable with automation in general because it will poll your controller outside your home. If it doesn't reach and get an ack back you get a text message. Could be as simple as network or it could be a broken seam in the tank flooding the house which caused the controller to go offline.

You never know. Therefore this is job one should you enter a controller market.

 

[Webslinger]

If a seam breaks, a controller isn't going to help you, either is an alert. haha

 

[GlassMunky]

If a seam breaks, a controller isn't going to help you. haha

It can certainly alert you to the fact that it happened while you’re not home.

 

[User1]

If a seam breaks, a controller isn't going to help you. haha

Of course it will. I mean slow vs fast sure but if you are away, seam lets go, depending where, water on the floor, trips breaker, heatbeat check fails, you get text message, you go home, and catch it.

 

[Webslinger]

So will the wet floor when you get home.

 

[User1]

So will the wet floor when you get home.

Will be too late but obviously you either are not understanding or it isn't something you need. There are plenty of posts on how it works. Or just check out the BRS video on it if you want to see how important it is if you don't believe others (and what it can prevent).

 

[GlassMunky]

So will the wet floor when you get home.

So if it happens while away on vacation I don’t have to have water just destroying my floor and can have someone come clean up the issue.


but sure why not just wait

 

[Webslinger]

How is it going to alert yo that the seam is leaking?

 

[Webslinger]

So if it happens while away on vacation I don’t have to have water just destroying my floor and can have someone come clean up the issue.


but sure why not just wait

That's what HO insurance is for.

 

[User1]

How is it going to alert yo that the seam is leaking?

Tank seam starts to fail
It may or may not be instantaneous
Water starts to drip
Reaches your electrical outlets, or power bricks, or some other device
Trips breaker
Tank has no power, no water circulation, no top off, nothing
Portal pings controller
Controller doesn't respond
You receive a text message saying it is off line

You could be at work, shift work, vacation, drive, or at a store - doesn't matter - you receive the message and now can act.

Ignore the seam. Act of God or Mother nature or Godzilla - something knocks power out at your home and you don't have backup. Apartment, whatever you live in - power is out. Portal pings controller, doesn't respond, sends text message, you are notified it is offline and can check.

Either you are being obtuse or the feature isn't needed for you. However, it was asked what is the most valuable feature - our opinion this is it.

 

[LoneStarReef]

Everything under “one roof”:

Automated water changes
Light control
Automated feeder
Dosing
Ph monitoring
Temp monitoring
Alarms for when things go haywire
Etc, etc

I know you can do these things individually with different devices but having them all integrated in one platform is a huge plus in my book.

 

[Webslinger]

What if you don't have any electrical under your tank to get wet so there's no breaker to trip? All my electrical is in an electrical box that would never get wet.

 

[Bosreef]

Peace of mind

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

What if you don't have any electrical under your tank to get wet so there's no breaker to trip? All my electrical is in an electrical box that would never get wet.

Now day, with Wi-Fi, there's sensors put on the floor and in this case around the tank and as soon as a sensor comes in contact with water it message you. Wi-Fi is similar to our Hobby, our hobby is a rich man's hobby and so Wi-Fi and our hobby go hand-in-hand, it's like our home not having hot and cold water or heating system also. It's a necessity, specially in our hobby

 

[92Miata]

What if you don't have any electrical under your tank to get wet so there's no breaker to trip? All my electrical is in an electrical box that would never get wet.

Then you get a whole bunch of alerts for everything from your topoff running too much to the temp being out of whack.

Heartbeat tells you that the controller is still working/not working. All the alerts capability in the world isn't going to help if you can't tell that the controller is dead.