Cleaning up Apex Code - Heaters?

[Tango2]

So after making a bunch of changes on-the-fly over the last few years and a recent EB8 failure, I'm going through and cleaning up my Apex code a little bit. I wanted to poll the other users to see how they set up their heaters.

I'm running two heaters that are equally sized, but each is a bit small for my tank. I currently have both coming on and off at the same time. As a fail safe, I have each manually set to about 84°, that way if either one was to fail in the "on" position, it would not cook my tank. I was wondering if it would be better to stagger my heaters where one comes on first and if it stays on for a certain amount of time the other kicks in.

The plus is that I could set an alarm if my second heater cuts on for a certain amount of time, like the first one fails. The downside is that one heater would get used much more than the other.

Just curious what others think about this.

 

[Blitzie]

I run them both at the same settings so they come on and go off together

 

[Tango2]

What if one failed and the other was able to maintain the temperature in your tank? You wouldn't know until A) it couldn't keep up and the temp dropped, or B) the second heater failed, which would leave you heaterless.

This is what got me thinking about it in the first place...

Not saying that doing what we are both currently doing isn't the best way, just wanted to get some discussion going on it.

 

[Blitzie]

I have my apex code for temperature set at heaters on at 78.5 and off at 79.

If I had a heater fail (die) the temp would drop. I have the apex email code that will text and email if temperature goes below 78 or above 82
At 82 it will also shut skimmer feed pump (mag 18) off to reduce heat.

 

[slief]

When I setup heaters, I typically install a secondary controller which functions as the primary controller for the heaters. I use the Apex as the failsafe just a degree or so above the secondary controller set point. I do the same with chillers on the Apex as well. I am a firm believe in redundancy and if anything is going to fail, it will be cheaper controllers. Having the Apex or any other main controller as the failsafe makes for peace of mind and good protection against failures. I normally have 2 heaters in the setups with both turning on at the same set temps unless the heaters are oversized and I am using two heaters for redundancy. If after setting a system up I find that the pumps are generating enough heat and that the heaters are changing the temps faster than I would like, I will switch the heaters to more of a redundant programming where only one heater comes on at a time and the other is used as a failsafe in case of a heater failure. 1-2 degrees per hour is my typical goal. Any faster than 2 degrees an hour results in my switching the heaters to redundant mode.

 

[SirMilo]

I run 2 heaters but only 1 at a time.
The first maintains my temp between 77.7 - 78.2. The second is programmed to come on if temp drops below 77.5 and also shuts off at 78.2. As long as the first doesn't fail, the 2nd seldom if ever comes on.
I keep 2 extra heaters around just in case I have a failure since I always want 2 in the system at all times.