Come on BRS what the heck?

[siggy]

i don’t think that paragraph is talking about the same thing. That would just be a temperature offset, whereas we are thinking more about moving the probe to change the actual on/off cycle time.

I understand that, the problem with the brs heater controller is it has zero consistency. At some times it would kick on at 77.2 others 77.7 and then 77.5 it never found a rhythm.

Repeatability, I forgot that this has a stereo jack on the probe cable, temp sensors work off resistance, I'm very skeptical in that connection.

 

[Big C]

Repeatability, I forgot that this has a stereo jack on the probe cable, temp sensors work off resistance, I'm very skeptical in that connection.

Curious, why is that? Assuming the stereo connection makes it possible to allow them to switch out probes when they fail.

 

[Thub]

Curious, why is that? Assuming the stereo connection makes it possible to allow them to switch out probes when they fail.

Because of the way the resistive sensor works to measure temperature, tiny differences in electrical resistance make a huge difference in the reading. A little speck of anything, or even a flaw in the plating on the connector can drastically change the temperature reading.

My guess on the greater thread is that the temperature sensors are far away from eachother, giving a temperature gradient between the BRS and apex sensor, and the heater is situated in a lower flow area, meaning you'll get water that's a higher temperature than intended very near to the heater, causing a temperature overshoot.
Correlating different measurement devices of any kind is always far less straightforward than it would seem when you start looking close enough. I'd say move the heater to a higher flow area of the tank, and putting the sensors right next to eachother would go a long way to solve the issues you're seeing.

 

[dadnjesse]

I just bought an InkBird controller and it looks like a replica of the BRS one.

 

[Blitheran]

I just bought an InkBird controller and it looks like a replica of the BRS one.

To program my BRS heater controller I looked up “inkbird temp controller programming” lol

 

[Brian_68]

The BRS specs say controls within 0.3 degrees of it's controllers set temperature and it seems to be doing that according to their display. If you run the BRS and APEX control loops at the same time they could be interfering with each other plus the different temperature sensors that react at different speeds. Not sure how their control loop was designed but you can integrate some features into it to help like look at the slope of the temperature change and even turn on earlier based on how fast the temp is dropping. Throw another control loop on top of the original like the APEX and who knows the results, could get oscillation or worse control.

 

[charlesk]

I think you might be setting your expectations a bit high for a $50 piece of equipment.

It’s an aquarium heater not a vital part for the space shuttle. It’s not that important.

 

[LC8Sumi]

Repeatability, I forgot that this has a stereo jack on the probe cable, temp sensors work off resistance, I'm very skeptical in that connection.

If it uses something like a ds18b sensor which is the most common/popular nowdays, then the signal going through the jack is already digital as there is a builtin adc in the sensor itself.

 

[ingchr1]

I may have missed it, but what is your Apex set at? Is it still 77.5F to 80.0F?

Is the Apex outlet turning off at any point?

 

[ingchr1]

If it uses something like a ds18b sensor which is the most common/popular nowdays, then the signal going through the jack is already digital as there is a builtin adc in the sensor itself.

The manual says it's an NTC sensor.

https://brsinstructions.s3.amazonaws.com/BRS/bulk-reef-supply-heater-controller-instruction-manual-10142019.pdf

 

[TheOne]

Omg, There is going to be zero effect on anything in an aquarium with a 1 degree fluctuation. There is however going to be a problem with a heater being set to turn on/off a million times a day to keep a .00000001 temp difference.

 

[LC8Sumi]

The manual says it's an NTC sensor.

https://brsinstructions.s3.amazonaws.com/BRS/bulk-reef-supply-heater-controller-instruction-manual-10142019.pdf

Is there any other way to measure temperature with a probe? All is based on voltage-drop(difference)/resistance. The question is if it's converted to digital right at the sensor (in the probe) or not.

 

[ingchr1]

Is there any other way to measure temperature with a probe? All is based on voltage-drop(difference)/resistance. The question is if it's converted to digital right at the sensor (in the probe) or not.

Someone would probably have to take one apart to find out.

Would they have listed it as a digital temperature sensor if it was done at the probe?

 

[LC8Sumi]

Would they have listed it as a digital temperature sensor if it was done at the probe?

Probably yes, but I'm just guessing at this point.

Anyway if OP's not satisfied, then why not send it back and ask for money/credit. Or just swallow the situation and either use it as-is (won't be a problem from the tanks perspective) or go back to using the apex?
I've been controlling my tank's temp (+-0.01degC, so it was clicking a couple times a day) with a cheap $1 chinese relay for more than 2 years, and only recently did I switch to a GHL controler. If that lasted, the apex also should.

 

[Dom]

You have an issue with BRS because you are less than pleased with the support, and I get that.

But isn't the real issue with APEX? Have you tried leaning on them?

 

[spsick]

I guess for me this is a discussion about getting something to work as advertised (and tested by BRS) as everyone’s setup is different. Putting the OP on blast for starting the discussion really isn’t productive.

so to continue this and give more data: I changed my Apex program to only turn off BRS controller if temp is >81° so as to not have any interference in the operation.

 

[Dvanlier05]

Are you surprised that an $800 controller works better than a $50, or a $30 temp probe is more accurate than a $8. Quality costs money and you get what you pay for.

 

[LC8Sumi]

Are you surprised that an $800 controller works better than a $50, or a $30 temp probe is more accurate than a $8. Quality costs money and you get what you pay for.

I think his problem is that the specification of the controller isn't meeted. Which is a problem however much it cost.
Either BRS has to update the specs or OP has to swallow the pill.

 

[ingchr1]

We need to find out what the OP has the Apex set at.

To me it almost looks like the Apex is still set at 77.5-78.0F.

It needs to be set above the BRS as a backup. A good place to start would be 79.0-79.5F.

 

[Shirak]

Willhi 1803C Best controller out there!