Doser failed overnight

[TriedAndProven]

...I was about to pull the trigger on two of these. That's a bit... disconcerting. I'd be curious to hear what Neptune has to say, have you contacted them or posted in the Neptune forums?

Sounds like a software glitch.

 

[shred5]

Sorry to hear that..
Keep us posted on what caused it.. I have a Dos I have not installed yet, I was waiting to use it for a water changer.

What need to be added to the program to shut off a doser at a ph level?
Also what if you use someone else dosser since I also use a GHL?

 

[fab]

The Apex code for turning OFF a dosing pump is a single line of code that simply turns OFF the power outlet of the pump.

If phxx > 8.5 Then OFF

Replace the "phxx" with the name of your pH probe. And replace the highest "8.5" with the pH value you eat to allow.

This line of code goes the doser's power outlet program.

It does not matter which brand of doser you use. If its power is removed it will turn OFF.

 

[shred5]

The Apex code for turning OFF a dosing pump is a single line of code that simply turns OFF the power outlet of the pump.

If phxx > 8.5 Then OFF

Replace the "phxx" with the name of your pHone probe. And replace the highest "8.5" with the pH value you eat to allow.

Thank you.

 

[fab]

Sorry for the multiple edit passes in my post above but my smartphone insists on changing "pH" to "pHone" and I keep missing it and several other brilliantly incorrect automatic word fixes.

 

[fab]

You still need to figure out why your dosing ran away on you. It is not enough just to backstop it with a safety override to turn it off.

 

[shred5]

You still need to figure out why your dosing ran away on you. It is not enough just to backstop it with a safety override to turn it off.

Agreed plus it may help the rest of us.

 

[fab]

Amen brother.

 

[silverarrow]

As soon as I plug the power back into the DOS, the pump for the alkalinity starts running. It doesn't turn off - I've tried turning it off via Apexfusion but to no effect. I've already initiated a ticket with Neptune about the issue. I'll keep you guys posted on their response.

 

[TriedAndProven]

As soon as I plug the power back into the DOS, the pump for the alkalinity starts running. It doesn't turn off - I've tried turning it off via Apexfusion but to no effect. I've already initiated a ticket with Neptune about the issue. I'll keep you guys posted on their response.

And you haven't changed your programming around or made firmware updates?

 

[ihavecrabs]

As soon as I plug the power back into the DOS, the pump for the alkalinity starts running. It doesn't turn off - I've tried turning it off via Apexfusion but to no effect. I've already initiated a ticket with Neptune about the issue. I'll keep you guys posted on their response.

Do you have the new or old Apex?

What outlet are you using to power the DOS? I would not recommend using the TRIAC outlets as they still leak small amounts of power even in the off position. The relay outlets are full off.

 

[fab]

As soon as I plug the power back into the DOS, the pump for the alkalinity starts running.

1. Is your DOS power coming from a 1Link module plugged into a wall outlet directly or plugged into an energy bar?

• Normal is DOS -> 1Link -> wall plug.
• Does one DOS head turn ON when you plug the DOS back into 1Link power? .. or do both turn ON?

2. In Fusion or on the Apex Local dashboard (it was the classic dashboard) is the DOS unit's slider switch setting for the outlet on AUTO or ON or OFF?

• It must be on AUTO to run your dosing schedule.
• If it is ON, then it will just turn ON and stay ON.
• The ON|OFF settings are manual overrides.

3. Set the Fusion slider switch to OFF. Does the DOS unit turn OFF?
4. Set the Fusion slider switch to ON. Does the DOS unit turn OFF?
5. Please perform this quick experiment. Do it for each DOS head, one a time. Then do it a third time for both DOS heads with or concurrent or overlapping intervals so they should be dosing at the same time:

• Modify your DOS program to administer a minimum dosage for 1 minute to a cup or a bucket. You can just dose water instead of your normal additive.
• Set the start time 1 minute from the time you do this.
• Save the program to the cloud.
• Set the Fusion DOS switch to AUTO. <<=== Be sure it is on AUTO.
• Wait for the start time to come around.
• Does the DOS unit wait for the start time and then dose for 1 minute and turn off?

If the answers to 3,4 and 5 are YES then your DOS should be working properly. Let us know how this experiment turned out, providing us an answers for each of the 5 questions.

fab

 

[silverarrow]

And you haven't changed your programming around or made firmware updates?

No programming changes or firmware updates recently.

Do you have the new or old Apex?

What outlet are you using to power the DOS? I would not recommend using the TRIAC outlets as they still leak small amounts of power even in the off position. The relay outlets are full off.

Old Apex plugged into a separate power strip.

1. Is your DOS power coming from a 1Link module plugged into a wall outlet directly or plugged into an energy bar?

• Normal is DOS -> 1Link -> wall plug.
• Does one DOS head turn ON when you plug the DOS back into 1Link power? .. or do both turn ON?

2. In Fusion or on the Apex Local dashboard (it was the classic dashboard) is the DOS unit's slider switch setting for the outlet on AUTO or ON or OFF?

• It must be on AUTO to run your dosing schedule.
• If it is ON, then it will just turn ON and stay ON.
• The ON|OFF settings are manual overrides.

3. Set the Fusion slider switch to OFF. Does the DOS unit turn OFF?
4. Set the Fusion slider switch to ON. Does the DOS unit turn OFF?
5. Please perform this quick experiment. Do it for each DOS head, one a time. Then do it a third time for both DOS heads with or concurrent or overlapping intervals so they should be dosing at the same time:

• Modify your DOS program to administer a minimum dosage for 1 minute to a cup or a bucket. You can just dose water instead of your normal additive.
• Set the start time 1 minute from the time you do this.
• Save the program to the cloud.
• Set the Fusion DOS switch to AUTO. <<=== Be sure it is on AUTO.
• Wait for the start time to come around.
• Does the DOS unit wait for the start time and then dose for 1 minute and turn off?

If the answers to 3,4 and 5 are YES then your DOS should be working properly. Let us know how this experiment turned out, providing us an answers for each of the 5 questions.

fab

2. Set to AUTO
3. No - alk pump stays on
4. No - pump stays on


I just got off the phone with a Neptune rep - he had to remote into my computer and reviewed the configurations and log files. The apex and DOS firmware was also updated to the current version but it still did not resolve the issue. Similar to what fab had mentioned above, he tested the fusion slider to see if the pump would turn off. At the end, he concluded it was a hardware issue and asked me to send in the unit for repair.

Also, I just found my first casualty. The bartlett's anthias didn't make it through the ordeal.

 

[ihavecrabs]

No programming changes or firmware updates recently.



Old Apex plugged into a separate power strip.



2. Set to AUTO
3. No - alk pump stays on
4. No - pump stays on


I just got off the phone with a Neptune rep - he had to remote into my computer and reviewed the configurations and log files. The apex and DOS firmware was also updated to the current version but it still did not resolve the issue. Similar to what fab had mentioned above, he tested the fusion slider to see if the pump would turn off. At the end, he concluded it was a hardware issue and asked me to send in the unit for repair.

Also, I just found my first casualty. The bartlett's anthias didn't make it through the ordeal.

Wherever it is plugged into the EB8 (energy bar), which outlet number?

 

[silverarrow]

It's not plugged into the EB8, just a regular wall outlet. The Neptune rep confirm that was okay to do so.

 

[twilliard]

Sorry to see this happen to anyone's tank

 

[ihavecrabs]

It's not plugged into the EB8, just a regular wall outlet. The Neptune rep confirm that was okay to do so.

Interesting. Just confirmed the same online. Never mind!

Most people that have a dosing unit stay on is because they plug it into a TRIAC outlet and it doesn't always fully shut off the power and the dosing units continue to pump away.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Sorry to see this happen to anyone's tank

That's what I thought. The DOS system just connects through a Aquabus connection. Who knew!

 

[silverarrow]

Sorry to see this happen to anyone's tank

It could have been a lot worse. I was going to top off my alk and ca container but never got around to it. Well, good thing I didn't as it could have been disastrous if the full container of alk was dumped.

 

[silverarrow]

Interesting. Just confirmed the same online. Never mind!

Most people that have a dosing unit stay on is because they plug it into a TRIAC outlet and it doesn't always fully shut off the power and the dosing units continue to pump away.

I didn't have a fail safe statement like "if ph >xx then turn off". I assume I would need to plug the unit into the EB8 for this statement to work? Not sure if this statement would actually cut the power to the unit or just set the unit to turn off. If it was the latter then in my case I don't think it would help.