Eheim Jäger Heater?

NanaReefer · Mar 9, 2016

Yes it does need to be calibrated. Yes that's my issue. Yes it's in Celsius and not Fahrenheit. No there's no hole in the back of my unit to make adjustments so I had to open it up! Now what do I do? Do I go by the AZOO's temp display to calibrate it?
If the display says 27c do I calibrate it to 26c, which is the temp I prefer?

Reviews: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=23735

hybridazn · Mar 10, 2016

If your comfortable with the temp given by your other digital thermometer then I would calibrate it to match that.

abinder · Mar 10, 2016

I've noticed that some people seem to be placing the probe for the controller in a different water compartment than the heater is in.

I don't think that is a good idea. You're getting the controller to make the heater less apt to cause a catastrophic failure. However, if you think about it, if your return pump fails, then the heater could continue to heat the compartment its in if the probe for the controller is in a different compartment. That's especially true if the controller probe is in the DT and the heater is in the sump. At night time, this is when it truly could happen.

Imagine if a return pump fails during the night, nobody is home and it's cold enough that the heater would turn on because the DT gets cold enough for the probe of the controller in the DT tells the controller to turn on. However, since the return pump is functioning, the controller keeps telling the heater to keep heating. Imagine a 300 watt heater in a sump that's on for several hours and the water isn't circulating back up to the DT.

It seems like the best place to put a probe for a controller is in the same water compartment as the heater. That way, if the water does stop circulating, the heater will shut off when the probe senses the shut off temp.
( just be sure to not put the probe not next to the heater.)

Just a thought.

Allen

ReeferBob · Mar 10, 2016

You should have got the RKL - Just a little more than your AZoo controller but includes so much more.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reefkeeper-lite-basic-digital-aquatics.html

ReeferBob · Mar 10, 2016

abinder said:
I've noticed that some people seem to be placing the probe for the controller in a different water compartment than the heater is in.

I don't think that is a good idea. You're getting the controller to make the heater less apt to cause a catastrophic failure. However, if you think about it, if your return pump fails, then the heater could continue to heat the compartment its in if the probe for the controller is in a different compartment. That's especially true if the controller probe is in the DT and the heater is in the sump. At night time, this is when it truly could happen.

Imagine if a return pump fails during the night, nobody is home and it's cold enough that the heater would turn on because the DT gets cold enough for the probe of the controller in the DT tells the controller to turn on. However, since the return pump is functioning, the controller keeps telling the heater to keep heating. Imagine a 300 watt heater in a sump that's on for several hours and the water isn't circulating back up to the DT.

It seems like the best place to put a probe for a controller is in the same water compartment as the heater. That way, if the water does stop circulating, the heater will shut off when the probe senses the shut off temp.
( just be sure to not put the probe not next to the heater.)

Just a thought.

Allen

I agree with this but if you are using a controller, the heater itself is your backup set about a degree or 2 above the set point of the controller.

abinder · Mar 10, 2016

ReeferBob said:
I agree with this but if you are using a controller, the heater itself is your backup set about a degree or 2 above the set point of the controller.

And if the heater gets stuck in the "on" position?
(And that's what happens to most when they malfunction.)

ReeferBob · Mar 10, 2016

abinder said:
And if the heater gets stuck in the "on" position?
(And that's what happens to most when they malfunction.)

This is why you have a controller. The odds of both of them failing at once is remote.

abinder · Mar 10, 2016

ReeferBob said:
This is why you have a controller. The odds of both of them failing at once is remote.

I guess you didn't read my original message (#23). It stated the probe that the controller is using to monitor the temp should be in the same water compartment as the heater in case the return pump fails.

Allen

ReeferBob · Mar 10, 2016

abinder said:
I guess you didn't read my original message (#23). It stated the probe that the controller is using to monitor the temp should be in the same water compartment as the heater in case the return pump fails.

Allen

?? What difference does it make, the heater internal thermostat will still turn it off before it gets above 80?

KingTriton · Mar 10, 2016

I use a Rancho etc as my controller. Never had an issue.

NanaReefer · Mar 10, 2016

The instructions and several others say to place the probe as far away from the heater as possible or in the DT. My probe is in the DT.
I was able to calibrate it, now set at 26°c. Been running for almost 24hrs without issues. It also reads the same as my digital thermometer [emoji1360]
This AZOO also has an alarm should the temp go beyond 35°c and will shut down. Stopping all power to the heater.
To me it doesn't make sense to place the probe in my lil 13x12" fuge area when it's the DT I'm actually trying to heat and maintain a constant temp.

Why do people say you should have gotten this one instead, when it's obvious I didn't get that one? You trying to make me feel bad or like I did something wrong? Or worse yet scare me! I've never understood comments like these. Thanks for that [emoji57]

ReeferBob · Mar 11, 2016

NanaReefer said:
The instructions and several others say to place the probe as far away from the heater as possible or in the DT. My probe is in the DT.
I was able to calibrate it, now set at 26°c. Been running for almost 24hrs without issues. It also reads the same as my digital thermometer [emoji1360]
This AZOO also has an alarm should the temp go beyond 35°c and will shut down. Stopping all power to the heater.
To me it doesn't make sense to place the probe in my lil 13x12" fuge area when it's the DT I'm actually trying to heat and maintain a constant temp.

Why do people say you should have gotten this one instead, when it's obvious I didn't get that one? You trying to make me feel bad or like I did something wrong? Or worse yet scare me! I've never understood comments like these. Thanks for that [emoji57]

Don't take it too personal my friend no one's trying to make you feel bad. My hope was that you could still return what you got and instead get what I suggested, which is a full-on computer controller for your system. Not only is it a temperature controller, but also will control your lights and other things right out of the box for only a few more bucks (less than the cost of a clownfish more). You can upgrade this as needed moving forward with salinity, pH probes, float switches, moonlights, etc.

Regarding the placement of the temperature probe, it really should not matter where you put it since all of your water circulates and the tank and sump should be the same temperature. One of the advantages of a sump is to hide all of your equipment. Most people put the temp probe in the sump. This is where abinder's advice makes sense since if your flow stops for whatever reason, your controller will measure a drop in temp in your tank and call on the heater in your sump to turn on, possibly cooking your sump depending how you have it set up since the tank never gets any of the heated water. Some heaters don't have an internal thermostat and require and external one to turn on and off. It makes a lot more sense to have the probe in the sump than in the tank, regardless of the instructions.

The experienced people on this forum are here to help you. Do what you will with the knowledge you garner.

NanaReefer · Mar 11, 2016

Ummm the RKL is a bit more expensive. My controller was $24 lol. My light is a Radion controlled by my iPad. Don't need a controller for anything else [emoji2]

My heater is in my fuge area. Is it ok to place the probe in the return chamber?

mfinn · Mar 11, 2016

NanaReefer said:
Ummm the RKL is a bit more expensive. My controller was $24 lol. My light is a Radion controlled by my iPad. Don't need a controller for anything else [emoji2]

My heater is in my fuge area. Is it ok to place the probe in the return chamber?

I would

ReeferBob · Mar 11, 2016

NanaReefer said:
Ummm the RKL is a bit more expensive. My controller was $24 lol. My light is a Radion controlled by my iPad. Don't need a controller for anything else [emoji2]

My heater is in my fuge area. Is it ok to place the probe in the return chamber?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reefkeeper-lite-basic-digital-aquatics.html - $119 Less than $100 more that the AZOO but does a LOT more, the light controller alone is worth it.

That is exactly how mine is set up.

keithp · Mar 11, 2016

NanaReefer said:
Ummm the RKL is a bit more expensive. My controller was $24 lol. My light is a Radion controlled by my iPad. Don't need a controller for anything else [emoji2]

My heater is in my fuge area. Is it ok to place the probe in the return chamber?

Water level in the return chamber fluctuates so make sure the probe is intended for full submersion. It may shorten the life of Apex probes but I don't know about yours.