Hydros Heater Control Issues

[MartinM]

I like the Hydros a lot, but I”m having a consistent issue with both of my Hydros over the last year, despite all the firmware updates: the Hydros will turn off the heater and not turn it back on, even when I have it set to be “on” at the lowest possible setting, and not turn “off” until 30c. Yet both of my Hydros units ignore this, and both have this same problem on multiple heater inputs/heaters. It’s not the physical unit, it’s not the heater, it’s not the temp probe, I’ve narrowed it down to the software/heater input specifically. Is anyone else experiencing this issue, and/or is this a known bug?

 

[Peace River]

@JeffB418 @n2585722 - any thoughts on this issue? Thanks!

 

[n2585722]

I like the Hydros a lot, but I”m having a consistent issue with both of my Hydros over the last year, despite all the firmware updates: the Hydros will turn off the heater and not turn it back on, even when I have it set to be “on” at the lowest possible setting, and not turn “off” until 30c. Yet both of my Hydros units ignore this, and both have this same problem on multiple heater inputs/heaters. It’s not the physical unit, it’s not the heater, it’s not the temp probe, I’ve narrowed it down to the software/heater input specifically. Is anyone else experiencing this issue, and/or is this a known bug?

Post a screenshot of you heater setup. Here is one of my heater setup screenshots. The On Temperature is the setting where it will turn on the heater if it gets below or at that temperature. The Off Temperature is the temperature where you want the heater to go off once it reaches that point or goes above it. Once off it will stay off until it is at or below the On Temperature setting. So if it is in between the two setting it could be off or on depending on where it was before it turned on or off. This is the thing that confuses most people. This is how you set the Hysteresis value. With the resent firmware update the minumum between was reduced from .4 to .2 degrees. Also the power safe range was added for the drive port, XP8 outputs and the single wifi outlet. This is not available on the wifi strips since they don't have a current read back. Hope this helps.

I have two heaters setup like this and have not had an issue with them. I do use the onboard heater thermostats as a backup to the Hydros control. Always have a backup on a heater just in case of a failure of some type.I am not to worried about a fail in off. It is a fail in on that can cause a tank crash. I also have my heater wattage split between two heaters on two different outputs.

 

[kenbennedy]

I had the same problem as OP until I understood the intent of the settings here.

 

[n2585722]

I had the same problem as OP until I understood the intent of the settings here.

I just submitted the suggestion that they change the headings to "Turn On Temperature" and "Turn Off Temperature". I think that might help with the misunderstanding of the meaning of the settings. What do you think?

 

[kenbennedy]

I just submitted the suggestion that they change the headings to "Turn On Temperature" and "Turn Off Temperature". I think that might help with the misunderstanding of the meaning of the settings. What do you think?

I feel like they used to be even less helpful than the screenshot above, but don't quote me on that. Even after I read the manual online I was confused. Only after reading in the Coralvue forums did it eventually "click" for me.

 

[SmCaudata]

Could they word it like a thermostat.
"desired minimum temp" and "desired maximum temp"?

The mimumim temp isn't really a turn on point if coming from below. Same for the off temp if coming from above as it is either already on or off respectively.

I get their reasoning, but changing to minimum and maximimum temp settings would make it easily understandable.

 

[n2585722]

Could they word it like a thermostat.
"desired minimum temp" and "desired maximum temp"?

The mimumim temp isn't really a turn on point if coming from below. Same for the off temp if coming from above as it is either already on or off respectively.

I get their reasoning, but changing to minimum and maximimum temp settings would make it easily understandable.

I have never seen a thermostat that sets like that. I have one you can set the heater temp and the air conditioning temp but the hysteresis is set internal to the thermostat.

 

[SmCaudata]

I have never seen a thermostat that sets like that. I have one you can set the heater temp and the air conditioning temp but the hysteresis is set internal to the thermostat.

Some of the new smart thermostats do. Obviously, they will be alternating between heating, coooling, and nothing to accomplish this, so it is different than hysteresis for a heater only system, but the end result is similar. You give the system an upper and lower limit and it works, right?

I get the way it works, but clearly a few people have been confused and lowered or increased the limits thinking they will do something different than what they do. Maybe an "info" bubble or something.

By the way. I don't have my tank yet, but all your Hydros posts have me leaning that way. Love the stuff you post here.

 

[MartinM]

If I am correctly understanding the logic, the heater should be on until/unless it reaches the off temperature I have set, correct? If I am understanding the logic correctly, at any temperature under 82.5F, the heater should be on?

 

[n2585722]

If I am correctly understanding the logic, the heater should be on until/unless it reaches the off temperature I have set, correct? If I am understanding the logic correctly, at any temperature under 82.5F, the heater should be on?

The way you have it setup The heater if it is off will not come on until the temp drops down or below 50 degrees. Once on it will not turn off until it gets to or above 82.5 degrees. It will then stay off until it get to or below 50 degrees. Obviously that is not what you want but that is how you have it setup at this time. What temperature are you wanting the heater to be on below?

 

[n2585722]

Some of the new smart thermostats do. Obviously, they will be alternating between heating, coooling, and nothing to accomplish this, so it is different than hysteresis for a heater only system, but the end result is similar. You give the system an upper and lower limit and it works, right?

I get the way it works, but clearly a few people have been confused and lowered or increased the limits thinking they will do something different than what they do. Maybe an "info" bubble or something.

By the way. I don't have my tank yet, but all your Hydros posts have me leaning that way. Love the stuff you post here.

I do have a range setup on the tank with two outputs. I also have cooling fans that are set to come on at 78.1 degrees and they go off at 77.9 degrees. I use the chiller output type to control the fans. So between the heaters and the fans temp is kept between 76 and 78.1 degrees.

 

[MartinM]

Ok, I agree with some of the other posters, CoralVue hasn’t made the way it handles the logic clear in the description text.

I’m updated to ‘on’ temp of 77.5F and ‘off’ temp of 80.0F, let’s see if it works correctly now…

 

[DHill6]

Is anyone using a Helios heater system plugged into an XP8? Since it has it’s own controller I had to over ride the XP8 outlet to ‘on’ to get the Helios to stay on. Is this correct? The heater tile is orange since doing this.

 

[n2585722]

Is anyone using a Helios heater system plugged into an XP8? Since it has it’s own controller I had to over ride the XP8 outlet to ‘on’ to get the Helios to stay on. Is this correct? The heater tile is orange since doing this.

Set the Hydros 3 degrees higher than what it gets using the Helios. Then you will be using the Hydros as a backup to the Helios.Make sure that the turn on and turn off on the Hydros are above the Helios normal range.

 

[DHill6]

Set the Hydros 3 degrees higher than what it gets using the Helios. Then you will be using the Hydros as a backup to the Helios.Make sure that the turn on and turn off on the Hydros are above the Helios normal range.

Thanks for reply, that solved it.