Inkbird and Apex

[dbroncos]

Have a question I hope someone can assist with. I did do some searching but honestly i don’t know that what I found answers my question thoroughly. So I have 2 heaters plugged into an Inkbird and the inkbird plugged into an Apex EB4. So I want to use the Inkbird and primary and Apex as backup. Is the heater breaks on and goes above say 80 I want the heater shut off. Also if the heater breaks and the temp goes below say 76, I want something to kick on the 2nd heater. How the heck do I set that all up?

 

[EricR]

One option would be another InkBird (or other heater controller):
Each InkBird controls one heater, then Apex is backup.
*when you say "heater breaks off/on", you mean the InkBird dies or sticks on, right?

If your heaters have their own thermostats, the InkBird already covers one "heater breaks" scenarios, assuming the InkBird doesn't fail.

 

[dbroncos]

One option would be another InkBird (or other heater controller):
Each InkBird controls one heater, then Apex is backup.
*when you say "heater breaks off/on", you mean the InkBird dies or sticks on, right?

Yea i guess if the Inkbird fails not sure if it is possible that the Inkbird is communicating with the heater but the heater is broken. Why does the Inkbird have 2 outlets if it only controls 1 heater? Not sure if that is what you are saying.

 

[BrokenReefer]

I have my setup to use the EB832 (EB4 in your case) as the primary driver of temperature management. Far easier to switch the outlet on/off via Apex programming and use the Inkbird temperature management as secondary fail safe.

Fallback ON
If Tmp < XX.X Then ON
If Tmp > XX.X Then OFF

I have mine set to a .5 degree swing and my inkbird is set to a max temperature of 82 degrees.

 

[EricR]

Yea i guess if the Inkbird fails not sure if it is possible that the Inkbird is communicating with the heater but the heater is broken. Why does the Inkbird have 2 outlets if it only controls 1 heater? Not sure if that is what you are saying.

It turns both outlets off/on at the same time (assuming you don't have one that does cooling also).

I thought that's what you were getting at:
- if InkBird fails off, both heaters will be off
- with 2nd InkBird controlling one of the heaters, when one InkBird fails, the other would still run the other heater
...maybe I was reading way too much into what you were really asking though,,, sorry

 

[RocketEngineer]

Note: I would have the apex control for the outer limits and use the ink bird for the frequent on/off. The ink bird will get the abuse while the backup EB stays on most of the time. Let the cheap to replace inkbird break first.

 

[dbroncos]

Note: I would have the apex control for the outer limits and use the ink bird for the frequent on/off. The ink bird will get the abuse while the backup EB stays on most of the time. Let the cheap to replace inkbird break first.

Yes that’s what I want to do just need to figure out how.

 

[Dburr1014]

Yes that’s what I want to do just need to figure out how.

My apex is set higher than the inkbird.
Let the inkbird control the heaters.
I use 2 smaller heaters so I don't overtemp if one fails.
You could have a 3rd heater, set the control on the heater higher than the tank temp so it never turns on unless main heaters fail to heat.

 

[dbroncos]

My apex is set higher than the inkbird.
Let the inkbird control the heaters.
I use 2 smaller heaters so I don't overtemp if one fails.
You could have a 3rd heater, set the control on the heater higher than the tank temp so it never turns on unless main heaters fail to heat.

thanks what does line 5 mean?

 

[Dburr1014]

thanks what does line 5 mean?

That is my "if I have a leak anywhere" it will completly shut down my entire system.
I have leak sensors around the tank and sump.