New EB8 Power flickering

[alten78]

Good afternoon, hope someone can shed some light on my situation.

Just installed a brand new EB8 to my Apex Jr (latest firmware) on Friday, everything appears to be
working as it should, I'm only using 4 of the outlets at the moment (moon
lights, fans, skimmer, and return) but I noticed that the power flickers off and
on randomly on all outlets. It doesn't happen all of the time and I can't find a pattern as to
when it happens, but it will do this (from what I can tell) several times a day.
Sometimes a few times within a few minutes, today I only noticed it three
times. I do have 2 of the 3 low voltage items in outlets 4 and 8.

I have never had power issues before when everything was plugged into a DJ strip, I should note that the
Apex Jr never loses power or had any issues and they are on the same 20amp
dedicated circuit and I have had it working flawlessly for about a year.

I did start a ticket but the response has been extremely slow. So far they had me try to update the module and bootloader from the display. For extra measure (and suggested by another user on RC) , I disconnected the usb cable, deleted the EB8, reconnected and started over. I haven't had a chance to see if that made a difference in terms of losing/flickering power, but I do know that at least two of the outlets were not staying on even though I have the fallback as ON. They will only stay on if I manually switch them ON, not Auto.

The other weird thing that is happening, when I plug in my T5's (2x54), the temp bounces around like crazy between a whole degree. I turn off the T5's, its ok. Its an older ballast but im really confused about that one, which is the main reason I bought the extra EB8.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, like I said, I have had no problems in the past year with just the JR, but this EB8 has been a nightmare out of the box.

Thoughts?

[zombie]

What is the code for each outlet? More than likely that is what is causing thongs to randomly turn on and off.

As far as the T5 affecting temp readings, that is a tell tale sign that the ballast is on its last legs and needs to be replaced. Older T5 ballasts will often create severe subharmonic and harmonic distortion (which can affect probe readings if it is bad enough) when they are on the verge of failing.

[alten78]

Thanks for letting me know that's what happens to T5 ballast when they are on the way out, not what I wanted to hear but glad to hear it!

Open outlet 2_1
Fallback OFF

T5 2_2
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 09:30 to 19:00 Then ON
If Temp > 84.0 Then OFF

SKimmer 2_3
Fallback ON
If FeedA 5 Then OFF

Fan1 2_4
Fallback OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then ON
If Temp < 82.0 Then OFF

Moonlight 2_5
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 19:30 to 08:00 Then ON
If Temp > 84.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

Power Strip (Wireless router and 2 RW15's) 2_6
Fallback ON

CO2 (no ph probe) 2_7
Fallback OFF
If None < .00 Then OFF
If None < .00 Then OFF

Fan2 2_8
Fallback OFF
If Temp > 80.0 Then ON
If Temp < 79.9 Then OFF

I wouldn't say things are randomly turning off, but its more of a flicker across the board. T5's will turn off for a second which of course is most noticeable, router reboots, fans stop, skimmer stops and starts, quick like a flicker. I have not seen it happen today yet, then again I haven't been in the house long enough to pay attention to it. Maybe something got goofed initially when I connected it to the system and deleting and re adding did the trick, definitely good to know about the ballast going bad.

Thanks again!

[alten78]

Ahhhh I see my mistake for the couple of pumps not staying on, didn't put SET ON, just Fallback ON

[alten78]

So, I still am having issues with this EB8 and Neptune has been no help other than dialing into my pc and saying 'well its working so call us back when it stops.' Ummmm, yeah, it works 99.9999999999% of the time except for the few flickers a day or two. That and I've explained the situation it seems a few dozen times and its like they don't take notes or understand that it is a physical issue, not a software one. Being in IT support, its what I do all day long, I think I can troubleshoot a piece of equipment even though I may not know exactly how it is wired or works, I know the points of failure. That and it takes them days to respond, meanwhile my tank is suffering due to it...end frustrated rant!

With that said, I am having new issues that maybe has something to do with all of this. When I first plugged everything in (the T5's were taken off and still working on the canopy and replace ballast) I noticed that I always had a solid reading on the amp. Neptune dialed into my system, did a bunch of things (not sure what, he moved extremely quickly) but ever since then, I noticed that the amp reading moves non stop, similar to what the T5 ballast did to the temperature reading. I narrowed it down to my return pump (2 year old sicce 3.0) and when it is off, amps are steady, on and its moving between .8-1.2. Is this also a sign that the pump is going out? Could this be the root of my issues? I'm hesitant to say it is because the amp reading bouncing around didn't start until yesterday and after they dialed in, could be coincidence.

I also noticed since they dialed in and this amp thing is going on, the skimmer has quit working with the programming. it will turn on when set to manual on, but it will no longer turn on when on auto.

Return
Fallback ON
Set ON
If FeedA 005 Then OFF

Skimmer
Fallback ON
Set ON
If Outlet Return = OFF Then OFF
Defer 003:00 Then ON

This programming has worked for a few weeks without fail, until yesterday. Even with the Return set ON, the skimmer will not turn on without setting it ON. If I take out the line 'If Outlet Return = OFF Then Off' the skimmer comes on right away. I keep looking around, but nothing else has changed and don't see the feed on either.

Any help or thoughts would be extremely appreciated. My Jr has been working beautifully (as 4 outlets can lol) for the last year and was so looking forward to this EB8, plus I just bought a pm1 and ph probe but I'm afraid to even plug it in.

[zombie]

It's definitely possible that the return may be experiencing some issues. With that kind of behavior, I would presume that the insulation might be slightly degraded and is injecting stray voltage into the tank. Do you have a multimeter to check? If so, put the black lead in a solid ground (like the ground prong of an outlet) and put the red lead in the tank. Check the voltage with the return off and also with it on.

[alten78]

Thanks, I will give that a shot. I don't have a multimeter handy, but I will find one and check it out.

[alten78]

Return on and off, the multimeter shows 9v and 11v

[zombie]

Not a stray voltage issue then with those readings. I'm stumped at the moment.

[alten78]

That makes two of us! Actually, three of us or more including Neptune! Its been really weird from the moment I plugged it in, I asked them to just send it in since I'm still having the power flickering issue as well.