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Thread: I'm back w another problem!

  1. #1
    Regular Vistor
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    40

    I'm back w another problem!

    The main controller won't boot up. The orange light flashes a few times when it's plugged in and then the solid green light comes on, and the Internet port shows connection but only for 30-40 seconds before it all shuts down and restarts again in its own. The display dongle lights up but no info is shown. Nothing is being controlled and the heater was stuck on. Fortunately it is cold in the house so even then the tank only got to about 83. I've unplugged it several times and disconnected all peripheral devices but it doesn't help.

    Do I just need a new unit? I'm getting tired of this thing failing and putting everything I've worked for at risk! I've got a backup thermostat and the doser runs on its own programming so the only problem is the lights right now as I don't have a backup 0-10v supply to keep the dimmers on.
    Mike

  2. #2
    Regular Vistor
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    40
    I went ahead and ordered a new apex Jr. From BRS with next day air. Of course ordering it on Saturday night means it will get here on Monday, maybe, and I am leaving on a business trip Monday afternoon so that was a pointless upgrade. Oh well.

    Meanwhile I adapted a wall wart to give a control voltage to turn on my dimmer driver LED fixture. So I just need to put that on a plug in timer and I will have everything running. To add insult to injury, after getting up to 83 degrees a few days ago, my niece came for an unexpected visit and slept in the room with the tank, deciding it would be fine to unplug the heater so that she could have an outlet to charge her phone. Tank got down to 70. No major response, although one large stylo still wasn't expanding as of bed time last night. No matter how hard you try ... And you can't fix stupid.

  3. #3
    NSI Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Vineland, NJ
    Posts
    386
    Did you reach out to Neptune for support?

    Could you find the device with the Firmware update software?

  4. #4
    Regular Vistor
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    40
    No I didn't contact support directly. I usually get some useful info from this forum. This is the third time the system has given me problems and this time it doesn't boot up long enough to connect. I don't think it's a firmware update issue and I think it's time may have come for replacement. I will replace the main unit and hopefully be able to use my backups to restore the programming. Actually the last problem I had over the summer was with the Pm1 module losing its mind. Neptune support helped me with that. That's not a critical component however.

    I may off load the heater control to a stand alone unit and plug that into the apex for kill-switch control. Then if it fails in the on position I am ok. If it fails off then I'm screwed again. I don't know how to make it completely fool-proof. I'll keep the pump and lighting control on the apex also. Again if it fails on then I'm ok with the pumps. So far it always seems to fail with everything in the on position, except the lighting. Now I know how to rig the 12 v plug-in power supply to turn the lights on/off so I have a backup strategy for them.

    Maybe I will be able to repair the old unit for a back up. I've managed to keep a nano sized tank full of acros going for over three years with it so far, but lately it has been as much despite its problems as with its help.

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