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Thread: Once again...Conductivity Probe Questions

  1. #1
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    Angry Once again...Conductivity Probe Questions

    So my brand new probe calibrated just fine, came out reading 35 just as they have in the past. But for some reason in this new tank I've never been able to get the placement right to get an accurate reading. The readings are either sky high (44-59) or really low (0-19). So what is the proper placement for this probe? Its so frustrating!!!

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Should be the same everywhere. What you are experiencing looks like a pretty noticeable stray voltage or electrical interference issue. Set it in a particular spot making sure the cable isn't right next to any other wires and turn off items in your sump one at a time. If the reading spikes or drops, you know which piece of equipment is the cause of your stray voltage and needs to be replaced.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Should be the same everywhere. What you are experiencing looks like a pretty noticeable stray voltage or electrical interference issue. Set it in a particular spot making sure the cable isn't right next to any other wires and turn off items in your sump one at a time. If the reading spikes or drops, you know which piece of equipment is the cause of your stray voltage and needs to be replaced.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.
    @Zombie nailed it . Also, take a look at your equipment logs and see if you can correlate the spikes to something turning on or off.

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    So that was my thought as well, and previously I was able to resolve with a grounding probe. So I just got home, and I progressively turned everything off, eventually EVERYTHING was off including lights, and still no change. Currently the probe is reading 46.4. When everything is turned off the reading might change a couple tenths, but nothing drastic.

  5. #5
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    If you move it around in that state do you still get the low values when moving around or just with everything on?

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

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    I wouldn't say spikes, but it will hold at either a high reading or a low reading. I moved it into the display tank and it went to zero. jiggled it a bit, and it went up to 48.4. Again, everything is off. Moved it back into sump, and now its reading 48.

    I might try what support had me do a while back, which is run the calibration with the prob unplugged which will force it to reset to defaults, and then recalibrate it. I'm just not sure thats the answer since the probe calibrated fine...or seemed to calibrate fine.

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    So reseting the calibration to factory defaults seems to work. The only issue now is I'm getting some sort of interference from my Gyre...it essentially pushes the reading down one full point, from 35 to 34. The two are completely isolated, even tried on a different power circuit. So the gyre must emit something...its weird.

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    Have a volt meter? Perhaps the Gyre is leaking voltage into the tank? If so, it needs to be replaced. I use Vortechs for exaclty this reason.

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    I wish we could manually adjust the offset to match salinity, I have a milwaukee salinity meter and a Pinpoint conductivity probe that both show a salinity of 35 the Apex also matched until I calibrated this month and it now shows 27 go figure. I have had these problems consistantly over the last few years and even have a spare conductivity probe with the same inconsistant results. the probe certaily tracks from what ever the base number is once calibrated so being able to set the base # at calibration via an offset adjustment would be great.

  10. #10
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    I agree with you Jonty, that would definitely solve that issue.

    Does anyone from Neptune ever chime in on these forums?


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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonty View Post
    I wish we could manually adjust the offset to match salinity
    That is what you are doing when you perform a calibration. There is no way to manually change the number, it invalidates the probe and any reading outside the range of your manual adjustment is invalidated.

    If the Apex probe is reading different from the other two, it brings to questions:
    1) How and when were the other two probes calibrated. Consensus does not dictate correct.
    2) If all is calibrated, have you checked for stray voltage and wire interference as discussed above. The pinpoint and milwaukee are not permanently wired in with other electrical devices...the Apex is. This subjects the Apex to interference the other two probes are not.

    Lastly, again check your tanks for stray voltage, either by using a volt meter to the house ground or by inserting a ground probe and noting if the values on your probes change. Any stay voltage will cause ground loop current through Apex devices because they are installed and grounded. Hand held devices are not grounded and thus won't generate a loop from stay voltage.

    Again, these are valid and common sources of interference that you cannot 'calibrate' your way out of.

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    Quote Originally Posted by djbetterly View Post
    I agree with you Jonty, that would definitely solve that issue.

    Does anyone from Neptune ever chime in on these forums?
    No, it won't solve the issue, see my response above. Stray voltage and electromagnetic interference are real issues that impact permanently installed equipment but not hand help equipment because of current through the grounding. Fixing this is what solves the issue.

    This is not an official Neptune support thread, for official Neptune Support, you must contact Neptune directly. One of the first questions will be did you install the device as per the instructions, including keeping the wires free from interference.

  13. #13
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    A boatload of people are having this problem. I just ended up calibrating my 2 refractors with refractor calibrating fluid. Got my tank to 35ppt, and then did the calibration, instead of sticking it in the calibration fluid when it tells you too, I stuck it in my tank, I knew it was 35ppt. Hit ok, Bingo, 35ppt on Apex ! Its shame they don't fix this problem, and it is, a problem, just look at all the post here, and on Reef Central, and any other forum. Stray voltage, lol.

  14. #14
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    Once again...Conductivity Probe Questions

    I put a meter in my tank, no voltage readings. I also have a grounding probe and without the grounding probe I still get zero voltage readings.

    I agree with you that it's an issue, I've had my apex for 4+ years now and that's the only thing I've had issues with.



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    Quote Originally Posted by laserjim View Post
    A boatload of people are having this problem. I just ended up calibrating my 2 refractors with refractor calibrating fluid. Got my tank to 35ppt, and then did the calibration, instead of sticking it in the calibration fluid when it tells you too, I stuck it in my tank, I knew it was 35ppt. Hit ok, Bingo, 35ppt on Apex ! Its shame they don't fix this problem, and it is, a problem, just look at all the post here, and on Reef Central, and any other forum. Stray voltage, lol.
    Nice I will do this

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