I bought some magnetic NC switches for my stand doors to turn on and off my stand lights but my Avast Marine breakout box no longer seems to be working. It definitely did back then with my Apex classic but doesn't seem to be with my Apex 2016. I've tested with twist ties with stripped ends. Tested the magnetic switch with the continuity test on a voltmeter and it's working as intended when I break the contact. Even tried high quality speaker wires but Apex still not detecting the open and closed states from the BoB.
Avast Marine Breakout box not detecting open/closed
- Thread starter Aquavaj
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Reef Outfit
Active Member
Sorry to hear that.
It could be an issue with the Apex, the breakout box, or the switch.
Apex: I'm not sure if the Mini-Din ports are wired differently on the two Apex models you mentioned, but they likely aren’t. To be sure, check if the Neptune Breakout Box is compatible with both. If it is, your BB should work with both units.
Breakout Box: Remove the back lid and inspect the wiring; something might have come loose. We use the same spring terminal in our products. Do you have another switch you can connect to the breakout box to test? Alternatively, take two pieces of wire, touch the tips together, and see if the status changes on the Apex. Test different inputs; it takes a little while for the status change to show up in Fusion.
Magnetic Switch: While they are generally straightforward, some switches are better than others and might fail. We also make magnetic switches. If you’ve tested it, it should be fine.
Hope this helps!
It could be an issue with the Apex, the breakout box, or the switch.
Apex: I'm not sure if the Mini-Din ports are wired differently on the two Apex models you mentioned, but they likely aren’t. To be sure, check if the Neptune Breakout Box is compatible with both. If it is, your BB should work with both units.
Breakout Box: Remove the back lid and inspect the wiring; something might have come loose. We use the same spring terminal in our products. Do you have another switch you can connect to the breakout box to test? Alternatively, take two pieces of wire, touch the tips together, and see if the status changes on the Apex. Test different inputs; it takes a little while for the status change to show up in Fusion.
Magnetic Switch: While they are generally straightforward, some switches are better than others and might fail. We also make magnetic switches. If you’ve tested it, it should be fine.
Hope this helps!
Aquavaj
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So I opened the BoB and found that channels 1 & 2 had a loose ground connection. Tested again on ch 3 and it seems to work here and there on the spring terminals when I used the magnetic switch. When I wire the switch straight to the back connections of the spring terminals it worked much more reliably so I'm thinking the contacts in the terminals may be corroded and preventing good contact.
I'll see about cleaning the contacts inside the terminals or try soldering leads.
Reef Outfit
Active Member
Given that the Apex is a high-quality product and the switch is super simple, I had hoped the breakout box would be equally impressive. However, I find its assembly to be quite poor. If you watch this video, you’ll see what I mean.
I'm not sure what their guarantee policy is, but we would replace the product if such an issue occurred. However, this situation wouldn't arise with our products because we ensure superior quality and craftsmanship.
The spring terminals have metal contacts that are susceptible to corrosion. It's important to keep them dry and as far away from saltwater as possible, as even sea air can cause them to corrode over time.
We use these spring terminals to upgrade the Neptune breakout box because I find the original inputs to be a hassle.
Reef Outfit Neptune Breakout Box Upgrade
Take a look at the way we wire it:
We've seen quite a few breakout boxes for the Apex so far, but very few match the quality and innovation we strive for in our products. We will be releasing our own breakout box in the near future. If you would like to check it out when it becomes available, you can subscribe to our newsletter on our website to receive a notification via email.
Anyway, I'm glad you figured it out.
I'm not sure what their guarantee policy is, but we would replace the product if such an issue occurred. However, this situation wouldn't arise with our products because we ensure superior quality and craftsmanship.
The spring terminals have metal contacts that are susceptible to corrosion. It's important to keep them dry and as far away from saltwater as possible, as even sea air can cause them to corrode over time.
We use these spring terminals to upgrade the Neptune breakout box because I find the original inputs to be a hassle.
Reef Outfit Neptune Breakout Box Upgrade
Take a look at the way we wire it:
We've seen quite a few breakout boxes for the Apex so far, but very few match the quality and innovation we strive for in our products. We will be releasing our own breakout box in the near future. If you would like to check it out when it becomes available, you can subscribe to our newsletter on our website to receive a notification via email.
Anyway, I'm glad you figured it out.
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