Losing faith in my Apex

[Joe Rice]

I've had an Apex for almost the entire 9 years I've been reefing but I find myself moving more and more functionality off of it. Today, for the third time in 8 years (since I got the 2016 version), my Apex scrambled all its programming.

I've been lucky that all three times I've been home when it's happened. This time I noticed it when I heard my overflow gurgling at 6 am. The return pump outlet had been turned off. All the outlets had reverted to some random state, and they all had what looked like default names. Five or six years ago - the first time all the programming got scrambled - the outlet for dosing Ca was got set to always ON. After that I moved my dosing control off the Apex.

Three times in 8 years may not seem like a lot but it's enough that I can't trust it with anything beyond monitoring and turning the lights on and off.

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[JeffB418]

I have heard rare cases where an EB832 loses its normal programming and reverts to its factory default programming where some outlets are programmed on, some are off, and some cycle. The default programming is supposed to be a generic configuration for users to start from. But the issue is if you have say a heater on one of the ports thats programmed on, yeah... it will stay on.

 

[PharmrJohn]

I've had an Apex for almost the entire 9 years I've been reefing but I find myself moving more and more functionality off of it. Today, for the third time in 8 years (since I got the 2016 version), my Apex scrambled all its programming.

I've been lucky that all three times I've been home when it's happened. This time I noticed it when I heard my overflow gurgling at 6 am. The return pump outlet had been turned off. All the outlets had reverted to some random state, and they all had what looked like default names. Five or six years ago - the first time all the programming got scrambled - the outlet for dosing Ca was got set to always ON. After that I moved my dosing control off the Apex.

Three times in 8 years may not seem like a lot but it's enough that I can't trust it with anything beyond monitoring and turning the lights on and off.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Never have had one, but 3 times in 8 years is 3 times too many. I've been steering clear due just to cost. But if this happens consistently between users, that is just one more reason to avoid.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I have avoided EB832 entirely. Everything is on EB8 or EB4s, no horror stories to report.

Another thing I've always done is providing power via AUX P/S port, always connected to a battery backup.

 

[JeffB418]

I've had an Apex for almost the entire 9 years I've been reefing but I find myself moving more and more functionality off of it. Today, for the third time in 8 years (since I got the 2016 version), my Apex scrambled all its programming.

I've been lucky that all three times I've been home when it's happened. This time I noticed it when I heard my overflow gurgling at 6 am. The return pump outlet had been turned off. All the outlets had reverted to some random state, and they all had what looked like default names. Five or six years ago - the first time all the programming got scrambled - the outlet for dosing Ca was got set to always ON. After that I moved my dosing control off the Apex.

Three times in 8 years may not seem like a lot but it's enough that I can't trust it with anything beyond monitoring and turning the lights on and off.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Yeah, if your outlet names reverted to a default name, it def seems like the energy bar was reinitialized to the brain as if it was a factory new device. Wonder if this happens due to an issue with the head unit losing some device ID association with the EB832 or if something else happens. Regardless, its not a good situation. Derek from Reef Automation had it happen to him and described it on one of his videos, but i cant find which one.

 

[BZOFIQ]

BTW, when did you last update the APEX?

 

[Joe Rice]

BTW, when did you last update the APEX?

 

[Joe Rice]

I have avoided EB832 entirely. Everything is on EB8 or EB4s, no horror stories to report.

Another thing I've always done is providing power via AUX P/S port, always connected to a battery backup.

I'm getting power through the EB832 but I have the 12v power supply plugged into the wall so that I can detect a power outage

 

[Joe Rice]

Derek from Reef Automation had it happen to him and described it on one of his videos, but i cant find which one.

Derek the Reef Dudes guy?

 

[BZOFIQ]

ok, so not recent.

 

[Mickey]

I sympathize. This would be disastrous if it happened to me. I have many Apex modules and have been a user since the AquaController II days, so at least 15 years.

I have a couple of questions for clarity:
1. Was the problem limited to the outlets on the EB832 or was it truly all the Apex programming?
2. What Apex model do you have? Is it the same one you bought nine years ago?
3. Did you talk with Neptune Support and what did they say?

I've read about some issues with the SD card that was included in the Apex for some period of time but I don't recall the exact details. Might be worth making a copy of it as a backup. There's a video of the process around somewhere.

 

[exnisstech]

Three times in 8 years may not seem like a lot but it's enough that I can't trust it with anything beyond monitoring and turning the lights on and off.

Once is all it takes to loose everything. Stories like this always keep me from considering a controller. That said my schedule does not make one a neccesity.

 

[Joe Rice]

1. Was the problem limited to the outlets on the EB832 or was it truly all the Apex programming?

It was all of it

2. What Apex model do you have? Is it the same one you bought nine years ago?

"A2 APEX" The 2016 version that's orange and gray plastic. About a year or two ago the 12v power supply inside the EB832 died and I replaced it with the Meanwell power supply.

3. Did you talk with Neptune Support and what did they say?

Nope, haven't spoken with Neptune Support but I should

 

[WillpoleReefers]

I am using the Apex just for monitoring as we go away a fair bit with a non-reefer in charge. I am wary of giving it control of anything much. It had some sort of communications crash recently cutting off all contact, needed a power off to reset. I wanted to monitor multiple levels and started with the key sump level, buying a new sensor a few months ago. That has failed already, it worked for a good while but has started giving random numbers. Think I just cannot trust the unit for this task even if the sensor was replaced. Nothing so far gives me confidence that I can rely on this unit when travelling miles away from home sadly. Doesn’t seem quite up to the intended purpose on this showing,

Steve

 

[Doctorgori]

Has anyone else had this problem?

yes, and other issues but that could be a function of service years

 

[JeffB418]

yes, and other issues but that could be a function of service years

Yeah I have heard on older units that don’t use SD cards for non-volatile memory storage (soldered memory), that they end up reaching the max write limits and becomes corrupt.

 

[justdeb1107]

I have heard rare cases where an EB832 loses its normal programming and reverts to its factory default programming where some outlets are programmed on, some are off, and some cycle. The default programming is supposed to be a generic configuration for users to start from. But the issue is if you have say a heater on one of the ports thats programmed on, yeah... it will stay on.

The heater thing is something I am concerned about, too. I have an Inkbird, but it's plugged into my EB832 so I can turn it off when doing water changes. The outlet may fail off for some reason, but at least the Inkbird would keep the EB832 from frying the tank. Also, each heater has its own temperature probe in the tank and should cut off, too.

I've had an Apex for almost the entire 9 years I've been reefing but I find myself moving more and more functionality off of it. Today, for the third time in 8 years (since I got the 2016 version), my Apex scrambled all its programming.

I've been lucky that all three times I've been home when it's happened. This time I noticed it when I heard my overflow gurgling at 6 am. The return pump outlet had been turned off. All the outlets had reverted to some random state, and they all had what looked like default names. Five or six years ago - the first time all the programming got scrambled - the outlet for dosing Ca was got set to always ON. After that I moved my dosing control off the Apex.

Three times in 8 years may not seem like a lot but it's enough that I can't trust it with anything beyond monitoring and turning the lights on and off.

Has anyone else had this problem?

If I bought an iPhone or laptop 8 years ago, I would expect to have issues with it, as well. Normally, I have to get a new laptop every five years, and new phone every 3. Tech seems to fizz out in less than 8 years. We don't like to think of an Apex in the same light, but if our phones go on the fritz every 3 years, why is an aquarium controller any different? Obviously, it stinks, but it's not altogether surprising. Perhaps updating to the latest software version would help? My phone updates automatically, and has bug fixes when it does. Maybe that would help your situation?

 

[justdeb1107]

The heater thing is something I am concerned about, too. I have an Inkbird, but it's plugged into my EB832 so I can turn it off when doing water changes. The outlet may fail off for some reason, but at least the Inkbird would keep the EB832 from frying the tank. Also, each heater has its own temperature probe in the tank and should cut off, too.

If I bought an iPhone or laptop 8 years ago, I would expect to have issues with it, as well. Normally, I have to get a new laptop every five years, and new phone every 3. Tech seems to fizz out in less than 8 years. We don't like to think of an Apex in the same light, but if our phones go on the fritz every 3 years, why is an aquarium controller any different? Obviously, it stinks, but it's not altogether surprising. Perhaps updating to the latest software version would help? My phone updates automatically, and has bug fixes when it does. Maybe that would help your situation?

That makes sense, but the dosing log shows it dosed normally with no makeup or missing amounts. Yet it definitely dosed about 450 ml in one night. Here is a pic of my log.

 

[Olefreebe]

The automation seem kind of pointless as every piece of equipment now has its own automation. I still think the auto-testing is a nice feature and the only reason I really want one.