Apex/ electrical/GFI messed up.Help.

[mike31154]

The Apex Reference Manual is full of little gems! Remember my questioning of a logged current spike of 75 amps?

https://www.neptunesystems.com/downl...nce_Manual.pdf

Page 139

"EB8 or EB4 shows incorrect amperage Similar to the previous issue, the EBx may need recalibration. The process is simple but you must be comfortable knowing how to telnet into your controller. If so, then read on. 1. Identify the Aquabus number of the EB8 or EB4 that you want to calibrate. If your EBx is numbered EB8_3 then the Aquabus number is 3. 2. Unplug everything from the EBx or at least make 100% certain it’s all turned off. This is critical. Whatever amperage the EBx is pulling when the calibration is run becomes the new zero point. You want to make sure it’s pulling 0. 3. Telnet into the controller and login with your userid and password. 4. Issue the following command: eb8zero n where ‘n’ is the Aquabus number of the EBx you want to calibrate. If you’re calibrating an EB4, the command is still ‘eb8zero’. So using the above example of an EB that is known as ‘EB8_3’ the command would be ‘eb8zero 3’. This command is case sensitive and should be entered in lower case as is shown. It executes immediately and there’s no confirmation or message when finished, just a new telnet prompt. 5. Quit telnet. That’s it. Your EBx should now read the proper amperage load when devices are active."

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by mike31154

You might be on to something with the chiller and if you know one of the bars is at 12 amps, that's getting a bit tight. It's generally recommended to keep draw to 80% of maximum on any given 15 amp circuit for your own safety. Wall mounted GFCIs have improved & the newer ones shouldn't be as prone to nuisance trips, but nothing is foolproof!

Have a look at my earlier post, #17, you may have missed that in the process of writing your most recent reply. The reference manual is very comprehensive, an amazing little piece of kit this Apex. You almost need to hire someone to set it up if you wish to use all of it's capabilities!

Yes it is quite the kit. I have read the comprehensive manual enough times that I should have memorized by now, but dirt biking and concussions have taken their toll. I will re-read

Thanks for the ideas and helping working it down to possible issues and solutions

[reefwithareefer]

[quote=mike31154;958337]The Apex Reference Manual is full of little gems! Remember my questioning


Hey, good one Mike. You may be onto something here...
I do not remember reading that, but will now.

Now to learn what and how to telnet...Whoever said having a saltwater tank is easy was lying....

[reefwithareefer]

Bah, telnet will be easy compared to everything else

[reefwithareefer]

So far , with the MH light plug removed from the EB8, the amps are steady at 11.3 max amps..

[Robw]

Mike, good to see you have way more time than me to help out with this problem.

I would put the chiller on its own circuit and not run it on the apex. They can draw a fair bit of current when they startup. Magnetic ballasts will draw more current when they strike the bulb than a electronic ballast. The running current should be close, but the magnetic ballast will use more power.

Definitely recalibrate the eb8.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by Robw

Mike, good to see you have way more time than me to help out with this problem.

I would put the chiller on its own circuit and not run it on the apex. They can draw a fair bit of current when they startup. Magnetic ballasts will draw more current when they strike the bulb than a electronic ballast. The running current should be close, but the magnetic ballast will use more power.

Definitely recalibrate the eb8.

There is no "sticker" telling me what type of ballast it is...any obvious ways to tell if it is a magnetic...Even the galaxy site does not say..

[Robw]

Magnetic ballasts are heavy. Most electronic ballasts are in anodized aluminum cases with a cooling fan. Can you post pics of them?

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by Robw

Magnetic ballasts are heavy. Most electronic ballasts are in anodized aluminum cases with a cooling fan. Can you post pics of them?

Just by that description, I know they are electronic. My original Coralife fixture had big heavy black boxes for the MH. The galaxies are light with green aluminum, finned casing with fans.

I thought that all HQI bulbs were suppose to be better on magnetic..
The pendants must have originally had magnetic ballasts as the sticker on ballast said to use an M80 bulb to match ballast

[gregzz4]

If you want to move your chiller onto its own power source, but still have it on an EBx, I have a Digital Aquatics expansion socket (ES) you can have for $40