Mission critical accesories

[MartinM]

I'm fully aware that the Hydros is designed to be the most budget-friendly controller out there. However, since its inception, I've noticed the hydros computers themselves are fantastic, IME/O suitable for mission critical monitoring applications in commercial life support situations. The accessories (sensors, solenoids, etc), however, are resoundingly not. CoralVue could potentially gain the support of commercial hatcheries, aquariums, and aquaculture facilities if there were options to purchase high quality accessories for the Hydros. The current offerings, while certainly budet-friendly, come with budget-friendly problems: high failure rate and low reliability. I definitely hope high quality sensors and other accessories come along!

 

[Danny]

I'm fully aware that the Hydros is designed to be the most budget-friendly controller out there. However, since its inception, I've noticed the hydros computers themselves are fantastic, IME/O suitable for mission critical monitoring applications in commercial life support situations. The accessories (sensors, solenoids, etc), however, are resoundingly not. CoralVue could potentially gain the support of commercial hatcheries, aquariums, and aquaculture facilities if there were options to purchase high quality accessories for the Hydros. The current offerings, while certainly budet-friendly, come with budget-friendly problems: high failure rate and low reliability. I definitely hope high quality sensors and other accessories come along!

I have not had any failures with my Hydros sensors or solenoids and I have had some of them for over 3 years without any issues.

 

[thom_smith]

I'd suggest a case with CoralVue Support Portal to understand/review your use case and determine source of your issues. I've got a very large Hydros setup with multuples of just about every control anf several sensor and solenoid accessories--both Hydros and DIY--and have not experienced such issues. Not disputing your experience but definitely saying support or engineering may suggest a different configuration or different tool for your use case.

 

[MartinM]

We have three facilities and several dozen hydros devices and multiple collectives, and some very intelligent people on our team. The main issues we have are the water sensor and solenoid failures. We have to replace an optical water sensory nearly every week at this point, and a few solenoids fail every year. Thankfully, we don't (and definitely won't) rely solely on Hydros, but it is a shame that sensors fail so readily.

FWIW, we've used Hydros since they came out (3+ years). The sensor failures are all newer sensors (purchased in the last year). Perhaps something changed with QA or manufacturing them? Solenoids have always failed after about a year, even the first ones we purchased.

Use case is extremely basic. Is the sensor wet, or dry? Nothing complex.

Support just offers to replace the sensors. While the gesture is appreciated, a new $30 retail sensor isn't the solution we're hoping for: we're hoping for improved reliability.

 

[MartinM]

Btw we're using optical water level. We'll try changing to float switch, at this point we're considering just trashing all the optical sensors.

 

[MartinM]

An online search seems to confirm that optical sensors have a high failure rate as compared to the float switches. We'll give those a try.

 

[Danny]

I use float switches but I was using them with my old controller. I had several failures with them until I got some schedule 80 1/4 PVC and threaded the end so the area where the wires enter the switch cannot get wet. I have not had any failures since then. I added som silicone RTV around the area where the wires enter the optical sensor on the sensors I have. I have 2 of the Hydros solenoids for over 3 years without any failures. They are normally off and only turn on when DI is needed from the RODI unit. If they are normally on they will fail. Any of those types of solenoids will if kept on.

 

[javajaws]

I use float switches but I was using them with my old controller. I had several failures with them until I got some schedule 80 1/4 PVC and threaded the end so the area where the wires enter the switch cannot get wet. I have not had any failures since then. I added som silicone RTV around the area where the wires enter the optical sensor on the sensors I have. I have 2 of the Hydros solenoids for over 3 years without any failures. They are normally off and only turn on when DI is needed from the RODI unit. If they are normally on they will fail. Any of those types of solenoids will if kept on.

Hi Danny - I see you are really close to me (I'm in Round Rock)! I may recruit you to help setup all my Hydros gear lol.

How long do you keep your DI solenoid on at a time? Are you using a high and low float and re-filling several gallons at a time? Or just small topoffs using only a single float switch (which could result in higher TDS)? Do you have use a failsafe backup like one of those mechanical float switch/valves at the end of the RO line?

Sad to hear about the optical switches. I've bought a few of them and hope I don't have problems with them. I'll try adding some silicone perhaps.

 

[Danny]

I have a high level and a low level setup. I have the maximum on time set to 5 hrs but that will vary depending on the size of your container and the rate you RODI makes DI water to fill the reservoir. I also have s float valve inside the reservoir that will shutoff flow if it overfills for any reason. I also have a leak detector near the reservoir. So there is more than one backup. I am not sure there will be any issue using optical sensors. I just seen where someone was adding the silicone where the wire enters the sensor and figured it could not hurt. I did have issues with the float switches doing that but I got some 1/4" scheduled 80 PVC pipe and threaded one end and screwed the float switches into it with an o-ring between the float switch and the PVC as a seal and have not had any issues since doing that. I already had float switches installed in all three of the reservoirs in the garage and at the sump so I just used them instead of getting the optical sensors since they were already there and working from my previous controller.

 

[JeffB418]

An online search seems to confirm that optical sensors have a high failure rate as compared to the float switches. We'll give those a try.

Definitely the physical float switches are your best bet... that being said I've had snails give me issues. That being said, I have started to make and sell these covers that Ive been using myself Hydros Float Switch Guard Assembly | JB Aquatics LLC

Another option for optical sensors is the newer triple optical sensor HYDROS Triple Optical Water Level Sensor
Ive had better luck with these. They are a diff manufacturer than the standard blue optical sensors, so they may hold up better. The other major difference is that this new sensor is actually a digital interface between the sensor and hydros while the blue optical sensor is fully analog. The digital interface provides a more robust interface plus having it being digital AND 3 optical sensors in one... allows hydros to be able to identify a failed sensor easier. When an analog sensor fails, it fails open or closed, and Hydros can't really tell it failed. If you do use the triple sensor, disable the overflow alter

 

[Shred5]

Definitely the physical float switches are your best bet... that being said I've had snails give me issues. That being said, I have started to make and sell these covers that Ive been using myself Hydros Float Switch Guard Assembly | JB Aquatics LLC

Another option for optical sensors is the newer triple optical sensor HYDROS Triple Optical Water Level Sensor
Ive had better luck with these. They are a diff manufacturer than the standard blue optical sensors, so they may hold up better. The other major difference is that this new sensor is actually a digital interface between the sensor and hydros while the blue optical sensor is fully analog. The digital interface provides a more robust interface plus having it being digital AND 3 optical sensors in one... allows hydros to be able to identify a failed sensor easier. When an analog sensor fails, it fails open or closed, and Hydros can't really tell it failed. If you do use the triple sensor, disable the overflow alter

I know Coralvue switched to a newer sensor from the little blue round optical to a square optical sensor. My last order they were square.

Broken Tank | CoralVue

CoralVue is one of North America's largest distributors of marine and freshwater aquaria products and represents a wide range of industry-leading brands including Reef Octopus, Abyzz, Fauna Marin, IceCap, and more. CoralVue also manufactures the HYDROS Control, which is the fastest-growing...

www.coralvue.com

Maybe someone for Coralvue can confirm.

That little round blue sensor I believe is used on other ATO brands too. I have a lot of different systems and have used several different ATO brands and the little round magnetic sensors have failed on most of them over time.. I just had a Duetto sensor fail.

Personally have never been a fan of optical sensors for use in ATO's. I was beta testing a ATO when the optical sensors first started showing up on the market. Yes I am showing my age. It would pick up my skimmer if too close so since then I have always been leery of them. Problem is most ATO systems use them nowadays. I would bet things have improved since then.

That said allot of people like them because they are small and allot of people have had no issues.

I have switched back to the floats myself and now never a issue. Those float guards you make Jeff look pretty nice I may have to get a few.
I am switching all my systems over too the Hydros and the float switches now. With the price of the better ATOs out there buying a lets say a Control 2 and the ATO parts is not that much more and may even be a little less but you get a little more function out of Hydros.