Tank Temperature monitor \ guard against heaters stuck on.

[Rotaripsnoc]

Due to several posts regarding a tank overheating from a broken heater, I've been looking into a power outlet with a temperature probe that could be clipped into the water column, when the temperature reaches X degrees, it would turn off the power outlet and any tank heater \ device connected to it.

I found a few for use in Japan, and Europe but none really for the US.

Before I start looking at designing one to print later, has anyone seen a similar device that would protect a tank from overheating when a heater decides on is the only mode it needs ?

If there isn't a commercially made one for the US, I was thinking using a Rasberry PI card to control and monitor the tank would be easy, and it would be a matter of fabricating the housing, soldering a probe to the board and wiring everything together, should make everything less than $75 to produce.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I hear you. It's another layer of protection, but in reality, that could fail too.

How about something more readily available like this: Aquarium Heating & Temperature Control: Azoo Micro Temp Controller

 

[Rotaripsnoc]

Pretty much exactly what I was looking for, my google attempts failed to find that, thanks !

I might still build one with a Rasberry PI just for myself, so I can have it send me an alert if something goes wrong.

 

[FishDad]

I hear you. It's another layer of protection, but in reality, that could fail too.

How about something more readily available like this: Aquarium Heating & Temperature Control: Azoo Micro Temp Controller

The 55 setup that I bought a few months back came with an older one of those. Its pretty awesome, far more accurate than the heater itself. They must be Euro things because they all read in Celsius only.

 

[Rotaripsnoc]

Every heater I've ever had, has had accuracy issues, maybe 15 or so total, it's always irked me, though I've never had one fail. It takes weeks to get the setting just right to keep the tank temp where I wanted it. But yeah an external temp monitor that can control the dumb heater sounds good to me.

I bet it would work even better with an inline heater

 

[CAPSLOCK]

There are lots of controllers for aquariums (mostly used with reef aquariums) - google "aquarium controller" or "aquarium temperature controller" and you can browse a lot of them.

They make controllers to the level that everything in the tank is wired through the controller and you can control it via your smartphone while on vacation, and that will turn off the lights if the tank hits a certain temp, etc. Basically a computer solely for the tank... amazing what technology can do. Check out Reef Keepers or Apex controllers if you are interested - they are pretty pricey, though if you spend thousands on a reef tank it is a good insurance.

 

[exhumed07]

I would thing a thermestate would work. one like u have on a wall. once it hits a specific temp it breaks the cercuit and kills the power going to the heater. in a sense it would be like having a heater with dual thermastats. besides that i realy couldn't tell u what else u could do.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Pretty much exactly what I was looking for, my google attempts failed to find that, thanks !

I might still build one with a Rasberry PI just for myself, so I can have it send me an alert if something goes wrong.

For ~$39, that Azoo model looks like the only one out there you can use right out of the box in this price range.

Your raspberry idea sounds pretty high-tech!

I see eBay offers tons of 120VDC temperature controllers for ~$20, if you don't mind some DIY wiring. If you wanted to go low budget, you could cut a cheap extension cord in half, use the male end to power the controller and connect the female end to the normally open switch terminals on the controller. Plug your heater into the female end, figure out how to program the sucker and be good to go.

 

[Rotaripsnoc]

I work in IT, so if I can automate \ simplify my life with technology, it's usually the way I go. I'm still thinking about it, at any rate I'll probably wait till this winter, for now the tank is staying plenty warm without the heater plugged in. I could always expand on what the raspberry controller does too, monitor flow rate from the canister, I've seen the components to make electronic ammonia \ nitrite sensors. At any rate it's a project that I would add to a long list of others