Anyone else having issues with their Neptune salinity probe?

ScubaNemo · 08/06/2016, 08:56 AM

My salinity probe started acting up, was in the office and got an alert email that my salinity plummeted down to 20! Ran home, tested the water and the salinity was perfect. For the past few days it has been acting up and bouncing back to the normal reading. Neptune don't seem to know what the issue is.

The probe is about 7 months old, will replacing it fix the problem?
Anyone experienced this issue and was able to resolve it?

2wheelsonly · 08/06/2016, 10:06 AM

If bubbles get in the probe it will do that. A lot of sumps have probe holders close to where your skimmer is or they are directly on the side of a baffle. These location will increase your chances for random bubble fits. I moved my probe away from the skimmer and in an area with gentle flow and have not had an issue since.

Also the best way to tell if it's air bubbles is to tap the probe gently and if your readings return quickly to normal you will know for sure.

thegrun · 08/06/2016, 10:47 AM

Bubble as posted above could be then issue, also try to keep the cable away from power cords which will cause electrical interference.

ScubaNemo · 08/06/2016, 10:55 AM

Ok I will try to relocate the probe stand in a different section, it is not close to the skimmer though, I have it in the return pump chamber in my Reefer 350, there is a bubble trap sponge wall between the skimmer and the pump chamber.
I haven't added any new equipment so I'm just wondering if it is a bubble issue,
How come it only started happening 7-8 months after the set up?

Snarkys · 08/07/2016, 08:01 AM

I will third the bubble issue as the most common cause of this and should be the first thing to rule out. After that calibrate. If it is still bad then time for a new probe.

The bubbles are super common and just happens over time. If you are going to use the probe as just a monitor it isn't as big of a deal but if you are going to use it to control equipment I personly would build a box of some type to house the probe and completely prevent this issue. This issue very common because there are so many bubbles created by the overflow and skimmer.

ScubaNemo · 08/07/2016, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snarkys

I will third the bubble issue as the most common cause of this and should be the first thing to rule out. After that calibrate. If it is still bad then time for a new probe.

The bubbles are super common and just happens over time. If you are going to use the probe as just a monitor it isn't as big of a deal but if you are going to use it to control equipment I personly would build a box of some type to house the probe and completely prevent this issue. This issue very common because there are so many bubbles created by the overflow and skimmer.

Thanks Ryan, good ideas. I will order calibration solutions from BRS today :-)
Do you have a photo of the box you are referring to?

RussC · 07/15/2018, 01:29 PM

Hey guys, fighting this same issue. Just curious about what anyone has successfully done. Might probe will work, then not work. Spike, then plummet, then settle. I know its bubbles. I've found them and shook them out several times. But its now becoming common and frankly, irritating.

ScubaNemo · 07/15/2018, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussC

Hey guys, fighting this same issue. Just curious about what anyone has successfully done. Might probe will work, then not work. Spike, then plummet, then settle. I know its bubbles. I've found them and shook them out several times. But its now becoming common and frankly, irritating.

I replaced mine and haven’t had an issue with the new probe for more than a year now. And it is placed in the same spot as the old probe, so it wasn’t bubbles or electric interference, just needed a new one I guess.

RussC · 07/15/2018, 04:48 PM

Scuba, did you see any other tells that I might look for to tell of my probe is failing? It seems unusual that a probe would just fail. Especially since its sitting untouched in a bracket just doing it things.

ScubaNemo · 07/15/2018, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussC

Scuba, did you see any other tells that I might look for to tell of my probe is failing? It seems unusual that a probe would just fail. Especially since its sitting untouched in a bracket just doing it things.

I would Say the three things i know of would be, air bubbles, electric current interference and age!

Bill_Moorman · 07/15/2018, 10:09 PM

My salinity probe has never been accurate. Honestly highly disappointed how problematic has been. I never could get it to auto calibrate.

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08/06/2016, 08:56 AM	#1
ScubaNemo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Astoria, New York Posts: 383	Anyone else having issues with their Neptune salinity probe? My salinity probe started acting up, was in the office and got an alert email that my salinity plummeted down to 20! Ran home, tested the water and the salinity was perfect. For the past few days it has been acting up and bouncing back to the normal reading. Neptune don't seem to know what the issue is. The probe is about 7 months old, will replacing it fix the problem? Anyone experienced this issue and was able to resolve it? __________________ Reefer 350, Nyos 160 Skimmer, ARID reactor, Neptune WAV, Kessil AP700, Ecotech Vectra L1 pump, Neptune DOS, Avast Marine carbon reactor, Aqua Euro 1/4 Chiller, Apex gold

08/06/2016, 10:55 AM	#4
ScubaNemo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Astoria, New York Posts: 383	Ok I will try to relocate the probe stand in a different section, it is not close to the skimmer though, I have it in the return pump chamber in my Reefer 350, there is a bubble trap sponge wall between the skimmer and the pump chamber. I haven't added any new equipment so I'm just wondering if it is a bubble issue, How come it only started happening 7-8 months after the set up? __________________ Reefer 350, Nyos 160 Skimmer, ARID reactor, Neptune WAV, Kessil AP700, Ecotech Vectra L1 pump, Neptune DOS, Avast Marine carbon reactor, Aqua Euro 1/4 Chiller, Apex gold

08/07/2016, 08:01 AM	#5
Snarkys RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 3,516	I will third the bubble issue as the most common cause of this and should be the first thing to rule out. After that calibrate. If it is still bad then time for a new probe. The bubbles are super common and just happens over time. If you are going to use the probe as just a monitor it isn't as big of a deal but if you are going to use it to control equipment I personly would build a box of some type to house the probe and completely prevent this issue. This issue very common because there are so many bubbles created by the overflow and skimmer. __________________ Ryan B BRSTV & 52 Weeks of Reefing

07/15/2018, 01:29 PM	#7
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	Hey guys, fighting this same issue. Just curious about what anyone has successfully done. Might probe will work, then not work. Spike, then plummet, then settle. I know its bubbles. I've found them and shook them out several times. But its now becoming common and frankly, irritating. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

07/15/2018, 04:48 PM	#9
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	Scuba, did you see any other tells that I might look for to tell of my probe is failing? It seems unusual that a probe would just fail. Especially since its sitting untouched in a bracket just doing it things. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

08/06/2016, 10:06 AM	#2
2wheelsonly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Floyds Knobs, IN Posts: 259	If bubbles get in the probe it will do that. A lot of sumps have probe holders close to where your skimmer is or they are directly on the side of a baffle. These location will increase your chances for random bubble fits. I moved my probe away from the skimmer and in an area with gentle flow and have not had an issue since. Also the best way to tell if it's air bubbles is to tap the probe gently and if your readings return quickly to normal you will know for sure.

08/06/2016, 10:47 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Bubble as posted above could be then issue, also try to keep the cable away from power cords which will cause electrical interference.

07/15/2018, 10:09 PM	#11
Bill_Moorman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 188	My salinity probe has never been accurate. Honestly highly disappointed how problematic has been. I never could get it to auto calibrate. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk