Continuous Meters and Digital Ballast Interference

[RMCG]

I'm in the market for a continuous TDS/pH/Temp Meter.

For this installation, the digital ballasts will be near ~enough~ to the board where the meter will be mounted.

I know some digi's cause problems with some meters.

Specifically, I've heard of issues with NutraDip Tri's but I do not know which ballasts. Some digi's seem better to have better shielding to reduce or eliminate interference. Granted, some product lines have bad apples in the bunch too, poor QA, Monday or Friday made, etc.

The ballasts I am working with are Global Greenhouse.


Anyone have a definitive combo that does NOT work together?

IE Quantums and Hanna GroChek
(this is an example only, I do not know if there is an issue).

If you personally know of combos that do or do not work, post them up!

Thanks!

 

[RMCG]

Ok, Here is one:

Hanna GrowChek models (From Hanna):
The HI991404 and HI991405 do not work correctly when you have the digital ballasts. The meters pick up electrical interference or noise from the balasts. We have tried installing a capacitor which made them work with the traditional balasts but this does not work. If you have the digital ballasts you need to use the HI981504 model.

 

[zoeronerer]

billygoat posted about shielding for digi ballasts .... im sure you could insulate ...
or wrap the meter in lead foil the electrode and the wire act as an antennae so maybe sheilding the ballasts would be best wrather than the electrode and readout .

good luck .... i have used these in several systems for aquariums as well .

.. be really careful of drift calibrate your unit often and be careful of scummy electrode .

.. the things work so good you forget about them and their upkeep

... then one day your ph is 3.5 and the readout says 5.8 i always have a pen handy for when i walk in the room just to make sure ...

 

[RMCG]

These ballasts are supposed to be very good regarding RF interference.

Calibration will be performed once a week, minimum.

Pens are on backup and 'quick checks', but I trust them less some times.

I have used continuous meters before, but not with digi ballasts.

It would be an expensive mistake to purchase a meter with a known incompatibility with digital ballasts if you own or plan on using them.


FWIW, I purchased the newer Hanna HI981504/5 due to Hanna rectifying the issues with digital ballasts in this model.

 

[Seamaiden]

I believe it depends on which ballast, i.e. Lumateks allegedly give off a good bit more RFI than a Quantum. NCGA tipped me to the CAP Nex Gen ballast, really neat little unit and I'm going to try that one out next, but I believe he says they're one of the better shielded ballasts as well.

 

[Mmmmasonite]

Global Greenhouse ballasts are shielded from this type of problem...they should run fine with any meter.

 

[ShibbyWilsk]

Just my experience

I have a dual 600 lumatek digital ballast and the Nutradip Tir meter. Its weird some days there is no interference with the meter and other days it gets all wacky. Also if the ballast is on and the PH starts wacking out all I have to do is remove the PPM probe and then all woks fine, just not when there both in there.
And last if all else fails I will just turn off the ballast for 15 mins while i check my values. Its really a pain in the balls doing it this way so I am also curious of a reliable meter to use with digital ballasts.

 

[RMCG]

Just my experience

I have a dual 600 lumatek digital ballast and the Nutradip Tir meter. Its weird some days there is no interference with the meter and other days it gets all wacky. Also if the ballast is on and the PH starts wacking out all I have to do is remove the PPM probe and then all woks fine, just not when there both in there.
And last if all else fails I will just turn off the ballast for 15 mins while i check my values. Its really a pain in the balls doing it this way so I am also curious of a reliable meter to use with digital ballasts.

The Hanna model I posted earlier works great with Quantum and GG digital ballasts.

The Gro-Check has known problems.

 

[Mmmmasonite]

The Hanna model I posted earlier works great with Quantum and GG digital ballasts.

The Gro-Check has known problems.

Yes ....I have never had a problem with Hanna and Global Greenhouse digital combos