Octopus 3000 Problems

[spyro]

I have owned this unit for 3 years and I like it except for the following problems:

1. Cannot connect to the unit remotely via modem
2. Cannot get accurate/correct Conductivity readings
3. Cannot get accurate/correct ORP readings

If anyone has solved any of these problems please let me know.
I have been trying resolve these issues for a while now.

Also, one last note: Aquadyne Technical Support is useless. They are arrogant, uncooperative, unfriendly and afraid to give out information such as connector diagrams for their "proprietary"
RS-232 connector that is used to connect the unit to a modem (remote node) or to the COM1 port (local node) on a PC.

Please lets share info on this ....

[barebottoms]

Originally posted by spyro

1. Cannot connect to the unit remotely via modem
2. Cannot get accurate/correct Conductivity readings
3. Cannot get accurate/correct ORP readings

1. Breakout box
2. is the probe 3 years old? Might need a new one. And/Or interference from another probe near by.
3. See 2

According to the FAQ at Aquadyne, the Octopus is DTE as is the Computer, thus you will need a null modem. To a modem you will need a straight through.

If you have it working on the PC, just null it for the modem. You've got the pinouts base on the connection to the PC, just swap 2 and 3 for the modem. And or use a breakout box, and you can pin them all out even without a known good cable.

You're not saying what the symptoms of the modems are. Not connecting? Garbarage when you connect?

When ever I use to trouble shoot modem issues I always looked up the AT strings for the modem and throw it in "dumb mode" and force DTR high on the modem, which at this point will make any communication possible. Then I work from there for Stop Bits/Baud/Parity.

[spyro]

I have one-way communications with the Octopus....it will page me if any of the parameters goes out of whack.

The trouble is when I want to call in to the Octo via a remote
laptop. I do get a connection to the modem, but AquaWeb then tells me that "the remote node is not responding".

I really never got the ORP and Conductivity probes to work correctly. The Conductivity does not compare well to the specific gravity I read off of my refractometer. I have ordered a Calibration kit for the ORP probe. Both probes are 3 years old , so maybe new probes will help also.

[MrSandman]

Wow, who did you speak with over at Aquadyne? I called them up yesterday to help me figure out why my temp probe wasn't registering correctly and Donna helped me out and was quite friendly, cooperative and very willing to accomodate me. I told them my problem, left them my number and she has already called me 3 times in the last 24 hours to discuss these technical issues with me. Very willing to go the extra mile if you ask me. Also, i don't blame them one bit for not giving out proprietary info. After all, that is what makes it proprietary. On the other hand, there are ways around that info if you do a search on here.

Hopefully your experience was one of few. The one thing i didn't like however is that they don't respond to their email and their operating hours are those when i am at work and NOT near my tank. So i fi want tech support my typical answer to them is..."well, i'm not at home right now, but i can get back to you tomorrow after i check on it tonight."

Also, i realized you posted this in the other forum as well..hehe. I figured this forum was more appropriate for my response.

Anyways, give them a call and they will walk you through several things. As for me, i have to send my unit in for a check-up and a quick diagnostics test. My temp probe was not reading correctly. I'll report back if things change.

FWIW, they told me that the probes typically last 2 years max. before needing replacement.