Repairing Temperature Controller

[hfmann]

Anyone know how to fix a CustomSeaLife Electronic Temperature Controller? The LED display is indicating there is probably a short in the probe. The instructions say to replace the proble but this company is out of business. I see one that looks virtually identical at Drs. Foster http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13967&N=2004+113769 made by a different company, Ranco. So far I haven't been able to contact them.

Thanks.
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[Anonymous]

What you need to find out is rather is it positive temperature coefficient, or negative. I can lend you a test probe to try out, but you will eventually need to get one yourself. A replacement probe can cost as much as a new controller with a probe, so it may be not worthwhile for your to try to fix it or get a matching probe if you don't know what it takes.

 

[hfmann]

Hey ck,

Thank you for the kind offer to borrow your test probe. But sounds like what I was afraid of is true, namely the replacement probe will be almost as expensive as a whole new controller. So...guess I gotta get a new one of these on the Christmas list FAST!

Thanks again,
Hal
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[Anonymous]

Call around and see if the price of the replacement probe is as bad as I think it is. If you feel it is not worthwhile for you to fix it, see if you can sell the controller to someone handy that can make use of it. I am sure some of us has a spare probe laying around that can take advantage of our misfortune.

Modern society is just pretty wasteful due to high cost of labor. The reason that a replacement probe or a replacement controller cost as much as both item together is because of this labor overhead. I encountered several situations where each of the parts is more expensive than the entire device. Now, tell me how logical that is.

Just spend the entire afternoon this weekend digging up a tree that is worth very little. My neighbor thinks I am nut, but that is the spirit of DIY I guess. Sorry for the ranting.

 

[hfmann]

Wow ck,

Well, I called Drs. Smith and Foster who sell what appears to be an exact knock off of the unit. They said they get it from Current USA. maybe they bought the rights from the defunct company that made my unit. So I sent them an email asking about a replacement probe. We'll see if they answer.

Never gave it a thought that someone might want to buy the controller itself. Is there a forum here that I'd post it on?

Thanks for all the help. And I'm with you brother on this recycling. I hate to throw stuff away if there's a way I can use it or make another one myself.

Take care,
Hal
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[Anonymous]

You can post it on For Sale Forum here in RDO (free), or on eBay ($$) or some other places. Make sure you drop a line or two here since some of us maybe interested but not frequent eBay or the FS forum. Good luck with Current USA. Hey, maybe they feel bad and send you a free probe ?!?!?

 

[LA-Lawman]

fyi... Current USA was the parent comany to CSL... CSL decided to close. Current USA took over the company.. the products are the same just different label. current USA should have your fix...

 

[hfmann]

Thanks Ben,

Waiting for an answer to my email. Guess I'll give them a phone call. Thanks.

Hal
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[hfmann]

Ok, here's the update everyone. In short, it's fixed and works great.

Current USA sent me to Trade Wind Chillers who sent me to my old friends at Champion Lighting. They had the replacement sensor in stock and got it out to me right away.

And.. the best part is that the replacement only cost $30. The cost of the whole controller is about $89. So saved roughly $50 when figuring freight.

Thanks everyone.
Hal
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[Anonymous]

All right! Glad that you were able to find the right probe without a sticker shock

I have an old probe that were ruined when the seal on it did not hold well, and when the saltwater get inside, it does not work well afterward.

 

[hfmann]

seven,

I'll bet that's what ultimately did in my original proble. Hope this new one works well for at least several years. The original sensor wire terminated in about 8 inches of black rubber type casing. I know I let the top of the "casing" submerge in the water a lot of the time. This new one has only a very small black cylinder at the very end of the wire. This cylinder seems to be sealed with a clear epoxy of some sort. We'll see how well it holds up.

Take care,
Hal
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[Cresta]

The temperature sensor should be made by Ranco. The manufacturer specifically say to NOT desolder the sensor leads when you replace it. You are supposed to just clip the wires and recrimp with the new sensor.

The sensor should cost around $19 at your local refrigeration supply store (stores that A/C technicans go get parts from). The sensor is designed to take air temp and not water temp. In order to get it to take water temp, it must be sealed completely. I used about 6" of heat shrink as a "jacket" to cover the sensor and part of the cable. Then I used GOOP to seal the two open ends. This made the sensor completely water tight. Before do this step, my sensor fail once a year at most. Now, its been at least 3 years without any problem.

 

[hfmann]

Outstanding info Ermin. Hope I can find this the next time it craps out.

For one of the few times in my life, I actually read the instructions. And I even caught the llittle snippet about splicing the replacement into the exisitng wires rather than soldering it into the controller board.

Nice hood you made on your tank ermin. I need to make a new one and since the MACO course died twice before strating, I'm going to start a thread soon on designing the best hood.

Thanks again,
Hal
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