The truth about GHL SA dosers!

[deeznutz]

Hello and welcome to my review of the GHL SA doser. I've been in the hobby for close to 10 years now and I've had my share of ups and downs.

My GHL doser is approx 4 years old and it was one of the coolest pieces of equipment I've purchased next to my RE Vertex Alpha 250 cone.

History.

Even since I purchased my unit it had a finicky plug. I'd play around with it and it would work. It would continue to work as long as I didn't move the unit(programming etc)

After about 6-12 months worth of use, well it just sits there and does it thing. I started to notice pixels missings. I wasn't too concerned at the time, as I could still use the unit and was able to navigate through the screens.

I ended up moving and I had to shut down my system. So I cleaned and stored all of my equipment for future use.

Present

During my move I sold my tank and I set up a small frag tank in my new place. After a few months of learning the tank and parameters. I decided to pull my doser out and put her back in service as i knew my dosages from months of hand dosing.

To my surprise I found out that my screen is barely even legible. So the hunt was on for a new screen. After some research I've found out that there were a lot of people having problems with the screens crapping out.
Google it here

So I started a thread in this GHL section here. After reading the replays, I was confident that I would be taken care of. This was not the case. Apparently GHL had a "bad batch" of screens. Not surprisingly mine did not fall into this run of "bad batch" and that I would have to pay for a new screen. Really???

Apparently GHL doser only last for 4 years and then you have to replace the screen. lol
I was also told today that I must have kept it in a high humidity area and thats the cause. I guess he must have diagnosed it over email. Damn he's good!
Even it it was the fact that it was high humidity(which it is not) GHL should have designed the unit for such environments.

For example, please raise your hand if you have a sump under your tank? If you had a doser, where would you most likely put it? Under the tank right?

In my situation, I had all of my equipment in a basement fish room. Luckly I have an understanding wife The humidity in that room was kept between 30-40% depending on the time of year and is consistent with the rest of the house. I guess 30-40% humidity is too much for GHL high end screen. lol. This is the blame and the diagnosis I was given. I just don't understand how my laptop and Reef keeper screens are still functioning after being put in a room with humidity in the 30-40% lol.

Come to think about it, I wonder how anything with a screen has lasted past 4 year in my house altogether. Iphone, ipads, Sony bravia, microwave, thermostat, cable box, clock on stove, alarm clock



So you want the truth??? Here's the proof, sorry no pudding.

GHL screen after 36ish months of use and stored for 6ish months. Is this a Joke?



Her she is, my new replacement screen $90 bones to my door.
At first glance it looked like any other piece of electronics. Oh yeah, the new processors are made in China. So much for High end german equipment. What am I paying for???




While I was swapping the parts, I found out that the old processors were made in Japan. Nothing wrong with japanese parts. But this is sold as a german product. OMG, what am I paying for?



Hmmm, I was expecting to see a lot of corrosions, salt creep etc from the high humidity conditions that I exposed my doser to.





In this pic, it is clearly indicated that I stored my doser in a steam sauna. lol
Yes these are macro pics.


Now to the power supply problems. Mystery solved!

It's plugged in but it no worky


So after I diagnosed it, I found out there were two problems. One more prevelent then the other. But both in conjunction made me pull my hair now that i look back at things.

The first problem, is that the corrosions from the high humidity conditions was the plug could not reach the inside of the plug. So it had to be modify. Simple fix, but seriously???



I really only needed to shave a 1mm off but I was upset lol. Circumcision anyone lol


Second problem and probably the most frustration thing

I had to cut back the sheathing to check the connections to the jack. Bingo!


Oh did I forget to mention the power supply was Made in ?????



Again, what am I paying for!!!

Conclusion

So after my screen repair and power supply repair, I'm almost ready to put this unit back into use. But I'm not just going to go back to my old ways. No sir.
I'm no fool!

I opted for the anti-humidity upgrade. I recommend it for all future purchasers and current users. Don't get hit with being accused of high humidity. Install the deeznutz anti-humidity upgrade.



The install is pretty tough though. It's tight fit. LMFAO!


Don't forget to specify if you need one or two holes. 1 hole is standard.
2 holes is custom.

I opted for the 1 hole kit. I'll add the second hole if i need one down the road.


So here she is, sitting pretty and ready to dose again. Hopefully it'll last longer then 4 years with the anti-humidity upgrade



Thanks for nothing GHL. Another German product riddled with foreign parts. Atleast the motors are german. I checked lol

I hope you enjoyed my much needed GHL vent review



-deez

[Ryanerickson]

My screen lasted less then 2 years you did good

[Scythanith]

Haahaa now you're going to overheat it with the custom humidity enclosure

[reeferfulton]

very very well written.
maybe you should have bought a vertex libra...... wait a minute . nvm those are junk too

[WarDog]

Originally Posted by deeznutz

I hope you enjoyed my much needed GHL vent review

Excellent review, thanks for that!

Originally Posted by reeferfulton

very very well written.
maybe you should have bought a vertex libra...... wait a minute . nvm those are junk too

Hmmm, Libras no good neither? I was considering one of those. Can anyone recommend a good stand-alone-all-in-one doser then?

[mark]

Great review, makes one wonder if should just go with something cheap from Fish-Street, that way when it fails, doesn't hurt as much.

[xenon]

We switched out our GHL/Fauna dosers for Vertex Libra steppers and the difference is night and day.

[deeznutz]

Originally Posted by Ryanerickson

My screen lasted less then 2 years you did good

Lol, thanks for the re-assurance.

Originally Posted by Scythanith

Haahaa now you're going to overheat it with the custom humidity enclosure

Oh no, it's made of a special material that keeps moisture out, while still being breathable

Originally Posted by reeferfulton

very very well written.
maybe you should have bought a vertex libra...... wait a minute . nvm those are junk too

Thanks man, I was very diappointed after contacting our GHL support. Aka sponsor here! Just stand by your product and replace it. It's not about the money, its principle. Don't give me the run around and accuse me of not treating the product properly. It was very insulting.

I'm very technical and my background lends me to investigate and diagnose. I work on $100k+ german cars, so this little doser causes no problems to diagnose.

[deeznutz]

Originally Posted by WarDog

Excellent review, thanks for that!



Hmmm, Libras no good neither? I was considering one of those. Can anyone recommend a good stand-alone-all-in-one doser then?

Get a FUANA MARINE LMFAO!!!

Originally Posted by mark

Great review, makes one wonder if should just go with something cheap from Fish-Street, that way when it fails, doesn't hurt as much.

Thanks man, it's a matrter of budget. the GHL drews dosers and Litermeters were the only ones available at the time. I'd say do your research. The GHL was a good unit. But the screen thing ****es me off. $500 + tax and you can't pony up a screen.

Originally Posted by xenon

We switched out our GHL/Fauna dosers for Vertex Libra steppers and the difference is night and day.

Thats great to know

[Ryanerickson]

The GHL was a good unit. But the screen thing ****es me off. $500 + tax and you can't pony up a screen.

Exactly what I thought I used mine for 6-8 months put in in storage another 8 months or so packed up nice. When I unpacked and plugged in screen was so brutal could not make out anything it said. And some how this was my fault I was ****ed.