3155 power on pumping

[septicdeath]

Anyone know if you can override the 10 second pumping of water that comes when the unit is powered up?

I've read people suggest to use a airline flow valve to limit the flow so much, that the 10 seconds pushes nearly nothing out, (keeping the 10 minute run time as a max, ie: you want to make sure that in 8-9 minutes its done what it needs too, because if it runs 10 minutes solid, it shuts down). I was restricting the unit quite a bit (in 10 seconds it pushed about what it would in 3 minutes without restricting it), but #1, this just cant be good for the unit,, #2, the pump is far from the most quiet thing on my tank.

Seems like it would be nice if I could just tell it to NOT pump unless the float valve says to pump, why it has to run 10 seconds every-time power is applied to the unit doesn't make any sense, to me at least.

 

[septicdeath]

I guess there is something that can be adjusted? Turned up or down, specifically most people turning it down for nano's?

What size tank would it be factory set for (as a rule of thumb) or I guess what evaporation rate would it be set for?

Thanks, will look for online manual about this setting, and better yet, wait to here if I can actually disable the auto on every time power is applied.

 

[rvitko]

Is this a new Osmolator or one you bought used or have had for a while?

On new osmolators made since 11/11 there is a potentiometer inside the controller that allows a pump speed adjustment. It is preset for mid sized tanks of 50-180 gallons and should be turned up for bigger tanks or down for smaller tanks. Older units from 2002-2011 do not have this adjustment and the valve is the only way.

The few second start up delay is due to the time needed for a capacitor to charge up and the optic sensor to become active, it is longer if the sensor is oily or has some bubbles on it, skin oils or oils from touching it after handling greasy food can add a substantial delay in how long the pump runs. While the newest units still do this, it is down to 1-2 seconds, the older units were up to 10 seconds. There is no way around this, if the unit is more than 3 years old, a more modern capacitor that holds the charge better may help reduce it though.

 

[septicdeath]

3115 bought from MarineDepot mid January, so who knows if new or old stock?

 

[rvitko]

They sell a lot of them so it wouldn't be more than a couple months old, I would open it and check.

 

[septicdeath]

well I opened the unit, it has a Dec-11 sticker in it, however, nothing more than a jumper on the board face, I know what a potentiometer is, I dont see one on the board face, could it be in the other side? Dec 11 is later than 11-11, but maybe its more like dec 15,2011 and on, or something like that...

Wow, I really liked this unit, but the auto on for 10 seconds every time is killing me, I guess I will buy a dosing pump and do away with the kalk cause in a small tank, the 10 seconds on is just driving my ph up, which my controller then shuts down ato (if pH > 8.40 then off) and when it comes one, ph goes up, and it goes off, and then on, and then off, and then on, and well, just not fun any more thats for sure, gonna have to take kalk out, then it will work I guess....

 

[Craig Borowski]

The potentiometer is on the front of the board on the lower right side. If you have one, it's not difficult to see.

How small is the aquarium and why is the 3155 being powered on and off so frequently?

 

[septicdeath]

Its my code for my salinity, and my ph (kalk), unfortunately, my probe and my ato HAVE to go into the same spot, so my ph temp spikes sometimes, I do use the defer command, but their is a fine line between making it wait too long and not long enough. After day two of adding kalk to my reactor, the top off water is NOT so base that it drastically changes my sumps pH.

I just wish whenever the unit was turned off, it didn't just start pumping in water again when its turned on. I was able to limit it by throttling down the input by half with a air line ball valve, its just annoying hearing it run for 5 minutes now rather than 45 seconds when it DOES need to add top off water.

 

[rvitko]

I think if you use the controller as it is intended, stand alone and not connected to any other controller, so it is topping off at the rate of tablespoons and for seconds, not minutes and not constantly turning off and on, you will get a much better result. Over time, kalkwasser will stabilize pH against fluctuations by raising the KH. The best way to get a rock steady pH is to combine a CO2 controlled calcium reactor with a kalkwasser dosing system. This way any overshot by the kalk triggers CO2 addition to a calcium reactor and over a couple months the pH will become very stable.