Bad Osmolator

[Village Idiot]

Installed a new Osmolator last night (in spite of the terrible instructions). Everything looked good, the water level in the sump was just on the tip of the sensor when I left it last night. Come home from work today and the water level is about 2 inches below the sensor, and the green "Level" light is on. The sensor sits in a dark sump, and I pulled off the sensor and cleaned it -- no joy. Then I pull the controller box off and the pump comes on. Water level is still too low. I shake the controller box and the pump comes on for a few seconds. Do I have a bum unit?

 

[rvitko]

The main causes that come to mind are low power and condensation or water droplets on the sensor. Check that the power supply is set to 9V minimum if it is a switchable one. Also check that the tip is not corroded. I know it is new but I have seen power supplies come in corroded just from storage. Try testing the unit in just a bowl of water to rule out condensation or droplets. It is also worth checking it in another room, I have seen magnetic interference from ballasts/ motors and magnet cleaners/holders cause the same problem because the relay won't close.

 

[Village Idiot]

It is the power supply. If I start to wiggle the power cord at the bottom of the control box, it comes on. Stop wiggling, it goes off. Let me try cleaning it and/or look for another 9V PS.

 

[rvitko]

What kind do you have? We have used 3 types this year. One is a big switchable unit, the other is 9V only and the other is 9V electronic (like a cell phone charger). I can send another if it is bad.

 

[Village Idiot]

Update: If I push on the power cord, the Green light will blink on and off (even though the sensor is not in contact with the water). Sometimes, the yellow and green lights come on together and the pump runs when I wiggle the cord. Here's a pic of the PS:

Frankly, I'm not sure it's the PS. The female plug wobbles around quite a bit when on the male plug in the controller. I see a new PS doing the same thing.

I would expect this on a $3.99 clock from Radio Shack, not the $175+ I spent on this...

 

[Village Idiot]

I've had to unplug the unit. It kept adding more water, even though the sensor is an inch under water.

 

[Village Idiot]

I'm going out of town next week...I bought the Osmolator so I wouldn't have to worry about topoff. Can anyone at Tunze help me? Nothing here and nobody answers or returns calls at their number...

 

[Village Idiot]

New transformer on its way...I'll give an update when I get it.

 

[rvitko]

Sorry, I had jury duty today and just got out shortly before you called- 6 hrs of selection hearings. We did ship it today though by UPS ground and I inspected it to make sure it is good/ free of any corrosion.

 

[Village Idiot]

New plug got in today, and the unit seems to be working just fine. Thanks Roger!

FYI, the new PS has a very nice clean and shiny plug. The old one was very dull...even when I cleaned it with an emery cloth. I noticed when I unpacked the Osmolator that the PS box was old and weathered looking, while everything else in the box was new looking. Tunze must of had a bad lot of PS's.

 

[yeldarbj]

I just got a new Osmolator this week, and my PS box was in the same condition - the box was not even holding together. Looks like I got the same model from your picture. So far at least the PS seems to be working. I thoroughly checked everything else in the box, because I thought I had received a used one or a returned one.

How is your noise level with it?

 

[Village Idiot]

The pump makes a slight noise when on. If I raise it off the bottom of my topoff container (a 10g aquarium) it's quieter. With the doors to the stand closed I can't hear it running.

Yeah, the box looked like it had been sitting outside for a week or so. The new one Roger sent me was in a nice new box.

 

[rvitko]

The reason we have had 3 power supplys in the past few months is Tunze was out and I couldn't wait as long as they needed to source a new one. We were ordering them from an electronics supply house in California and adding them to the box. If you got a bad one let me know, the boxes they come in were often damaged, it just is the result of having 100 of those things in a small box that weighed nearly 100lbs.