Help - Osmolator Optical Sensor Problem

[Reefmack]

Hi. I'm looking for help again on the Osmolator.

I installed the Osmolator Saturday. My sensors are located in the back filtration compartment of my 34g RSM nano tank. The Osmolator does an awesome job of keeping the level where I want it - during the daytime, or the night - while the tank lights are on.

I noticed Sunday morning that the tank was a bit higher than where it should have been - past the middle of the cone on the optical sensor. After that it controlled the level fine all day to make up for evaporation from my tank cooling fans.

This morning I awoke and noticed that the audible overflow alarm was screeching away downstairs, and as I ran downstairs I was pleased to find that the overflow sensor had done it's job and shut down the pump before the tank overflowed onto my family room floor. Phew! A big sigh of relief!

That back compartment is only lit very dimly during the night by my blue moonlights. Not much light back there at all. I have a feeling that there's enough dim light back there that the optical sensor eventually senses that the water level has dropped below it, but not enough light to tell the sensor when the pumps have pumped enough water back into the tank. Does this sound like the reason this is occurring??? It is an optical sensor and it only makes sense that it needs sufficient light to perform as expected??? The fix - leave a room light on, or hang a small white LED over the area where the optical sensor is???

Thanks,
terry

 

[zens]

I bet there's some bubbles forming around the sensor.

 

[Reefmack]

I looked for and saw no air bubbles on the sensor, and why would the bubbles form only in the dark?

 

[zens]

I don't think light has anything to do with it. mine sit in complete darkness and work fine. I have had one not turn off once when
some microbubbles formed around it. I ended up moving it to a different location and it hasn't faltered since.

 

[Reefmack]

Ok on working in complete darkness. Maybe there were some microbubbles that I couldn't see. Hard to imagine why it would be affected only at night though, unless bubbles have a more pronounced effect on the sensor under dim or no light.

 

[gillies]

Light means nothing IME. Bubbles or calcium buildup can affect it though. On occasion, I'll use my finger nail to pick away any buildup on or around the sensor point. I'll then apply a very light amount of petroleum jelly to the entire surface, This has worked for me over three years.

 

[Reefmack]

Thanks. I'm still confused as to if it's an optical sensor that it can sense anything with no light. The unit is only a few days old. The thin layer of vaseline is a good idea.

 

[Aquadepot]

The optical sensors often have a residue intially that attracts bubbles a quick clean with a little soapy water will fix it. The sensor will work in a dark sump.

Regards
Graeme

 

[Reefmack]

Thanks Graeme. Good to hear from someone with Tunze!

 

[Jasonf08]

I am still having problems with my osmolator. I have sent a pm to roger, but im sure he is still on vacation. However, now my unit is unreliable & cant trust it. I have cleaned the eye 4-6 times with no improvement with relialibility. The pump works ok if i fool with the eye so i think the eye is failing.

 

[rvitko]

It emits infared light like your TV remote so you cant see it.

Jason, I will get to PM's ASAP, I came back to 1327 emails so it will take a couple days, fortunately 600 were stock tips, mortgage and loans, Namibian and Ebay scams, viagra ads and umm sausage enlargement advertisements so those are already done with.

 

[Reefmack]

I just thought I should put a final post in here to say that I solved the problem I had with the Osmolator refilling the tank to higher levels during the night. Zens - you were right on all counts - it was related to microbubbles, and as Roger confirmed the sensor doesn't need to have light to work.

I noticed with a flashlight that due to the way I had my back filtration compartment set up that I had a stagnant surface in the area where the sensors were placed. I had a DIY mechanical filter that was creating this stagnant surface area on the sensor side of the filter pad. And the surface of that stagnant area had a thin layer of microbubbles on it. After switching the filter to the other side of the sensors I got rid of the microbubbles and the Osmolator has run perfectly ever since. It seems like the microbubbles had more of an impact on the IR sensor at night that during the day. Thank you all for the help.

Terry