Osmolator 3155 - mount operating sensor from the other way on holding magnet?

[Christian J]

I had an idea for a mod: if you mount the optical operating sensor from the other direction on the large magnet (compared with pictures in the instructions) the holding magnet will end up above the water surface, instead of being an eye sore in the water. Are there any serious disadvantages with this? (I may have to scrape away a tiny bit of plastic on the holding tab so the sensor can be screwed firmly into place.)

I'm also thinking of mounting the safety float sensor from the other direction on the same magnet holder (after cutting off the large protruding pin on the holder which is currently in the way). Otherwise I could simply mount the float sensor on the separate small magnet holder.

 

[rvitko]

The sensor positions are fairly particular, the float switch is a magnetic switch and in both holders the position and magnets are designed to minimize interference, moving them is likely to cause the float to fail to work at all or alarm for no reason. Any mods would be at your own risk, while they may work, we could not endorse this as the recommended set up is all we have tested and it is not as simple as it may outwardly seem due to magnetic fields affecting the float.

 

[Christian J]

Any mods would be at your own risk

That goes without saying...

it is not as simple as it may outwardly seem due to magnetic fields affecting the float.

Good point, thanks!

 

[Christian J]

Now I've tested this for a few days (with the float sensor mounted on the separate small magnet), but even though it seems to work, it also wastes a lot of space on the aquarium rim with the separate magnet holders for each sensor.

Instead I'm thinking of not using the float sensor at all. My normal water level is 70mm from the tank rim, and in case of failure the entire storage container would only raise the water level to about half that distance. The good thing about not using the float sensor is that I can then redeploy its transparent sensor housing (part 3152.630) as a holder for the optical sensor, the latter being attached to the bottom of the sensor housing, protruding into the water below.

Yet another idea is to get the universal holder (part 3155.250) and saw off the rails just before they reach the waterline, but alas it seems the optical sensor holder is meant to be submerged (just like the large holding magnet that comes standard with the Osmolator). Or can you mount the optical sensor holder upside down on the rail to get the sensor tip lower down?

 

[rvitko]

Just keep in mind, we added the back up for a reason. This seems like a disaster waiting to happen. I would not deviate from the basic layout, optic sensor in the correct orientation and the float present to serve as a back up. A few people over the years have tried the no float, eventually they regret it.

 

[Christian J]

I 'm currently trying out the 3155.250 rail support set instead of the magnets.

There's a hose clamp included, shown at the top right in this picture: http://www.tunze.com/index.php?id=details&L=1&C=US&user_tunzeprod_pi1[prodid]=3155.250 --what is it used for?

Also, is there any way to attach the water feed hose to these rails?

 

[rvitko]

That is the hose clamp, it would attach with one of the medium length screws and nuts to the horseshoe notch in the top of the clamping assembly where the rail clamps over the edge of the tank. That is what would attach the hose to the rails.

 

[Christian J]

Got it. I had to enlargen the hole in the hose clamp a little to make the screw go through.

But, it seems the hose clamp could slide off the horseshoe notch unless the screw and nut are tightened very firmly. Will the screw stay tight, without getting loose in the future?

As an extra precaution I'm thinking of gluing one of the threaded plates (originally intended for gluing the rails on the aquarium glass) horizontally on top of the horseshoe notch, like this:

        ___  
       [_ _]  <-- Hose clamp screw
   ______§_____
  |______§ ____|   <-- Threaded plate
   ______§_
  |      §_|
  |     |§
  |     | 
  |    /
  |   |       <-- Holding clamp
  |   |
  |___|

(viewed from the side)

This way the hose clamp screw should be held in place by a proper hole, instead of just the open horseshoe.

 

[rvitko]

You could do that, but I have never had an issue with the hose clamp coming loose provided the screw and nut are tightened sufficiently-

Pretty cool drawing by the way.