osmolator acting funny (head height)

[DMBillies]

I set-up a kalk reactor in line with my ATO a couple of days ago. After a couple of days of using it that way, I suddenly realized that I was hearing a waterfall under my 90 gallon (a definite clue that I'm running low on water). I started dissecting the problem and it seems that my ATO isn't pumping water into the tank.

First I tested the pump to see if it had died. That doesn't seem to be the problem as the pump is still definitely pumping (so it didn't just totally die). I'm not sure if the output is the same as it used to be, but without any tubing on it, the pump will shoot water straight up a good 7". I can't figure out how to get the pump apart to check it/clean it so I'm assuming it is not meant to?

Second I took the kalk reactor out of line thinking that maybe it was adding too much head pressure or had clogged somewhere. Even with the kalk reactor out of line, the pump won't pump water up into the display.

My next thought was that the tubing might be clogged. So, I replaced it with some other tube, but the diameter is bigger on it (still won't pump the water up to the tank). I'm not sure how much a bigger diameter tube will effect the head height of the pump, but the diameter has to be at least 2x the diameter of the tubing supplied with the ATO. So, basically I'm not sure if this test rules out the possibility that the tubing is clogged up a bit (I can blow air through it, but it isn't overly easy).

So, my questions:

--Any ideas on what's going on? Similar experiences?

--Will the bigger diameter tubing effect how high the water can be pumped? I'm thinking this doesn't really matter for reasons I'm too tired to try to explain, but I'm also sure I lost 85% of everything I learned about chemistry and physics since college.

--Any brilliant ideas for determining if a 3/16" ID tube is clogged or for ways of unclogging it?


I'm leaving for the better part of a week soon and although the tanks are being taken care of, topping off is one thing I'd like to not have to have anyone worry about (especially because of the stability issues).

 

[c_stowers]

I had a similar problem on two occasions. The first was clogged tubing due to kalkwasser sediment build-up. The second was due to a busted check valve on the reactor effluent. The larger diameter tubing should not produce more head and should actually produce a small fraction less due to dynamic head losses. I have cleaned my osmolator pump by letting it circulate vinegar for a while. I would try that after checking your tubing and check valve (if you have one).

 

[DMBillies]

Chris-

I do have a check valve, but I don't think that can be the problem since I bypassed it by taking the entire reactor set-up out of line. I would think that my tubing wouldn't have gotten clogged by kalk already, but it's always possible.

I was thinking about ways to get the osmolator pump to stay running so that I could put it in a bucket with vinegar for a few hours (since it will time-out after a certain amount of time). How did you do that?

 

[crumbletop]

I think the pump runs off of 9V DC. Not sure of the mA draw of the pump, though. You might could hook it up to a 9V adapter as long as the adapter supports the mA draw of the pump.

Another option to test things, is to switch the adapter that comes with the osmolator to 12V and see if that gives you adequate flow.

 

[Siffy]

.

 

[c_stowers]

I just kept resetting mine to keep it circulating in vinegar. 30 minutes or about 2-3 resets seemed to make a difference though.

 

[wooglin]

Does not help with your problem. Autotopoff.com double switch is what I use. It is so simple, but has never failed. The second float switch turns off the first should it stick.

 

[crumbletop]

Okay, a couple of other thoughts:

1) if you were messing with the pump, is it possible that air got into it, and it isn't pumping well because of the air? Maybe try shaking the pump under water.

2) If you used new tubing on the pump, perhaps the fit is not tight and there is enough head pressure to cause the water to leak out rather than get pumped through the tubing.

 

[fishdoc11]

Sounds like the pump needs to be replaced. If it's more than a year or two old that's probably what it is. I keep a spare on hand because of that. They can't be taken apart to fix em...good thing they are only $15
Adding the kalk reactor might have worn it out or sent it off the edge. I have had one fail and that's when my topoff container ran dry and it tried to pump for a couple of days when I was out of town.
hth, Chris

 

[DMBillies]

I think it is most likely the pump. As I was trying to get it hooked up in the vinegar mix, I got it started. After a couple of minutes the pump slowed down and stopped. I smashed on it a little and got it restarted, but it was only turning real slow (when all else fails I tend to lose my temper). After a couple more minute of the slow spinning it stopped and I couldn't get it restarted. So, I'll have to order up another one and get a spare at the same time in the event of a future failure, because this has put me in a bit of a pinch. Thanks for the input guys.