Osmolator alarm for no reason

[Zucker26]

I'm stumped. I've had my Osmolator installed for over a year now, and it works GREAT! But every once in a while, I'll come home from work or wake up in the morning and hear the alarm beeping. When I check it out, all the lights are blinking and the alarm is beeping for apparently no reason. The water level is correct, pump is functional, etc.

My current solution is to simply unplug the power cord from the controller for a second, plug it back in, it pumps water into my tank for a few seconds (like it does every time you turn it back on), and everything is fine.

Then inevitably, a few days later it happens again. But it seems to be happening more often lately. It used to be once a month. Now it seems like it's happening once a week. Any ideas? Bad controller? Help!!

 

[Craig Borowski]

Any chance the controller has been in contact with some water? Water damage could cause what you describe. Apart from that please ensure the controller is not located very close to a light ballast, LED driver or other high current device. EMI can also occasionally cause problems.

 

[rvitko]

On an osmolator from this time electromagnetic interference is the most likely cause. The fix is generally easy. I suspect a heater is involved as it has gotten worse recently (heart on more). Open the controller, you will see the grey float switch wire likely passes over a flat 1/2" square, the processor. Relocate the wire so it does not pass over this part. It is acting like an antenna and carrying the interference to the processor. Later we shortened how much cable is in the housing and I can do that for you if you send it in, but usually you can just reroute the cord away. Keeping the float and wire away from other electrical devices is also a big help, main culprits are the Osmo pump itself and heaters and ballasts. the Osmo pump uses a brush motor so it creates some degree of interference if the float wire is zip tied or running next to it.

 

[Zucker26]

Any chance the controller has been in contact with some water? Water damage could cause what you describe. Apart from that please ensure the controller is not located very close to a light ballast, LED driver or other high current device. EMI can also occasionally cause problems.

It's definitely never been exposed to water. I bought it brand new and installed it away from any water sources before plugging in any wires or hoses.

On an osmolator from this time electromagnetic interference is the most likely cause. The fix is generally easy. I suspect a heater is involved as it has gotten worse recently (heart on more). Open the controller, you will see the grey float switch wire likely passes over a flat 1/2" square, the processor. Relocate the wire so it does not pass over this part. It is acting like an antenna and carrying the interference to the processor. Later we shortened how much cable is in the housing and I can do that for you if you send it in, but usually you can just reroute the cord away. Keeping the float and wire away from other electrical devices is also a big help, main culprits are the Osmo pump itself and heaters and ballasts. the Osmo pump uses a brush motor so it creates some degree of interference if the float wire is zip tied or running next to it.

Thanks!! I'll give this technique a whirl and see if it works. The float wire actually does run directly next to the osmo pump. The controller itself is 8" away, but the wire runs right past the pump. I'll open the controller and relocate the float wire, as well as reroute the float wire around the water reservoir. Crossing my fingers!!!

 

[Zucker26]

Yep, the float wire did pass directly over the processor. I wasn't able to slide the rubber sleeve down the wire at all, but since the controller is located far away from any water source, I just pulled the sleeve clear out of the controller. I also re-routed the float wire away from the osmo pump, and now I just wait.....

 

[rvitko]

This is fine for a test, in general you can use one of the LEDs to hold it away or gently work the cable out of the grommet, this has to be done carefully, I use a jewelers screwdriver to cut the glue and pull up and down to peel it away and even then a quarter of the time I tear the wire and have to redo it. I am happy do that for you if you sent it in, it would just take a day after receipt plus return shipping time.

 

[Zucker26]

I did manage to get the wire away from the processor inside the box. And I rerouted the float wire, pump wire, and power cord away from the osmo pump. However, there's no good way to keep those wires away from the Nano Skimmer pump. This pump is always-on, so I have a hard time believing the EMI from that would cause a "sometimes" problem. My fingers were crossed, but I came home last night and the alarm was going off again.

Do those wires need to be separate from each other? Could the problem be the power cord, float wire, and pump wire all zip-tied together for the length of their path?

 

[rovster]

Glad I saw this thread. Mine did what you describe a few times in the past, and it will do it every few months. It works fine, and it really stumps me. I also just unplug it and plug it back in and everything seems to be fine. Mine is also brand new (well, a year old now). Thanks for posting!

 

[rvitko]

Yes, as I mentioned the pump is a brush motor, it creates EMI, it is a prime culprit when it is strapped to the float switch wire. The float and optic switch wires can be tied together, but the pump wire should not.