Osmolator Failure Alarm

[data_loss]

I just hooked up the Osmolator Universal 3155 today. Everything seemed fine, tests went well, so I went back upstairs to have something to eat.

10 minutes later the alarm goes off. I run downstairs and have a look, both the "Too high" and "Too low" red leds are lit as well as the "Level" green one. I look up in the book and it says "Cause: Water damage in Controller 5017"

Since I just took this thing out of the box and hooked it up I know for sure the controller hasn't gotten wet. I unplugged it and plugged it back in, 5 minutes later the alarm goes off, same thing.

I've been looking around trying to find advise and I've read that it cannot be near large pumps or ballasts? I am running a Reeflo Tarpon return pump and have a Radion LED light. Would either of these cause this type of error?

How far away from the pump / light power supply should it be? Can it not be plugged into the same power run as these or is it just proximity to the actual pump / ballast?

As a side note it has been plugged in and operating fine now for the last 20 minutes while I googled around and typed this up. Not sure I'm confident enough to leave it plugged in if I have to leave the house right now though.

Thanks for any help.

 

[data_loss]

Uhg, this thing picked 2 in the morning to sound the alarm again. I just checked everything out, recycled power to the controller, and everything seems fine. Can anyone offer advise on troubleshooting this thing?

TIA

 

[data_loss]

I've been experimenting this morning. Based on reading this, which is a description posted in this forum for troubleshooting a problem different than I am having:

3) First verify that the controller is not near a strong magnetic field, i.e. the controller is in close proximity, generally less than 2 feet from a magnetic holder, ballast, large pump or magnetic cleaner, if it is near such a magnetic field try repositioning the controller or ideally try a test in another room away from the tank. It is possible for certain ballast to emit such strong electromagnetic interference that the osmolator will not work on the same outlet as the wiring is essentially serving as an antennae and the electromagnetic field is overriding the controllers functions.

I have tested to see if anything in my setup is causing the alarm. I have found the alarm is tripped by at least two different things.

First, I have an old standard fluorescent (T8?) bulb that I keep over my sump as basically a work light. Turning this off and on is tripping the alarm. I moved the controller part of the osmolator as far away from the light as the cables to the sensor would allow and it still trips. Is it the proximity to the controller or the sensor that I am trying to eliminate?

Second, I use a BRS dosing pump. When it turns on and off it trips the alarm. I have moved the controller as far away from the dosing pump as the cables to the sensor would allow. I have even plugged the controller into a completely separate circuit in the house. It still trips the alarm.

Is this supposed to be that sensitive of a device or is mine defective?

 

[rvitko]

The board was changed last November and it is more sensitive to magnetic interference than the old design, this was unintentional but a byproduct of the lower power on the board and the smaller distances between contacts. The good news is that in situations where this is an issue we can install a capacitor that boosts the signal and will greatly reduce the sensitivity to external magnetic fields. It has to be soldered to the board, but I would provide a return label so we can make this upgrade for you. In the next few weeks it should become standard.

The best way to shield the controller from these other devices is to move them as far apart as possible and to use a seperate outlet.

 

[data_loss]

I'll look at it again tonight to see if I can find a location that seems OK. I have had it unplugged since my last post.

If it just doesn't seem to be working I'll PM you for a label, sound like a plan?

Thanks

 

[rvitko]

Sounds good.

 

[data_loss]

I was unable to get this working. PM'ed you for label info.