Osmolator sensor placement

[jscarlata]

Hey Roger...how goes it? Thanks for getting the pump controller to me so quick, it's been working great. I'm wondering if you can help w the location of the osmolator sensor. I have it in the return section of my sump, but occasionally I get some water in that section level fluctuations when the filter socks start to clog which triggers unneeded topoff. So I'm just wondering where the best sensor location is... Thanks

 

[shawnz28]

The sensor needs to be somewhere in the area of the sump which fluctuates with water evaporation like the return chamber if baffled. If the sump has not baffles that regulate individual sections separately it can be placed anywhere in the sump.... barring too close to a ballast or magnetic field.

 

[jscarlata]

Thanks. I get that, and that's where it is now, my return section. I guess my issue is the plumbing setup. I'm using the herbie full siphon, and sometimes the water flow slows down at the drain, I'm assuming it's due to socks getting clogged slightly. This causes more water to pump out of the return section and pool up a little higher in the overflow. Not talking about huge amounts, but enough to uncover the sensor causing premature topoff.

 

[rvitko]

Typically you want the sensors in the last chamber of the sump, since you do want to protect the pump from running dry. I would try to solve the drain issue, perhaps some sort of filter bypass could be arranged or a coarser filter could be used.

 

[jscarlata]

thanks. one more ?...
how far into the water is the sensor supposed to go?

 

[rvitko]

What should happen is that the once the water reaches the point of the sensor where the cone tip meets the cylinder portion the controller should show a green LED "water level" it will pump for a further 10 (8-15) seconds as a deliberate overfill to reduce how often it cycles on in a day. Then the yellow pump on LED should turn off and pumping stops.

 

[jscarlata]

Ok thanks Roger, so if I understand correctly, the best setup is to use both magnet holders and separate the float switch from the level sensor, and put the sensor past that mid point where the cone meets the cylinder...
I've been using both sensors on one magnet so when I sink the eye deep, the float switch has a tendency to trip the high water alarm.

 

[rvitko]

How big is the tank you are using this on and does it have a sump?

 

[dpstrand]

I use the herbie method too, and have an osmolator. What I do is set the gate valve on the siphon pipe so that just a trickle of water goes down my emergency pipe, therefore the water level in my overflow stays constant.

 

[jscarlata]

Roger:
Its a 90g tank, yes there is a 3 chamber sump form left to right - Drain&skimmer | Fuge | return.

I still have issues with water levels changing...i keep playing with it. last night I set it so that my return pump is running wide open, and then i adjusted the drain's gate valve to match it as best i could. this seemed to work for a while, but it changes, it may be due to the flow inside the tank but i cant tell. I'm using the 7096 on interval with the random flow settings, it looks like the left side and right side pumps run separately, so that may be causing a slight fluctuation in the overflow box. I'm going to try what dpstrand does and run the water a little higher so that it flows down the backuop drain slightly and see if that helps, this is maddening i tell you...i had to unplug the osmolator because my salinity was getting diluted slightly. i now it is not the osmolator, it works fine, its the damn water level fluctuating...
this morning for example, the water in the overflow was where i left it last night but the return section dropped about 1/2 inch, and the salinity didnt change much, nor was there a lot of wet skimmate in the collection bottle.

 

[rvitko]

John,

I am sorry for the frustration, unfortunately I am just not familiar with the overflow design you are describing, so I am at a bit of a loss. It almost sounds like the issues one would have with a Durso that does not have a sufficient size breather hole and then the overflow cycles like a toilet, filling and flushing.

 

[jscarlata]

Thanks Roger, no worries I'll figure it out one way or another. It's weird, it's not like the flushing filling that you describe, it happens gradually over the course of hours. I can lock the levels in quickly, stare at it for 5 min and they are solid, 2 hours later there could be a 1/2"-1" shift in water level between the return section of the sump and the overflow box . Odd for aure