Tunze 5017 won't work

[PSU4ME]

Hello,
My osmolator seems to be malfunctioning. I've had it for a little less than 6 months and it tells me that the water level is good but it is 2 inches below where it should be. I turn it off, orange light for the pump kicks on then 3 seconds later it says it's level again??? There is no build up on the eye at all and I've wiped it and splashed freshwater on it but cannot get it to kick on without powering it off. Pump seems fine ( I carry a back up pump too)

Any thoughts on what I can do? Holidays are coming up and not topping off while I'm gone will hurt! I'm manually topping off now.

Thanks
Bryan

 

[rvitko]

Have you tried soaking the optic sensor in vinegar for a few hours? It will interpret a coating of calcium or salt crust as being "in water". If you dose a calcium supplement near the sensor this will usually occur in 6-12 months.

Besides that, the optic sensor likely has a break in a wire or short and the unit will have to come in for repair.

 

[PSU4ME]

Hi Roger,
This just started happening in the past 3 weeks. About a week ago I soaked it in a vinegar solution and it worked well for about 4 days but now it is back to not reading the water level again and it is clean (wasn't really dirty the first time).

The green light shows that it is level though. I bought this in May and it has been on the tank since June. You think it is a wire break?

Thanks

 

[PSU4ME]

I do notice the green light blinking every so often and i never noticed this before. Does that mean anything?

 

[rvitko]

A blinking light generally means it is detecting low water, waiting 5 seconds to be sure it is not just a momentary disruption (wave or turbulence) and will then trigger the pump. It is this 5 second wait indicator and a splash or momentary contact would then trigger a regular solid green level signal and reset the count down.

This is a possibility if where the sensor is located is prone to splash, surges or water is trickling over the sensor from above.

It is not terribly common but the optic sensor does have 4 fine wires, finer than phone wire and if it is pulled, pinched or kinked hard it can break, it can also happen sometimes that a small pin hole is present in the sealant and water enters the sensor and creates a short.

 

[rvitko]

A blinking light generally means it is detecting low water, waiting 5 seconds to be sure it is not just a momentary disruption (wave or turbulence) and will then trigger the pump. It is this 5 second wait indicator and a splash or momentary contact would then trigger a regular solid green level signal and reset the count down.

This is a possibility if where the sensor is located is prone to splash, surges or water is trickling over the sensor from above.

It is not terribly common but the optic sensor does have 4 fine wires, finer than phone wire and if it is pulled, pinched or kinked hard it can break, it can also happen sometimes that a small pin hole is present in the sealant and water enters the sensor and creates a short.

 

[PSU4ME]

Thanks Roger. It seems that something is wrong then - the sensors are in a "no wake zone" and no splashing occurs. The green light will blink but it does not trigger the pump and then goes back to solid green. I know the pump works because when i turn it off and then back on it cycles through and works.

What is the process to have this fixed? I'm going away for the holidays so this is terrible timing for this to malfunction.

Please let me know - Thanks

 

[rvitko]

Just send it in with a note that has your return address and phone number.

We are closed the 24th and 25th and 31st and 1st. Technically we are closed 26, 27 and 28 as well but we will be here doing inventory and year end bookkeeping and repairs will still be done, we just won't be answering phones and fulfilling orders. Barring the holidays we will still handle repairs and get them done within 2 business days of receipt and shipped back out.