3155 Troubleshooting - Please Help

C-21 USAF · 10/26/2014, 09:52 PM

My unit has worked flawlessly and I've replaced the pump only once. The current pump has roughly 20 months on it.

I heard my alarm sounding and I noticed it was the "pump running for 10 mins" that set it off....because nothing else was going wrong.

I unplugged it and plugged it back in only to notice no lights illuminating on the 5017 and the pump not working...and the current water level was low...10 min later, the alarm again.

I immediately focused on a bad pump. I put a battery to it and it worked so I moved on. Upon disconnecting the pump from the 5017 I noticed the "pump on" light illuminating normally. In fact the 5017 appears to work perfectly except when I reconnect the pump, the "pump on" light immediately extinguishes. I tried an older pump I had laying around and the same thing happens...connect the pump wires "pump on" light extinguishes...disconnect them and the "pump on" illuminates.

Thoughts?

rvitko · 10/27/2014, 10:50 AM

This will mean one of the following-

1) The pump connectors are corroded or the wiring, causing high resistance. If the connector is the older type with 4 screws, check it for any rust, this is what is called a European Terminal Connector, Radioshack used to sell them and they still do but the shack isn't what it used to be so you may need to order them in. If this checks out, try cutting back the black wires from the controller to the pump, if the wiring is black instead of shiny copper, it has corroded due to water wicking in, cut back to clean shiny copper.

2) The pump is bad, the controller cuts off the pump if it draws more than 800ma (pre fall 2008) or 1200mA (current versions since fall 2008).

3) The controller has failed (unlikely), a transistor can fail and the pump will not get power, usually when this happens the yellow light will never come on.

Just set the pump next to a picture of Chuck, it will be straighten up.

C-21 USAF · 10/28/2014, 08:34 PM

I checked the connector and it had some light corrosion but nothing significant...I'll clean it up anyway.

The power wire with the red stripe was corroded black as you said. I began cutting it back and about a foot in it's still a little corroded...should I keep going until it's shiny copper like the other power wire?

rvitko · 10/29/2014, 09:51 AM

Yes, worst case the wire would have to be replaced. If the resistance is very high it will cause this and the black means saltwater wicked in at some point and the wire is not conducting very well.

C-21 USAF · 10/29/2014, 08:31 PM

Okay, I had to strip away about another foot before it got shiny.

BUT, still have the same problem. 5017 appears to be operating normally but the "pump on" light extinguishes the moment I connect the pump wires.

When I put the pump wires to a voltmeter it reads about 7 volts AND the "pump on" light remains illuminated.

Time to buy a new pump?

rvitko · 10/30/2014, 10:06 AM

How old is the osmolator controller? What does the power supply say? We have used 3 over the years, the oldest were 800mA and 9-12V with a switch, at 9V the pump should get nearly 9V. We uses 9V 1000mA for a short time and then switched to 11V 1600mA, in all cases the voltage should be nearly the input voltage to the pump, I am wondering if the power supply is bad or perhaps the power supply was accidentally mixed up with another.

C-21 USAF · 10/30/2014, 08:56 PM

I bought it sometime around 2009, used it till 2011 and stored it until 2013.

Tunze power supply -- 5012.010 - 11v 1600mA

C-21 USAF · 10/30/2014, 09:05 PM

Tested power supply and it read 11.21v

Checked the pump wires again and it remains just below 7v...about 6.8v and still extinguished the "pump on" light when I connect them to either pump.

rvitko · 10/31/2014, 09:46 AM

Could you send in the controller and pump? If it has this low output even when no pump is connected I think the issue is with the controller.

C-21 USAF · 10/31/2014, 08:50 PM

Where/to whom do I send it?

What's the approximate turn around time?

I'm curious because I just ordered a new pump and not sure if I should hold off or just try it...thoughts?

rvitko · 11/03/2014, 12:15 PM

Tunze USA
305 Victor St
Austin, TX 78753

Typically within a day of receipt plus return shipping time.

rvitko · 11/03/2014, 12:16 PM

It might be worth a try.

C-21 USAF · 11/05/2014, 10:15 PM

Haven't received the pump yet but putting controller and power supply in the mail tomorrow morning.
Thanks,
Jason Eddy

C-21 USAF · 11/05/2014, 10:18 PM

I'll include the pump that was in use when the system stopped working.

rvitko · 11/06/2014, 11:10 AM

OK, thank you!

10/26/2014, 09:52 PM	#1
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	3155 Troubleshooting - Please Help My unit has worked flawlessly and I've replaced the pump only once. The current pump has roughly 20 months on it. I heard my alarm sounding and I noticed it was the "pump running for 10 mins" that set it off....because nothing else was going wrong. I unplugged it and plugged it back in only to notice no lights illuminating on the 5017 and the pump not working...and the current water level was low...10 min later, the alarm again. I immediately focused on a bad pump. I put a battery to it and it worked so I moved on. Upon disconnecting the pump from the 5017 I noticed the "pump on" light illuminating normally. In fact the 5017 appears to work perfectly except when I reconnect the pump, the "pump on" light immediately extinguishes. I tried an older pump I had laying around and the same thing happens...connect the pump wires "pump on" light extinguishes...disconnect them and the "pump on" illuminates. Thoughts? Last edited by C-21 USAF; 10/26/2014 at 10:23 PM.

10/27/2014, 10:50 AM	#2
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	This will mean one of the following- 1) The pump connectors are corroded or the wiring, causing high resistance. If the connector is the older type with 4 screws, check it for any rust, this is what is called a European Terminal Connector, Radioshack used to sell them and they still do but the shack isn't what it used to be so you may need to order them in. If this checks out, try cutting back the black wires from the controller to the pump, if the wiring is black instead of shiny copper, it has corroded due to water wicking in, cut back to clean shiny copper. 2) The pump is bad, the controller cuts off the pump if it draws more than 800ma (pre fall 2008) or 1200mA (current versions since fall 2008). 3) The controller has failed (unlikely), a transistor can fail and the pump will not get power, usually when this happens the yellow light will never come on. Just set the pump next to a picture of Chuck, it will be straighten up. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/28/2014, 08:34 PM	#3
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	Good advice but now what? I checked the connector and it had some light corrosion but nothing significant...I'll clean it up anyway. The power wire with the red stripe was corroded black as you said. I began cutting it back and about a foot in it's still a little corroded...should I keep going until it's shiny copper like the other power wire?

10/29/2014, 09:51 AM	#4
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Yes, worst case the wire would have to be replaced. If the resistance is very high it will cause this and the black means saltwater wicked in at some point and the wire is not conducting very well. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/29/2014, 08:31 PM	#5
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	Still Broke Okay, I had to strip away about another foot before it got shiny. BUT, still have the same problem. 5017 appears to be operating normally but the "pump on" light extinguishes the moment I connect the pump wires. When I put the pump wires to a voltmeter it reads about 7 volts AND the "pump on" light remains illuminated. Time to buy a new pump?

10/30/2014, 10:06 AM	#6
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	How old is the osmolator controller? What does the power supply say? We have used 3 over the years, the oldest were 800mA and 9-12V with a switch, at 9V the pump should get nearly 9V. We uses 9V 1000mA for a short time and then switched to 11V 1600mA, in all cases the voltage should be nearly the input voltage to the pump, I am wondering if the power supply is bad or perhaps the power supply was accidentally mixed up with another. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/30/2014, 08:56 PM	#7
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	I bought it sometime around 2009, used it till 2011 and stored it until 2013. Tunze power supply -- 5012.010 - 11v 1600mA

10/30/2014, 09:05 PM	#8
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	Tested power supply and it read 11.21v Checked the pump wires again and it remains just below 7v...about 6.8v and still extinguished the "pump on" light when I connect them to either pump.

10/31/2014, 09:46 AM	#9
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Could you send in the controller and pump? If it has this low output even when no pump is connected I think the issue is with the controller. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

10/31/2014, 08:50 PM	#10
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	Where/to whom do I send it? What's the approximate turn around time? I'm curious because I just ordered a new pump and not sure if I should hold off or just try it...thoughts?

11/03/2014, 12:15 PM	#11
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Tunze USA 305 Victor St Austin, TX 78753 Typically within a day of receipt plus return shipping time. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

11/03/2014, 12:16 PM	#12
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	It might be worth a try. __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish

11/05/2014, 10:15 PM	#13
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	Haven't received the pump yet but putting controller and power supply in the mail tomorrow morning. Thanks, Jason Eddy

11/05/2014, 10:18 PM	#14
C-21 USAF Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 316	I'll include the pump that was in use when the system stopped working.

11/06/2014, 11:10 AM	#15
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	OK, thank you! __________________ Roger Vitko Tunze USA "He's for every one of us, stands for every one of us, he'll save every man, woman and child in a mighty Flash!" Current Tank Info: 210 gallon planted tank with Altum Angelfish