Auto Topoff 5017 Problem

Sapelo · 07/05/2016, 05:04 AM

Our best guess is that once the pump engages it does not cut off and times out. We go from green, "Level," to flashing yellow.
We've cleaned both sensors and flushed the pump but it has not helped.
We can manually get everything to work by moving the sensor above the waterline, allowing the pump to cut on, and then move it back below and having it cut off, but when we leave it to run on its own it times out or does not function properly.
This is a 6 month old system. Any ideas? Thanks!

rvitko · 07/05/2016, 09:52 AM

Time out would be flashing red too low. Flashing yellow would generally be a bad pump, but I have only seen this on controllers made before 2008 that are overheating due to a short in the pump or pump connection, newer controllers usually turn off and restart over and over causing all 4 lights to flash. Can you clarify that it is really "new"? A new one will have a silver sticker on the back or top of the controller with the date, that started in 2012. If you disconnect the pump, does the flashing stop?

Sapelo · 07/05/2016, 03:09 PM

Ok, first things first. I got it from BRS in January so it's new. I bought it new.

After watching it pretty closely all day, here's what I've concluded:
if I unplug it and plug it in, it begins to fill with the red "pump on" light and then the yellow "level" light while adding water. It then switches to the green "too high" light and shuts off.

Thanks!

rvitko · 07/05/2016, 03:35 PM

It sounds like you may be viewing it at angle. The LED's are recessed so with an angle they appear through other windows. The too low light is always red, pump on is always yellow/amber, level is always green, too high is always red. The green level light will flash when there is a time delay (wait of 5 seconds) between detecting a low level and starting the pump. If the water surface is very choppy you could see some blinking of yellow and green LED's due to delay and rapid on and off.

From that time period a bad pump will generally cause it to cycle on and off and repeatedly flash all 4 lights. Can you double check eliminating the viewing angle of the display?

Sapelo · 07/06/2016, 01:23 PM

You may be correct about this, then again we may never know. It has preformed perfectly for the past 24 hours. I will continue to monitor but in the meantime that you for the magic fix!

07/05/2016, 05:04 AM	#1
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	Auto Topoff 5017 Problem Our best guess is that once the pump engages it does not cut off and times out. We go from green, "Level," to flashing yellow. We've cleaned both sensors and flushed the pump but it has not helped. We can manually get everything to work by moving the sensor above the waterline, allowing the pump to cut on, and then move it back below and having it cut off, but when we leave it to run on its own it times out or does not function properly. This is a 6 month old system. Any ideas? Thanks! __________________ "When the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again." William Beebe Current Tank Info: 300 gallon DD, sps, Radion G3 Pros, etc. Too many fish and not enough coral...

07/05/2016, 09:52 AM	#2
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Time out would be flashing red too low. Flashing yellow would generally be a bad pump, but I have only seen this on controllers made before 2008 that are overheating due to a short in the pump or pump connection, newer controllers usually turn off and restart over and over causing all 4 lights to flash. Can you clarify that it is really "new"? A new one will have a silver sticker on the back or top of the controller with the date, that started in 2012. If you disconnect the pump, does the flashing stop? __________________ 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

07/05/2016, 03:09 PM	#3
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	Ok, first things first. I got it from BRS in January so it's new. I bought it new. After watching it pretty closely all day, here's what I've concluded: if I unplug it and plug it in, it begins to fill with the red "pump on" light and then the yellow "level" light while adding water. It then switches to the green "too high" light and shuts off. Thanks! __________________ "When the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again." William Beebe Current Tank Info: 300 gallon DD, sps, Radion G3 Pros, etc. Too many fish and not enough coral...

07/05/2016, 03:35 PM	#4
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	It sounds like you may be viewing it at angle. The LED's are recessed so with an angle they appear through other windows. The too low light is always red, pump on is always yellow/amber, level is always green, too high is always red. The green level light will flash when there is a time delay (wait of 5 seconds) between detecting a low level and starting the pump. If the water surface is very choppy you could see some blinking of yellow and green LED's due to delay and rapid on and off. From that time period a bad pump will generally cause it to cycle on and off and repeatedly flash all 4 lights. Can you double check eliminating the viewing angle of the display? __________________ 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

07/06/2016, 01:23 PM	#5
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	You may be correct about this, then again we may never know. It has preformed perfectly for the past 24 hours. I will continue to monitor but in the meantime that you for the magic fix! __________________ "When the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again." William Beebe Current Tank Info: 300 gallon DD, sps, Radion G3 Pros, etc. Too many fish and not enough coral...