Osmolator 3155 short fill duration and random high level alarm

dpstrand · 07/10/2017, 03:27 PM

My 6 year old tunze osmolator seems to finally be aging. It has served me well until now. I noticed a few days ago it's filling duration seems to have reduced to 1-2 seconds instead of the normal 10-15 seconds. Then yesterday the high water alarm went off despite the float switch looking seated and normal. A power cycled seemed to restore it to normal operation for about 24 hours and then the high water alarm went off again. Can this unit be salvaged or is it time to buy another?

Thank you Roger!

dpstrand · 07/11/2017, 11:57 AM

I have seen other threads that suspected water entry into the controller. I don't believe that has happened as it has not moved in quite some time.

Roger, is it worth sending it in to you for repair?

dpstrand · 07/13/2017, 06:12 PM

Roger any suggestions? I am currently just powering it on a couple times per day and it is working, but I can not leave it on or eventually the high water level alarm turns on, which means the angry wife alarm turns on too. Thank goodness for apex fusion

rvitko · 07/17/2017, 01:07 PM

Water entry will be too high and too low on at the same time.

You are welcome to send it in, but if the pump is several years old that could be a cause, a dying pump can put out a magnetic field, since the float switch is magnetic if the wires are close the float wire will act as an antenna and pick up the field causing a float alarm.

dpstrand · 07/17/2017, 05:09 PM

Oh! They are fairly close. Within about 1.5 feet of each other. I will try and separate them and see if that fixes the high water alarm first, and if so I will buy a new pump. Thanks!

rvitko · 07/18/2017, 08:44 AM

That is honestly pretty far, usually we see trouble when the pump cord is zip tied to the float wire. It could be a factor but I was thinking more along the lines of direct contact between the wires at some point.

dpstrand · 07/21/2017, 04:26 PM

I found the float wire running right next to my top off container. Since re-routing it the high level alarm has not fired, so it is either a lucky streak or this fixed it. Oddly enough the short pump duration seems back to normal too, which doesn't seem to make sense.

Anyhow I will continue to monitor it and replace the pump if the short duration symptom returns. Thank you for the help!

rvitko · 07/24/2017, 09:39 AM

Keep me posted, I am off to Germany next Monday, I will be checking in and can get small parts sent.

dpstrand · 08/15/2017, 11:38 PM

It has been acting up again off and on. When it alarms and stops working I found the low water light blinks and the high water light is solid, and unplugging then plugging it back in will restore it, however with short duration pump cycles as described in the first post.

I found I have the older 11v power supply (p/n 04151-110160) and on a suggestion from one of your other threads I tried my 6095 power supply with 12v selected and it pumps much stronger for the full 10 seconds and seems to be working correctly again, no beeping so far.

Based on this, should I order the 5012.010 to replace the original power supply?

rvitko · 08/16/2017, 08:29 AM

Generally, a flashing too low light and a solid too high light indicates water damage. This basically means there is a short or added resistance on the board and it is shutting down to avoid any run on or other failure. Typically a bad power supply results in off and on cycling every time the pump is triggered to run. It could be that the water damage is very minor and the stronger power supply overcomes the resistance. I would suspect that a power supply tip was plugged in wet and there is minor water damage under the power socket and the ideal would be to get that fixed first as it could worsen over time from the combination of DC current and salt present.

dpstrand · 08/16/2017, 11:02 AM

Can I send it in for repair?

rvitko · 08/16/2017, 11:22 AM

Of course!

Tunze USA
305 Victor St
Austin, TX 78753

Incude a note with return address and phone number.

dpstrand · 09/13/2017, 12:49 PM

Thank you Roger. I have not sent it in yet because it has been working without issue with the replacement 12v 6095 power supply that I am temporarily using. At some point I want to restore my 6095 so I will still need to send it in, but not sure when yet.

07/10/2017, 03:27 PM	#1
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	Osmolator 3155 short fill duration and random high level alarm My 6 year old tunze osmolator seems to finally be aging. It has served me well until now. I noticed a few days ago it's filling duration seems to have reduced to 1-2 seconds instead of the normal 10-15 seconds. Then yesterday the high water alarm went off despite the float switch looking seated and normal. A power cycled seemed to restore it to normal operation for about 24 hours and then the high water alarm went off again. Can this unit be salvaged or is it time to buy another? Thank you Roger!

07/17/2017, 01:07 PM	#4
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Water entry will be too high and too low on at the same time. You are welcome to send it in, but if the pump is several years old that could be a cause, a dying pump can put out a magnetic field, since the float switch is magnetic if the wires are close the float wire will act as an antenna and pick up the field causing a float alarm. __________________ 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

07/18/2017, 08:44 AM	#6
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	That is honestly pretty far, usually we see trouble when the pump cord is zip tied to the float wire. It could be a factor but I was thinking more along the lines of direct contact between the wires at some point. __________________ 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

07/24/2017, 09:39 AM	#8
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Keep me posted, I am off to Germany next Monday, I will be checking in and can get small parts sent. __________________ 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

08/16/2017, 08:29 AM	#10
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Generally, a flashing too low light and a solid too high light indicates water damage. This basically means there is a short or added resistance on the board and it is shutting down to avoid any run on or other failure. Typically a bad power supply results in off and on cycling every time the pump is triggered to run. It could be that the water damage is very minor and the stronger power supply overcomes the resistance. I would suspect that a power supply tip was plugged in wet and there is minor water damage under the power socket and the ideal would be to get that fixed first as it could worsen over time from the combination of DC current and salt present. __________________ 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

07/11/2017, 11:57 AM	#2
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	I have seen other threads that suspected water entry into the controller. I don't believe that has happened as it has not moved in quite some time. Roger, is it worth sending it in to you for repair?

07/13/2017, 06:12 PM	#3
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	Roger any suggestions? I am currently just powering it on a couple times per day and it is working, but I can not leave it on or eventually the high water level alarm turns on, which means the angry wife alarm turns on too. Thank goodness for apex fusion

07/17/2017, 05:09 PM	#5
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	Oh! They are fairly close. Within about 1.5 feet of each other. I will try and separate them and see if that fixes the high water alarm first, and if so I will buy a new pump. Thanks!

07/21/2017, 04:26 PM	#7
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	I found the float wire running right next to my top off container. Since re-routing it the high level alarm has not fired, so it is either a lucky streak or this fixed it. Oddly enough the short pump duration seems back to normal too, which doesn't seem to make sense. Anyhow I will continue to monitor it and replace the pump if the short duration symptom returns. Thank you for the help!

08/15/2017, 11:38 PM	#9
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	It has been acting up again off and on. When it alarms and stops working I found the low water light blinks and the high water light is solid, and unplugging then plugging it back in will restore it, however with short duration pump cycles as described in the first post. I found I have the older 11v power supply (p/n 04151-110160) and on a suggestion from one of your other threads I tried my 6095 power supply with 12v selected and it pumps much stronger for the full 10 seconds and seems to be working correctly again, no beeping so far. Based on this, should I order the 5012.010 to replace the original power supply?

08/16/2017, 11:02 AM	#11
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	Can I send it in for repair?

08/16/2017, 11:22 AM	#12
rvitko RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Austin Texas USA Posts: 35,785	Of course! Tunze USA 305 Victor St Austin, TX 78753 Incude a note with return address and phone number. __________________ 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

09/13/2017, 12:49 PM	#13
dpstrand Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 897	Thank you Roger. I have not sent it in yet because it has been working without issue with the replacement 12v 6095 power supply that I am temporarily using. At some point I want to restore my 6095 so I will still need to send it in, but not sure when yet.