Unable to produce a wave with my 6206

[RLM60]

I decided to clean out my sump yesterday so I disconnected my nano wavemaker controller after powering it down to get it out of the way. After finishing my job I reconnected everything and now I can't get it to produce a wave. I think that it reset itself so I followed the instructions to set it up again with no results. I even let it run all night with the auto frequency on with no change. Today I tried to manually set it for 3 hours until frustration set in and I gave up. Can you please help me, thanks.

[rvitko]

Auto tune does require you monitor it, once a wave develops you have to push the button again to set it. You will hold the auto tune button for 2 seconds until the wavemode light blinks, it will then start at .30 seconds and every 3 seconds it will advance .01 seconds, on a 3-4 ft tank the timing will be around .40-.50 seconds and 6ft will be closer to .70. Once you see a wave you just hit the auto tune button again to set it. If you let it run eventually you advance past 2.00 seconds and enter pulse mode, it is impossible to produce a wave in pulse mode.

[RLM60]

How long should it take? I watched it for 3 hours straight on 2 different days. I'll try again tonight when I get home. Thank you

[rvitko]

I am assuming it worked before and placement did not change, if so, it can only be a matter of tuning, with the autotune feature running within 2 minutes you should be all set from .30-.60 seconds which is about the range I expect you will find on wave since usually nano waveboxes are used on tanks below 5ft, it should only take 90 seconds to span that range.

[RLM60]

Ok... I came home to see if it worked and it didn't. I purchased this unit 1.5 months ago and the first time I got it to work was only manually after an hour of playing with it. Since then every time I turned it off and on it would always start up.

[RLM60]

Yes it is only a 75g tank and it has the 20 volt fuse in the power cord adapter and the controller model is the 7092.

[rvitko]

24V will give you the biggest wave, the additional sizes were in the white box the power supply was in, as will placement on the side aimed down the tank length so the outflow is aimed down the length of the tank. The top 3/4" of the box should be above the water. Auto tune still has to be set, you push the button for 2 seconds, one thw avemode light starts flashing, it starts advancing through the frequencies starting at .30 and adding .01 seconds every 3 seconds, so .30 (3 seconds), .31 (3 seconds), .32 (3 seconds). You need to watch the tank surface this entire time, when you see a wave which should form within the first couple minutes, a tank that size should produce a wave at about .40-.50 seconds you hit the button again to lock in the timing. Wavemode then stops blinking and is set. You can then manually fine tune with the + and - buttons as it may be possible to get a bigger wave by a small change, each press of + or - changes it .01 seconds.

[RLM60]

I have done those steps and no wave. It is about 1/2- 3/4" above the surface with no powerheads running. I have done these steps literally hundreds of times since Saturday, and as I'm doing right now. This was the same problem that I experienced when I first purchased it, the only difference is that the last time I it finally worked after only an hour of trying.

[RLM60]

I'm trying to help you help me so this info may help. Before i set it to auto frequency it does suck in allot of air and send out micro bubbles into the tank when I turn it on and it stops immediately after I hold the auto-adjust button down.

[rvitko]

If you don't stop auto tune, it will go to pulse mode, this will make a ton of bubbles. This controller is included with the 6206 and 6215, and it is also sold as a stand alone controller to pulse any of our controllable pumps. If the light at the top shows pulse mode, it is in the wrong mode, that mode should never be used for a wavebox. That is the mode that will switch between the two speed knobs, those knobs are not used at all in wavemode. A 6206 will also blow bubbles when the timing passes about 1.50 seconds. The longer timing is for bigger tanks using the 6215 and usually multiple units. I think the key is that auto tune is not push the button and leave, you have to watch it and push the button again when you see a wave. It is like the seek button on a radio, it only changes the station automatically, but if you don't stop it when you find the station you like, it will just keep changing it.

[RLM60]

I have been watching it. I have brought a chair and put it in front of my tank and watched it every time I have done it (EXCEPT} for saturday night when I went to bed...Then and only then was I not observing it. Question... if lets say 2 minutes pass and I see no wave should I use the plus or minus buttons?

[RLM60]

Originally Posted by rvitko

If you don't stop auto tune, it will go to pulse mode, this will make a ton of bubbles. This controller is included with the 6206 and 6215, and it is also sold as a stand alone controller to pulse any of our controllable pumps. If the light at the top shows pulse mode, it is in the wrong mode, that mode should never be used for a wavebox. That is the mode that will switch between the two speed knobs, those knobs are not used at all in wavemode. A 6206 will also blow bubbles when the timing passes about 1.50 seconds. The longer timing is for bigger tanks using the 6215 and usually multiple units. I think the key is that auto tune is not push the button and leave, you have to watch it and push the button again when you see a wave. It is like the seek button on a radio, it only changes the station automatically, but if you don't stop it when you find the station you like, it will just keep changing it.

[rvitko]

A tank that size should have a wave very early on, definitely before 1 second. You would hit auto tune to end auto tune (wavemode light stops blinking) and then use the + and - buttons.

[RLM60]

Okay, wrong choice of words. the light that is flashing is the wavebox light.

[RLM60]

Like I said before...I have already done these steps that are in the manual...Even the first time that I used it I could not get it to work on auto, I manually hit the +button while the wave light was on solid to get to work... this time I can't get it to even do that.

[rvitko]

Flashing means it is in autotune, hit the autotune button again to stop it (wavebox light is on, but not blinking) and manually tune it with + and -. You can hold autotune again until it starts blinking and hit it again to reset to the beginning (.30) if you want to tune it manually.

[RLM60]

Sir...Did you not read my post? I said that I can't even get it to do it manually now. I apologize if I seem pig headed but I'm no child that doesn't know how to read, I'm a 52 year old man who has built car engines to computers and everything in between and I'm telling you there is something wrong with this piece of equipment that I dropped 338.00 for. I have done everything you asked me to do and I keep getting the same results... nothing. Question... if you set it to auto and put your hand over the input/output in the tank should you not feel water surge as it pulses... I don't feel a thing.

[rvitko]

Your last post wasn't there when I replied, I generally get the feeling there is some time delay and you aren't seeing my posts before you reply and vice versa. There is nothing more I can do without seeing it, it is under warranty and if you send it in I can figure it out and get it repaired. Include a return address and phone number-

Tunze USA
305 Victor St
Austin, TX 78753

[RLM60]

I have a feeling that you are right about our posts. I'll mail it in the next day or two and I assume you will want cords and all returned to troubleshoot?

[rvitko]

Towards the end of the day I started to notice that our replies kind of overlapped and weren't making much sense in how they lined up. I am sorry about that, I was getting frustrated.

I think it is best to send everything, I am at a loss as to the cause so I would like to run it here and see what is going on.

[RLM60]

Okay, Mr Vitko the wavebox has been shipped via UPS and you should receive it on Friday 6-22-12.

[rvitko]

Thank you, by Monday I should have it diagnosed and repaired and on the way back to you.

[RLM60]

Today I received my wavebox back. I want to thank you again Mr. Vitko for quickly correcting and returning my wavebox and wanted to let you know that it was up and running in less than 5 minutes after opening the box. Good service is hard to find these days and I will remember this on future purchases.

[rvitko]

Thank you and I want to apologize again for the miscommunication and confusion.