Tunze Osmolator Issue... Thoughts?

[crewdawg1981]

Okay so I've had an Osmolator on my tank for ~ 1 year now. and for some reason its stopped working? It is sensing the water level and sending a signal to the pump to push water. The pump is powering up, but nothing is making it to the tank?

Lemme back track a bit and tell you more. I have my sump in the basement. Its a 135 gallon tank that I built a stand for (which is roughly 30 inches tall). I've placed my ATO water next to the table/stand in a Brute trash can. The rest I'm sure you can figure out. I thought the pump might be going out a few months ago when I was having a similar issue. The pump would run, but nothing was making it to my tank. If I tapped the unit lightly against the side of the brute water would make it up to the tank. Figuring I was on borrowed time, I bought another pump.

Well, I came home today and the pump had passed during the day. It wouldnt even turn on anymore. I pull out the spare that I had ordered and hook it up. Before I set everything to go, I plug it in and see if it works. It does. The yellow light comes on and the pump pushes out some water at a pretty good rate. So, I put the hose to the sump onto the pump and drop it back in my ATO bin. Turn everything on and wait. The yellow light comes on, the pump is humming, but no water is coming out?! Its a brand new pump? I take the hose from the pump off and pour RO water through it to see if there is a blockage... all the water makes it to the other side. Check the pump again and it really does push water at a high rate without the hose attached.

What gives?! Seems like everything is working?! Am I missing something? The water sensors are doing their job, the pump is spankin new and the hose is clear.

 

[acroholic]

Maybe it is haunted like your calcium reactor.

 

[seth the wine guy]

Stick a paper clip or the like up the propeller shaft and spin the turbine wheel. Even if it's just a few clicks. Sometimes she just needs a little priming.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Hahaha... like I need more possessed equipment!

(PS... I need to come by and drop off your CO2 canister. I took it off a long time ago, just have been so busy)

Edit:

Seth The Wine Guy;689635 wrote: Stick a paper clip or the like up the propeller shaft and spin the turbine wheel. Even if it's just a few clicks. Sometimes she just needs a little priming.

The pump definitely spews water, thats what I dont get. If I take the hose to the tank off of the pump and turn it on, it throws some serious water out.

 

[fener103]

Is the pump air locked? Every now and then when my level gets low it will do the same thing.

 

[acroholic]

fener103;689662 wrote: Is the pump air locked? Every now and then when my level gets low it will do the same thing.

I thought the same thing, but sounds like it is primed.

Grant, you don't have a check valve pointing the wrong way in the hose to the sump, do you?

 

[grouper therapy]

I'm not familiar with the tunze pump but if it is a low voltage pump the power supply may be the issue. Just a small drop in voltage will greatly affect the pumps head height limit.

 

[lilrobb]

I had some long conversations with Roger/Tunze.
There is an internal component, TCM I believe - that if damaged limits the voltage to the pump.
Go measure, and let me know what the output voltage is, please....

 

[misu]

with the hose attached turn the pump upside down (with the sucking part pointing up) and let it run for a few seconds

 

[crewdawg1981]

Great suggestions guys! I'll try em out tonight.

 

[gthockey18]

I had a very similar issue on my osmolator when I had it running up about 3 feet from an jug on the floor to the top of my solana. I found two things, one of wich is mentioned above with the pump not being primed. The other problem was if tightened the screw that holds the black tubing to the mounting bracket too tightly it constricted the flow. Might want to try loosening it a bit as well.

On my current tank the osmolator runs from the jug of RO up about a foot to the fuge with no issues.

 

[crewdawg1981]

I went downstairs this morning and it was working?! Mine has to travel up about 4 feet to get over the side of the fuge, but its never seemed to be a problem. Maybe i'm working the pumps too hard? This new one is the third in under a year.

 

[rjrgroup]

It will get air trapped and just spin.That is why when you bump it, it begins working. It dislodges the air bubble trapped in the prop housing. It happens to mine almost every time I change out the top off water container.

 

[acroholic]

If the pump is primed and you always keep it submerged, then you shouldn't have air lock issues.