Alright wonderful people of R2R I've got a head scratcher/challenge for you. I have a reef mat 1200. Up to about a month ago it has been working nicely. Then one day my usage went through the roof. After some investigation it was advancing without the water touching it.
So began the investigation:
Is the sensor backwards?
No, the sensor's cable is coming out opposite to the side where the plug is on the driver motor. Another way to put it, the cable is closest to the clean roll. I've included a picture.
Have you cleaned the basket at the bottom of the mat? water level surges/ it can get clogged.
Completely removed it.
Alright, it sounds like you have a bad sensor, have you tried replacing the sensor?
Good point, couldn't find one locally or in the USA. Fortunately a nice Canadian store sent it to me. It arrived. I hooked it up.
It still moves randomly. Well before we call this a defective unit, do you have any sources of random current that could potentially create a magnetic field that could trick the mat into thinking that it has water running through it? I see a skimmer and a light there.
Good point hypothetical reefer, I moved the power cable of the fuge light and the skimmer around the mat, far away.
It still moves.
Ok its probably a defective unit, right? does it even matter that the sensor is plugged in?
Alright, sure, lets move the sensor and just place it on top of the mat.
No movement
Alright, change the orientation, such that its facing down. Still keep it on top of the mat:
No movement.
OKAY, now just move it 2 inches down. to where the sensor should be...
No movement.
Okay now this is the hard part to test, and I think this is what happens:
Water rises, sensor is triggered.
Moves normally.
Water is low.
A few minutes later, water is still low. Now it suddenly moves.
Is the sensor somehow not getting dry? or is it getting some splash? Is the air too humid? I am stumped.
So began the investigation:
Is the sensor backwards?
No, the sensor's cable is coming out opposite to the side where the plug is on the driver motor. Another way to put it, the cable is closest to the clean roll. I've included a picture.
Have you cleaned the basket at the bottom of the mat? water level surges/ it can get clogged.
Completely removed it.
Alright, it sounds like you have a bad sensor, have you tried replacing the sensor?
Good point, couldn't find one locally or in the USA. Fortunately a nice Canadian store sent it to me. It arrived. I hooked it up.
It still moves randomly. Well before we call this a defective unit, do you have any sources of random current that could potentially create a magnetic field that could trick the mat into thinking that it has water running through it? I see a skimmer and a light there.
Good point hypothetical reefer, I moved the power cable of the fuge light and the skimmer around the mat, far away.
It still moves.
Ok its probably a defective unit, right? does it even matter that the sensor is plugged in?
Alright, sure, lets move the sensor and just place it on top of the mat.
No movement
Alright, change the orientation, such that its facing down. Still keep it on top of the mat:
No movement.
OKAY, now just move it 2 inches down. to where the sensor should be...
No movement.
Okay now this is the hard part to test, and I think this is what happens:
Water rises, sensor is triggered.
Moves normally.
Water is low.
A few minutes later, water is still low. Now it suddenly moves.
Is the sensor somehow not getting dry? or is it getting some splash? Is the air too humid? I am stumped.