Kamoer FX STP dosing issues?

[jonelder68]

What to confirm my logic with my dosing issues? I’m having troubles dosing my kalk through my avast kalk reactor. I’m running the kamoer at 1ml a min for several on/off hours. I can’t get fluid to dose into reactor without running it at a higher dosage rate like 5-6ml and above. Even then once doser kicks on it takes 10-15 minutes for fluid to reach reactor.

The issue I believe is the suction/supply line side is emptying out after each time pump is shut off. At such a slow dose it’s having to refill the line from reservoir to dosing pump before moving fluid.

So I was just going to add a check valve inside RODI reservoir at bottom of the suction line?

Does this sound right or am I missing something? Unfortunately I’ll have to order a check valve if so. Can’t seem to find one locally.

 

[BeanAnimal]

How many rollers? Peristaltic pumps typically act as check valves unless they stop where no roller is fully occluding the tubing set. This may be the case on some 3 roller heads.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

The fx-stp has an adjustment for occlusion. If its not holding suction then its a good chance that the occlusion isn't set correctly. Try adjusting that thumb screw.

Another possibility is that the peristaltic tube has wore out and no longer allows for the rollers to pinch it. The tube is a wearable item and does need to be replaced. If it's new, then I would focus on adjusting the occlusion.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

How many rollers? Peristaltic pumps typically act as check valves unless they stop where no roller is fully occluding the tubing set. This may be the case on some 3 roller heads.

This model has 6 rollers.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

After looking closer at the photos, I see there are many places where a seal can be broken on the inlet side (from the rodi container to the kamoer). Zip ties, push to connects, elbows etc.

The push to connects are primarily used for positive pressure. Not to say that they can't be used for suction, but the chances of the seal holding a vacuum and not bleeding air in can be a challenge.

Most of the time when a push to connect is used for suction, it has a second internal o-ring on them.

If I were you, I'd get a small tube of silicone grease and take the push to connects apart and lube and those up those o rings. And maybe double up on the zip ties (180° from each other) on each connection.

 

[jonelder68]

Yes 6 rollers and brand new. I can see the suction side right at the pump loose water after the pump shuts off. The outlet side remains full of water so the rollers are definitely pinching off the line.

 

[jonelder68]

So I removed rigid tubing to eliminate 3 fittings and ran straight from adapters to reservoir with rodi line. Same thing. Crank it up to 10-15ml to prime line. Doses fine. Reduce below 5ml and waters in the line still but literally nothing coming out.

Also have tried multiple times adjusting tension screw and doesn’t change anything. Each time I’ve adjusted screw I recalibrate as well.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

So I removed rigid tubing to eliminate 3 fittings and ran straight from adapters to reservoir with rodi line. Same thing. Crank it up to 10-15ml to prime line. Doses fine. Reduce below 5ml and waters in the line still but literally nothing coming out.

Also have tried multiple times adjusting tension screw and doesn’t change anything. Each time I’ve adjusted screw I recalibrate as well.

It looks like there is a push to connects as well as an elbow still in the mix.

Eliminating those might help with troubleshooting.

 

[jonelder68]

It looks like there is a push to connects as well as an elbow still in the mix.

Eliminating those might help with troubleshooting.

I just found some line from other kamoer x1 dosing pumps. I’ll hook it up if correct side straight to roller line tube. One moment

 

[Jamie814]

So I removed rigid tubing to eliminate 3 fittings and ran straight from adapters to reservoir with rodi line. Same thing. Crank it up to 10-15ml to prime line. Doses fine. Reduce below 5ml and waters in the line still but literally nothing coming out.

Also have tried multiple times adjusting tension screw and doesn’t change anything. Each time I’ve adjusted screw I recalibrate as well.

If it's not siphoning kalkwater back into your RO/DI reservoir when the pump is off, it's getting air into the line somewhere, most likely at one of your many fittings.

 

[jonelder68]

It still won’t drip unless running at 3-4ml a minute or above direct plumbed. I have to bump the speed up at first to start dripping then can back it down to 3-4ml a minute. If I don’t it won’t ever drip

 

[jonelder68]

I guess to see if it’s draining suction line I’ll fill a bucket and place it higher than dosing pump to see if it works that way?

On 3ml a minute it takes 10-15 minutes then starts dripping. Like it’s having to refill the suction like each time it seems.

 

[jonelder68]

With pulling water from above it works. Well down to 2ml a minute and above. At 1ml I never saw water flowing…

Guess I’ll order and try a check valve in rodi reservoir

 

[jonelder68]

If it's not siphoning kalkwater back into your RO/DI reservoir when the pump is off, it's getting air into the line somewhere, most likely at one of your many fittings.

No it holds and doesn’t siphon Kalk water back. It’s the suction side only when pump is shut off its drain rodi was from in front of rollers back to rodi reservoir. When dosing pump starts back up it takes 15-20 minutes before you see what dripping. Has to refill line from reservoir to pump each time after shutting off.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

That is weird. I'm almost certain the fx-stp uses a pharmed 1/4" OD tube with 1/16" wall thickness. The resiliency of that tube is usually the gold standard and is above good.

I wonder if this is a limitation of their product. Knowing that the fx-stp is usually ran at higher flow rates and with 6 rollers perhaps slower rates might not create a decent enough vacuum. Of course this is all speculation without much proof to qualify.

If it were me, to prove this theory, I'd make a replacement tube with pharmed 3/8" OD and run it at those speeds. Or keep the same tube and safely remove 3 rollers.

I can't remember if I have an fx-stp laying around. If I did, I could test these ideas.

The other option is to use a smaller peristaltic pump that can operate is the micro dosing range and use the fx for something else. or sell it, the resale on those are pretty decent.

 

[jonelder68]

That is weird. I'm almost certain the fx-stp uses a pharmed 1/4" OD tube with 1/16" wall thickness. The resiliency of that tube is usually the gold standard and is above good.

I wonder if this is a limitation of their product. Knowing that the fx-stp is usually ran at higher flow rates and with 6 rollers perhaps slower rates might not create a decent enough vacuum. Of course this is all speculation without much proof to qualify.

If it were me, to prove this theory, I'd make a replacement tube with pharmed 3/8" OD and run it at those speeds. Or keep the same tube and safely remove 3 rollers.

I can't remember if I have an fx-stp laying around. If I did, I could test these ideas.

The other option is to use a smaller peristaltic pump that can operate is the micro dosing range and use the fx for something else. or sell it, the resale on those are pretty decent.

Yes it’s 1/4 pharma grade hose reduced to smaller at outlets. Believe technically line is 6mm ID? Then barbs are reduced to 4mm?

Yep pretty weird. I’m just starting to dose from very small consumption. Figured kalk be a good starting point. Trying to only dose 350ml a day. I’ve cut dosing times in half and turned it to 2ml per minute and we’ll see how that goes. Still doesn’t fix the issue of pulling from reservoir below though. So still out of luck regardless.

Might just try ordering a DOS pump for it. So far my DOS for AWC has been working flawlessly.

 

[Jamie814]

Trying to only dose 350ml a day. I’ve cut dosing times in half and turned it to 2ml per minute and we’ll see how that goes.

I have two of these pumps and push water over 15ft on each with no issues. I also have a DOS QD and prefer the Kamoer over the DOS QD the Kamoers are quieter and Neptune plays with their wording when they say the DOS is a continuous duty pump. It will only run continuously at 7ml, 12ml or 25 ml per minute any other amount and it runs intermittently.

The Kamoer FX STP can run continuously down to 0.1ml per min. Why not just turn it up to the point that you get it at a continuous drip rate = to 350ml per day? Ignoring what the display on the pump is showing and use that as your base?

 

[jonelder68]

I have two of these pumps and push water over 15ft on each with no issues. I also have a DOS QD and prefer the Kamoer over the DOS QD the Kamoers are quieter and Neptune plays with their wording when they say the DOS is a continuous duty pump. It will only run continuously at 7ml, 12ml or 25 ml per minute any other amount and it runs intermittently.

The Kamoer FX STP can run continuously down to 0.1ml per min. Why not just turn it up to the point that you get it at a continuous drip rate = to 350ml per day? Ignoring what the display on the pump is showing and use that as your base?

I guess if I can get it flowing at 10ml a minute I could just program apex to have it run multiple 1-2 minutes at 10-20ml each dose.

 

[Jamie814]

I guess if I can get it flowing at 10ml a minute I could just program apex to have it run multiple 1-2 minutes at 10-20ml each dose.

Ignore the ml per minute reading on the pump display and set the speed so you get about 0.2 ml per minute out of the kalkreactor, which will give you roughly 350 ml a day if ran continuously.

If you want it calibrated properly make sure to calibrate the pump while it’s running through the kalkreactor so head and back pressure are factored into the calibration flow rate.

Dosing kalk continuously is better, as it helps maintain a more stable pH.

 

[jonelder68]

Ignore the ml per minute reading on the pump display and set the speed so you get about 0.2 ml per minute out of the kalkreactor, which will give you roughly 350 ml a day if ran continuously.

If you want it calibrated properly make sure to calibrate the pump while it’s running through the kalkreactor so head and back pressure are factored into the calibration flow rate.

Dosing kalk continuously is better, as it helps maintain a more stable pH.

That’s the thing I can’t get it to pull fluid from reservoir unless I bump it to 30ml or higher.

I just tried a 2 minute dose at 10ml a minute and it dosed nothing.

I then tried a 30ml 1 minute dose. I measured dosed amount from kalk stirrer outlet and it was 30ml exactly.

It’s all or nothing aka no good! It is loosing water in supply line unless I dose at 30ml or higher. It will flow back into reservoir after pump shuts off . This thing just can’t pull unless at higher speeds. I’m going to order a check valve just to try but don’t have much hope. Might as well order a new tube assembly as well to try.