Klir DI-7 install issues, suggestions to CoralVue and faulty Controller

[Jaculus]

Because I have about 1000 gph pumping through my 125 gal basement sump to my 200 Gal DD tank upstairs I had to wait for the DI-7. It finally was released a couple weeks ago and I bought mine from BRS. I have contacted CloralVue on my apparent faulty controller. I am sure they will replace it. I am not worried about that.

After following the video install and the online installation steps correctly, I have realized a few flaws that will not deter me from keeping this BUT I do want to bring these up in a public way to discuss. I just want others input on this also as someone may have already pointed these things out or have solutions.

• First, the obvious, the controller is a toy. While I don't doubt the component board inside is up to par (even though mine is faulty) it just feels incredibly cheap. it feels like a happy meal toy.
• Next, the path that the filter media goes through from the top to the bottom is incredibly flawed in my opinion. The path takes it over the first roller on the outside then to the 90deg roller at the junction of the top to the bottom part THEN it lays against the edge of the part that goes to the bottom creating a huge binding point. See pics attached. It needed another roller RIGHT a the edge so the media could roll easily not bound by that corner.
• I am sure others have had this happen, but if the water flows over the edge due to the motor not working/controller not working/etc (like mine) the unused roll of media gets soaking wet, so wet I had to remove it and use the spare. Yes I can dry it out, but very annoying that it is so close to the highest water level that it can get that wet.

It may be difficult to figure out my arrows and such on the attached pics but the first three show how the media was threaded and then the last one is with it in the sump. I did not include pic of the controller with the light flashing red. Apparently that means I have a faulty controller, wont even advance the media by holding the button.

 

[pecan2phat]

With the smaller unit (KLIR DI-4) one person rounded out the edges that you mentioned by sanding it with a dremel.
What was a little more interesting was another person bypassed threading the fleece under that 2nd roller thereby eliminating the 90 degree bind.
One note is that your optical sensor is mounted horizontal, it should be vertical so that no water droplets throws the sensor off.

 

[Butuz]

With the smaller unit (KLIR DI-4) one person rounded out the edges that you mentioned by sanding it with a dremel.
What was a little more interesting was another person bypassed threading the fleece under that 2nd roller thereby eliminating the 90 degree bind.
One note is that your optical sensor is mounted horizontal, it should be vertical so that no water droplets throws the sensor off.

That was me. LOL. I dremmeled the inside corners, works great now (they had to replace my controller for a faulty reason), but have been using it for 2 weeks, works great once you get the kinks out. I would strongly recommend dremmeling and then sanding all the frane oarts that touch the fleece roll, seemed to fix the issue for me (details in the build below).

 

[Butuz]

I used your pic and marked the must-dremmel sides in blue.

 

[Jaculus]

thanks, Once the new replacement toy controller (lol) arrives I will have the corners dremeled by then. Seems CoralVue needs to just do this themselves,,, can't cost but another few cents to have the important corners rounded at the factory.

 

[Jaculus]

I am curious what tool on the dremel worked for you. With it being plastic I would think a sanding bit would melt the plastic

 

[Butuz]

I am curious what tool on the dremel worked for you. With it being plastic I would think a sanding bit would melt the plastic

Yes, I used the round/cylinder sanding attachments. Eats into this plastic pretty easily.

 

[ElectricMusic]

I am having the same problem with my controller on a brand new Di7. It’s blinking red and beeping. Can the power supply be spliced right to the motor? What I would do then is plug it into my Apex and use an Apex optical float switch to sense the water level and turn on and off the Di7 advancing fleece motor... getting rid of the “toy” controller all together.

 

[Jaculus]

I am having the same problem with my controller on a brand new Di7. It’s blinking red and beeping. Can the power supply be spliced right to the motor? What I would do then is plug it into my Apex and use an Apex optical float switch to sense the water level and turn on and off the Di7 advancing fleece motor... getting rid of the “toy” controller all together.

That's a good question. Maybe even an adapter for the plugs so no soldering needed.

 

[Jaculus]

By the way my replacement controller arrived a few days ago and it does work now.

 

[Jaculus]

Got the edges all trimmed/sanded down and I routed the paper to NOT use that second roller that causes two drastic 90 deg turns, so the paper now flows MUCH more freely.

 

[killerbren]

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[killerbren]

Any updates on how this is running since the mods? been thinking about getting one...

 

[Jaculus]

The mods help. And the new controller does work. I'm betting coralvue will be making some if their own changes to this soon too for the path the fleece takes.

The mods make it so the paper or fleece can roll without too much binding. The motor still struggles sometimes but it still was the best solution for me and I'm satisfied.

That being said, it is incredibly concerning that this could "roll" out with the need for such modifications, even if easy to fix.

I would recommend this if you are willing to Dremel or sand down those spots on your own. Without those modifications I wouldn't recommend it

 

[ElectricMusic]

The mods help. And the new controller does work. I'm betting coralvue will be making some if their own changes to this soon too for the path the fleece takes.

The mods make it so the paper or fleece can roll without too much binding. The motor still struggles sometimes but it still was the best solution for me and I'm satisfied.

That being said, it is incredibly concerning that this could "roll" out with the need for such modifications, even if easy to fix.

I would recommend this if you are willing to Dremel or sand down those spots on your own. Without those modifications I wouldn't recommend it

I am making the exact same mods that you have recommended. It’s a shame that they sent this to market as it is! I probably would not have purchased (2) two of these had I known of these controller and binding issues. I also eliminated their controller and optical eye and am using the apex equipment.

 

[ReefingWoonkie]

mine keeps jamming as well.... This thing is just junk. We shouldn't have to mod a 300 dollar device just to get it to work. I am not sure what to do with mine now

 

[Jaculus]

I was on the fence as my OP and update after the mod states but I think I am falling off on the dislike side now. I came home from being out of town for a few days. Sometime while I was gone something apparently was on the sensor or the controller went bonkers and ran the rest of my floss roll . About 3/5 of the roll wasted. I know I can remove the good or unused part of the roll and maybe run it back through, but it is just yet one more thing this rinky $%^& controller is lacking is some sort of error trapping. How hard would it be to set it that if it rolls more than a set amount of paper in a set amount of time then it would stop and alarm.

The only way I am gonna use this thing LONG term is to figure out how to hook it up to a real controller (Apex) that can alert me to error statuses or prevent things like this with some better controls in place.

 

[Jaculus]

Oh and when I checked on this the controller was NOT in any error state. Just no filter media in the path and ALL of it rolled up with an empty source roll.

 

[Butuz]

Guys, has anyone figured an easy way to replace the roll? I didn’t catch the end of the roll in time, so had to diassemble to run a new roll from scratch. Ideally would have liked to tape the end of the old one to the new one. Also, when fleece gets wet, can’t bind tape to it to secure one end to the motor piece.

 

[Jaculus]

I have found that taking the whole unit out to clean it is best. It's a pain, but in the end it is the easiest way to run the roll through and it then gets a quick cleaning. I also have the issue with the wet media that tape wont hold onto. Heck even the dried out paper that has gotten wet still wont allow tape to stick to it since it has salt on it.

For me the having to remove the unit to run a new roll of paper through is not as big of an issue as the take up roll not having some simple grab/hold method rather than using duct tape. lol