Optical level sensor issue

[EddieJ]

I use an optical level sensor in my return compartment for ATO. Over time, sometimes quickly, sometimes longer, it stops detecting the water level and stops triggering the ATO pump. When this happens, I just pull out the sensor and acrylic rod and wipe it down. This gets it back to working again. It's almost like a biofilm fakes out the sensor to think it's still seeing water I guess. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Big G]

Yep. Just did the maintenance a couple of days ago. Put a note in my phone's calendar to do maintenance once a month, otherwise I'd forget. LOL

 

[porter_painter]

It's not an issue, you just need to clean the sensor periodically as part of basic maintenance. Eventually you won't be able to see inside your tank if you don't clean the glass once in a while. Same principle here for the optical sensor.

However, I would say that generally over time the effectiveness of the sensor reduces and after about 18m they usually need replacing.

 

[EddieJ]

Ok, I guess I should have been a little more detailed. Sometimes it acts up only after a week, other times it will go a couple of weeks. Guess I will have to train my tank sitter in that maintenance when we head out west for two weeks this summer. Before then I am going to try a different location in the return compartment to see if that leads to better results.
Funny thing is that I have an IceCap ATO with an optical sensor on my other system that I have NEVER touched in two years and it never once missed a beat.

 

[AZMSGT]

Just wondering, is this an issue with just the 1 sensor? Do you have more than one Optical type that you can swap out and see if the problem moves?

Since the GHL sensors cost $78 and compare them to a APEX sensor at $28 we expect a superior product.

I hear ya on the concern, I am presently using a Tunze and it has worked well for a long time without the need for cleaning. Since I am going to be switching to all GHL sensors and ATO soon.

How long has it been in use?

 

[EddieJ]

Just wondering, is this an issue with just the 1 sensor? Do you have more than one Optical type that you can swap out and see if the problem moves?

Since the GHL sensors cost $78 and compare them to a APEX sensor at $28 we expect a superior product.

I hear ya on the concern, I am presently using a Tunze and it has worked well for a long time without the need for cleaning. Since I am going to be switching to all GHL sensors and ATO soon.

How long has it been in use?

I don't have another GHL optical to test with. It is going on a year in service, but this problem has plagued me probably the past 6 months or so. It works great when it's working, but then it needs the little TLC wipe-off to get going again. I am going to work it into my maintenance routine to clean every couple of weeks and see how that ends up.

 

[lapin]

I am wondering about the difference in sensors.
Does anyone know if they are all made in the same factory and private labeled?

 

[AZMSGT]

I am wondering about the difference in sensors.
Does anyone know if they are all made in the same factory and private labeled?

Physically the two sensors are very different. As for functionality I don’t know.

 

[Reef Stallion]

Had my GHL sensor for more than 5 years and it still works rock solid. I had to clean it all the time when I ran Triton with a refugium. Since I got rid of the refugium, and added UV, my sensor (and most of the other equipment) stay super clean.

 

[LC8Sumi]

It would be a big help if a timer and alert could be set on the sensor for the off period. For example send an alert if it didn’t switch states in the past 3 hrs

 

[EddieJ]

It would be a big help if a timer and alert could be set on the sensor for the off period. For example send an alert if it didn’t switch states in the past 3 hrs

Yes, that would help out for sure.