Squeaky GHL doser 2.1

[bubblemytip]

Hi. Any tips to stop the doser 2.1 squeaking? I'll clean everything with soap and warm water, dry, reassemble. It will be quiet for a day, then it starts to squeak. It is running on speed 0, doing 145*0.3ml/day.

I recently tried running a pump manually for a few seconds without a blue cap on and there was no squeak at all. Put the blue cap back on, squeak. So I think the rollers are rubbing against the blue cap, as I get a slight white dust/residue on the inside of the blue cap.

Is it ok to try applying a little silicone in my case to the underside of the blue cap? I can hear the squeak from the other rooms in the house. And it's annoying because I know it can be quiet.


Video with sound posted on the GHL Facebook page.

Many thanks.

 

[Mario P.]

I have the same problem and I was told by a GHL rep that this happens when dust particles get trapped inside the dosing head. Apparently it can be fixed by removing the blue cap and giving both it and the rollers a rinse in warm water. I haven't tried yet but plan to soon. The squeak is annoying and makes my $400 doser sound like a cheap eBay doser!

 

[bubblemytip]

Yeah. I have done that. Squeaks again in a day hence my question. Have also blow-dried everything with a compressed air cleaner for electronics. Starts squeaking again within a couple of days. :/

 

[Mario P.]

Sounds like we need a replacement head.

 

[bubblemytip]

Bump.

 

[crayon]

I have three dosing units, all 2.1 and at least 5 heads squeak. Was told to wait a few weeks. Did that, they still squeak. Am beyond frustrated as it sounds like I have a cage of birds.
Recently was told there was a fix coming, so I hope GHL steps up and posts something.
I also have at least three heads of the 12 that jamb. One of them didn't work out of the box. This is causing major issues for me, as it screws up my autofeeder and floods the fridge.
We sold our entire Apex system to convert to Profilux, and so far, am less than happy.

This has been going on since last December, but I haven't been focused on fixing it because in between then and now, we also had a house move.

It is now a priority.
So am following this thread to see what the solution is from GHL.

 

[bubblemytip]

Mine jammed when it first arrived too. Took it apart and cleaned with soapy warm water, air-dried the parts. It was silent for several days and then increasingly began to squeak.
It's like the white rollers are generating their own plastic dust as they slightly rub against the blue cap. I will clean it, and then anywhere from 2-7 days later, the squeaks are back.
Hoping there's a fix. I've noticed Sewatec.de is now stocking a doser 2.1 maintenance kit which is basically replacement blue caps x2 and the white roller parts. Not sure if that means anything. Waiting to hear back from the GHL guys who I have directly messaged.
Might do a search on the German forums to see if there are any similar issues and what fixes people have managed to find.

 

[crayon]

From what I understand, and please don't slam me for this, there was a QC issue with the white rollers, and some of them came in wrong sizes. I don't know if this will fix the squeaking issue, but it will fix the jamming issue I was told.
I am supposed to be getting replacement rolllers next week.
If I don't, or if it doesn't fix the problem, I'm going to be a very PO'd.

 

[bubblemytip]

Interesting. Hope it is that simple and we both have our issues resolved.

The pumps do dispense the correct volumes and the functionality is great. It's just the squeaking!

 

[reefwiser]

I would post in GHL's forum.
http://forum.aquariumcomputer.com/forumdisplay.php?3-English
To make sure they are aware of your issue.

 

[bubblemytip]

Thanks. Found a similar thread on that forum with a contact email. Liaising with Matthias now.

 

[reefwiser]

Always good to post on a manufacturers own forum. It get the issue front and center. Ranting in a non manufacturer forum will not get your problem solved.

 

[bubblemytip]

Thanks. Didn't rant. Had posted in the Facebook support group and messaged Marco directly too. Wasn't progressing. My post was after suggestions for fixes - if other people had experienced and solved the issue independently.

Also, to say I should post on another forum is beside the point - why bother having a forum thread for a manufacturer on here if not to be a forum for solving issues. Seems a bit pointless otherwise. Having a dedicated forum elsewhere does not invalidate a discussion on this one.

That was a rant.

 

[FMF0331]

Thanks for posting , was just about to pull the trigger on getting the GHL

 

[reefwiser]

I just see people ranting when sometimes getting it in front of company eyes is best. Apex and GHL have forums all over the world on hobbyist forums. Things can get lost. The GHL Facebook group is a good place to post questions or issues. I have three GHL dosers and they have been bullet proof. I love being able to dose all the things I use on my tank. With out me having to actually do it.

 

[bubblemytip]

That's great. But no user error in my case. Just bad QA/QC on some plastic caps and rollers at the manufacturing end. How prevalent this problem is, I'm not sure, but I am clearly not the only one to have experienced it.

It's nice that your dosers are rock solid and bulletproof, whatever that actually means. (Are they the 2.1 dosers with the blue caps?). That, however, does not help anyone sort out their problems, nor does it undermine the validity of their problems.

The electronics, functions and general appearance of the doser are nice though. It is dosing the right amount but the squeak grinds my gears.

I am a GHL fan, which is why I invested in my doser 2.1 in the first place, ironically due to reports of the DOS being noisy.

 

[Reefltx]

Glad I found this thread. I was about to pull the trigger on a new doser 2.1 but I guess I'll wait a bit until they figure out the QC problem.

 

[reefwiser]

I am sure you will get the situation resolved.

 

[crayon]

Just spoke with the company I bought my 3 units of 2.1 dosers from and I am getting some replacement white rollers next week. He told me the squeaking issue can be easily resolved by taking the blue plastic covers off and gently sanding down the white rollers so they are shorter.

(T7 torx screws, I think, can't remember, I know they are Torx, just not sure the 7). Anyway, I got screw drivers at Home Depot: look carefully, they will probably tell you they don't carry that size.

I'm going to sand down the noisy ones this weekend, and replace the jammed ones next week.

I was told this issue happened with dosers made in 2016 and the issue is now resolved. Just posting up what I know, hopefully it helps.

 

[bubblemytip]

Thanks. Good info. I may try sanding my rollers. Let me know how you get on.

This is a summary of my interaction with GHL on the issue:

When I emailed Matthias, he didn't admit there was any defect. He just said "I think this can be fixed with replacing the rollers."

He then asked where I was from. I'm from New Zealand. So he said "wow, New Zealand – this is a Bummer … just the transport will cost a fortune." He then offered to sell me a profilux 4 or Mitras that could be bundled with replacement rollers to save on shipping.

I have to admit, in a different context, this offer would have been OK. But I already have all the gear I could need (except maybe another slave doser, and when my current one was faulty, why would I spend more money only potentially to have the same issue? I couldn't really justify it to myself). I asked him for a quote for two options - a) with a slave doser bundled in and b) with the replacement rollers (conveniently marketed as 'wear parts' now) by themselves.

I only got a quote for the doser bundle (about $550 NZD). No quote for option b, though. Hmmm. Salesman tactics. But I can't really justify paying $550 to get some small plastic parts replaced.

So to clear my thinking, I emailed back asking for payment options for a) as international bank transfers are difficult with my bank. I also asked for the quote for b):

"Alternatively, what is the cost to post (slow is fine) the replacement rollers for my current doser only? I never really planned on needing to buy another doser within my budget constraints. So if it's easier to arrange replacement rollers only and send those to me by post, that is fine. It was through no fault of mine that the product had not undergone more thorough QC/QA and I already paid for its original shipping in the belief that it would be fault-free. "


This was his response:

"ok, we are the manufacturer, not the company who sold/shipped it to you so it is in the responsibility of them to handle a warranty case (if it is one) and to cover the costs for that for that they made their margin [Fair enough. Maybe I should have emailed the german retailer I bought it from, but they would have had the same conversation with GHL surely and the GHL forum said to email GHL. In addition, I had provided my receipt when I emailed GHL. At that point, he could have suggested I contact the retailer for warranty or cc'd their rep in on his reply, all coming together to find a solution, but to instead try to make a sale and to infer it might not actually be a warranty issue??? really?? After seeing the videos and all the other complaints from other people?And I'm sure some retailers would disagree. They do not make a margin to have to deal with defective manufacturing.]

He continued:

"if we could combine a new purchase and ship the spare parts along we would had a good opportunity to cover the costs
then we would handle this directly - to keep this efficient and costs low"

When pushed, he did say he could post me the replacement rollers for my current doser, but still no quote for tracked shipping:

"we checked the costs for cheap and slow postal service

"if we send by post we would take the expenses. [great]

there is no guarantee when or if it arrives at all" [fair enough]


In the end, I left it at that. I'll replace my doser 'wear parts' if/when they arrive by post or I buy some replacements myself. But my customer experience hasn't been very great. Whether it's a language barrier or not, I'm not sure. But the whole sales-pitch approach to solving my defect didn't strike the right chord with me, particularly when other people are being told it is a manufacturing defect.

Will update when I've replaced the rollers.