Tunze 3155 - sensor not filling the tank?

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Ky_acc

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
265
Reaction score
113
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi there,

I just set up a new tunze 3155 and I’m hoping someone can help me troubleshoot what is going wrong.

every time I plug in the unit the water starts to pump for a few seconds, so I know the pump is working.

The problem is that whenever I move the sensors around to test whether it is sensing water level changes, nothing happens. I move the sensor from almost fully underwater to completely above water, and the pump does not kick on?

I have tested where I unplug the unit, and then move the sensor so it is partially submerged and then plug the unit in. After the initial fill I can’t get it to react to any changes I make.

the high level float switch works as the alarm goes off when I move it manually, but I can’t get the optical sensor to start filling the tank no matter how I move or orient it.

Anyone have any suggestions? Hoping I don’t have a bad sensor :/
 

moreef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
551
Reaction score
272
Location
Dallas,Tx
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I have had same problems myself. Try to clean the sensor. I soak mine in vinegar.
 

rvitko

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,804
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If I understand correctly the issue is it is not filling? What light shows on the display when it is out of water and not filling?
 
OP
OP
Ky_acc

Ky_acc

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
265
Reaction score
113
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If I understand correctly the issue is it is not filling? What light shows on the display when it is out of water and not filling?

correct, I can’t get the optical sensor to start filling the tank.

after I plug the unit in and it does the initial fill, the light on the display shows “level” despite me moving the sensor up and down (attempting to trip the sensor so it will start filling).

If I move the sensors way down into the water and trip the high level sensor, then the display shows too high and the alarm goes off -so the high level sensor appears to work.
 

rvitko

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,804
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The initial fill is just a timed start up function and not related to the sensor, it always fills about 15 seconds on start up.

1) Is there a refugium grow light near the sensor?

2) Are you sure the sensor is completely dry, clinging water or water pouring over it will make it think it is wet?

3) The float is only an emergency back up, it triggers the too high light and shuts it down. If the sensor is the problem, we would have a green level light only after about 30 seconds of power up when the sensor is completely dry.
 

mike550

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 13, 2019
Messages
2,263
Reaction score
2,373
Location
Chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Is it possible that you put the sensor into the holder upside down.
 

rvitko

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,804
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is a consideration, what tends to mess people up is advice from users of the Nano Osmolator, the float orientation is the opposite on the Nano model. The cable exits the bottom on the float. The float can also be affected by a magnet nearby or misaligned magnets. If the float is the issue though we would have a red too high light.
 
OP
OP
Ky_acc

Ky_acc

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
265
Reaction score
113
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The initial fill is just a timed start up function and not related to the sensor, it always fills about 15 seconds on start up.

1) Is there a refugium grow light near the sensor?

2) Are you sure the sensor is completely dry, clinging water or water pouring over it will make it think it is wet?

3) The float is only an emergency back up, it triggers the too high light and shuts it down. If the sensor is the problem, we would have a green level light only after about 30 seconds of power up when the sensor is completely dry.

1) no lights near the sensor, it’s in the back chamber of an AIO redsea max e170

2 & 3) I will retry tonight when I get home. Upon startup, should the sensor be submerged or dry? It was showing “level” last night when I plugged in the unit with the sensor about an inch over the water (the pump didn’t kick on at all after a few minutes)

Under normal operations, If I plug the unit in with the sensor dry, should the sensor start the pump until water reaches the optical sensor level?
 
Last edited:

rvitko

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,804
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The sensor position does not matter, but do keep in mind it always fills for about 20 seconds on start up, so if the sensor is in water, this is normal on start up. For about 30 seconds it is running preprogrammed start up tests and not using the sensors.

Yes, if the float is not raised and it did not time out (too high or too low light), the pump on light should come on and it should pump water. The lights are your most important diagnostic tool.
 
OP
OP
Ky_acc

Ky_acc

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
265
Reaction score
113
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I just got home from work and checked the tank.

since I manually filled it last night with RODI, the tank has evaporated throughout the day and left the sensor completely high and dry. The display is reading “level” :/

Unfortunately I’m starting to think I have a defective sensor.

A946E4BE-54C1-4BDA-B1D4-586DB785B749.jpeg

7200028A-406C-4705-8B34-D33AE8DB565E.jpeg
A47455FD-B03D-4A19-932C-F23BD9BE7CAE.jpeg
 
Last edited:

moreef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
551
Reaction score
272
Location
Dallas,Tx
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
The wire from shutoff float switch looks like its blocking the sensor some. I know the magnets have grooves to route wires but i use seperate magnet for the float switch.
 
OP
OP
Ky_acc

Ky_acc

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
265
Reaction score
113
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The sensor position does not matter, but do keep in mind it always fills for about 20 seconds on start up, so if the sensor is in water, this is normal on start up. For about 30 seconds it is running preprogrammed start up tests and not using the sensors.

Yes, if the float is not raised and it did not time out (too high or too low light), the pump on light should come on and it should pump water. The lights are your most important diagnostic tool.

Looks like it.

yea that’s what I’m afraid of :/

I don’t think the secondary float switch cord is blocking the optical sensor, the second picture just makes the perspective look weird due to the flash and focus.

any other troubleshooting steps you can think of?
 

rvitko

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,804
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would be absolutely sure the float wire is not touching the sensor as that would definitely cause a problem. There is a peg on the magnet that wire should wrap under. If it is not touching the sensor and this was bought new less than 30 days ago, please email me a copy of the receipt. Tunze at sbcglobal dot net
 
OP
OP
Ky_acc

Ky_acc

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
265
Reaction score
113
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would be absolutely sure the float wire is not touching the sensor as that would definitely cause a problem. There is a peg on the magnet that wire should wrap under. If it is not touching the sensor and this was bought new less than 30 days ago, please email me a copy of the receipt. Tunze at sbcglobal dot net

quick update.

I got home from work and made sure that the wire was not touching the sensor.

I also took the sensor out and cleaned off a biofilm that had developed since I started cycling last week.

then I made sure all the wires to the breakout box were firmly in place.

that said the sensor started to work as anticipated and kicked on the pump once I raised it out of the water.

I’m not sure which of the steps I did made the difference, but it has me a little worried as to how susceptible the optical sensor might be to biofilm/salt creep -I travel often during the week and need a bulletproof ato solution.

how much maintenance should I be anticipating with this unit, what is recommended?
 

LC8Sumi

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 12, 2017
Messages
604
Reaction score
521
Location
Europe
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think the main issue was the float sensors cable interfering. That said, optical (and for that matter, float as well) sensors do need some cleaning now and then, say every 3-4 months.
 

moreef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
551
Reaction score
272
Location
Dallas,Tx
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I found when I was dosing kalk in my ato the sensor needed to be cleaned more often like 3/4 months. I plan to add a floatswitch to alert me and turn off return pump if sump gets low. The tunze is one of the best but anything can fail, so the more redundancy you can put in your system the better.
 

rvitko

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
1,804
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I also am inclined to think it was the float switch wire, even if it was not touching if a bead of water gets trapped between the two that will likely be a cause. Typically the optic sensor needs cleaning every 6-12 months.
 
Back
Top