tunze osmolator 3 And UV sterilizer

[Tom800]

I’m having an odd issue. I just purchased a tunze osmolator 3, and when I installed it, the water level would keep going past the sensor and light green for a second but then light blue and continues to fill before it gets to the safety sensor. I saw a random post on a forum that said someone’s UV sterilizer was causing a similar issue, so I unplugged my UV sterilizer and it works and then I plug back the UV sterilizer in and now it doesn’t work, what’s going on here?

 

[rtparty]

Is your UV sterilizer bleeding light into the sensor?

 

[Tom800]

here’s a picture of the set up, you can see the sensor to the bottom left of the protein skimmer, I originally had it on the right side of the sump by the pumps, but it was doing the issue, and even where it is now it is doing the issue. Not sure how the UV sterilizer light would reach all the way there.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

You could try to sleeve the sensor in a length of pvc/abs pipe to block any light. Open at both ends so the water level isn’t trapped. Refraction type sensors can be sensitive to light, especially uv so it doesn’t take much. I doubt it’s noise from the uv transformer, but I guess it’s possible. They do sell small line filters but I’m pretty sure it’s due to uv light. A lot of uv systems have clear end caps that allow light to pass. That light can bounce all over in a closed cabinet area with a glass sump and water ripples.

 

[Tom800]

You could try to sleeve the sensor in a length of pvc/abs pipe to block any light. Open at both ends so the water level isn’t trapped. Refraction type sensors can be sensitive to light, especially uv so it doesn’t take much. I doubt it’s noise from the uv transformer, but I guess it’s possible. They do sell small line filters but I’m pretty sure it’s due to uv light. A lot of uv systems have clear end caps that allow light to pass. That light can bounce all over in a closed cabinet area with a glass sump and water ripples.

Assuming it is the UV light, that’s interesting because the sensor has a safety cap on it which I would think would block any light, unless the light is going through the water. The light can only be coming from two places, which is the translucent tubing that connects to the pump or there’s a small area where the wire to the sterilizer is where there is a small ring of light. I’m thinking of going to Home Depot and buying something to wrap around the translucent tubing and see if that helps. Any other advice?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I guess before you go crazy trying to block light you could pull the sensor from the sump and put it in and out of a cup of water, somewhere totally away from the uv/sump area (maybe outside the cabinet doors closed) with the uv system on to see if it works properly.

Edit might need a solid (not clear) cup, and might need to place your hand over the top to block any light for testing

 

[Tom800]

I guess before you go crazy trying to block light you could pull the sensor from the sump and put it in and out of a cup of water, somewhere totally away from the uv/sump area (maybe outside the cabinet doors closed) with the uv system on to see if it works properly.

Edit might need a solid (not clear) cup, and might need to place your hand over the top to block any light for testing

It works properly when the UV sterilizer is plugged out.

I’m just amazed that the UV light is doing this only because there is so little light that I could see coming through the tube and the sensor has a safety cap on it, it must be going through the water because that’s the only way the light could reach the sensor because of the safety cap.

 

[rtparty]

Regardless I would reach out to Roger with Tunze to properly troubleshoot.

[email protected]

 

[Tom800]

Regardless I would reach out to Roger with Tunze to properly troubleshoot.

[email protected]

I’m gonna try getting pipe covers which is only four dollars at Home Depot. I’ll cover the translucent tubes, it’s really the only place the light could be coming through and hitting the water. There’s no other way The UV sterilizer is connecting to this sensor set up, they’re even on different power outlets. All I know is when the UV sterilizers turned on it doesn’t work when it’s turned off it works, so it’s got to be the light. I can’t think of anything else it could be.

 

[X-37B]

Yea it's the light. Same thing happened on my im15 nano.
I had to cover the aio part.
It's stray light that affects it.
I talked to Roger and that was the issue. I covered and it works as designed.

 

[Tom800]

Yea it's the light. Same thing happened on my im15 nano.
I had to cover the aio part.
It's stray light that affects it.
I talked to Roger and that was the issue. I covered and it works as designed.

When you say the AIO part, you mean the sensor, what did you use to cover it with? I would like to still be able to see the light it gives off so I know it’s working properly. You covered something over the safety cap and if you did cover it, how did water get through the safety cap to the sensor?

 

[X-37B]

When you say the AIO part, you mean the sensor, what did you use to cover it with? I would like to still be able to see the light it gives off so I know it’s working properly. You covered something over the safety cap and if you did cover it, how did water get through the safety cap to the sensor?

The sensor sits in the last aio Chamber. I did this and without the light block it will not work properly.

 

[Tom800]

The sensor sits in the last aio Chamber. I did this and without the light block it will not work properly.

Can’t tell in the picture of what you covered with. I can’t even find it in the picture.

 

[X-37B]

Can’t tell in the picture of what you covered with. I can’t even find it in the picture.

The second pic is the cover.

 

[Tom800]

The second pic is the cover.

Oh, I see – yeah my sump doesn’t have a separate compartment for that. I’m going to get the pipe covers and just cover where the UV sterilizer is coming through the translation tubes and I’ll even try the ring with the light is coming up by the power wire. There’s no visible light that I can see that’s coming out of the UV sterilizer.

 

[X-37B]

Y

Oh, I see – yeah my sump doesn’t have a separate compartment for that. I’m going to get the pipe covers and just cover where the UV sterilizer is coming through the translation tubes and I’ll even try the ring with the light is coming up by the power wire. There’s no visible light that I can see that’s coming out of the UV sterilizer.

Ye it's stray light that affects the sensor so that should work.

 

[Tom800]

I have literally covered every pipe that’s coming out of the UV sterilizer with pipe covers and it’s still doing it every time the UV sterilizer gets plugged in I don’t understand it. Very frustrating. The only other thing could be with the light is if the light is going into the water, coming out of the pump, but there’s nothing I can do about that.

 

[BryanM]

I cant find the thread, but I thought the issue was thought to be electrical interference related..... If that was true, I'd try getting the power supply for the UV out of the sump as a test, and plug it in an extension cord into some other outlet in the house.

My memory isn't the best though, I could be dreaming this all up... at least its an easy test.

 

[Tom800]

I cant find the thread, but I thought the issue was thought to be electrical interference related..... If that was true, I'd try getting the power supply for the UV out of the sump as a test, and plug it in an extension cord into some other outlet in the house.

My memory isn't the best though, I could be dreaming this all up... at least its an easy test.

Well, I just moved the power supply as much as I could. There’s only so far the wire will go from the UV sterilizer and it’s still doing it. So either I can’t move it enough out-of-the-way or that’s not the issue and it’s the UV light

 

[Tom800]

I emailed the Tunzi representative, Roger – and he didn’t mention the light at all. He told me that UV sterilizers give off the electronic interference, and if the unit is within a few feet of the ATO sensor, it willwork. This sucks, there was no warning or anything when purchasing the ATO that if you have a UV sterilizer, it will not work, I would think many people have a UV sterilizer and this is not an uncommon issue. Does anyone have any other ATO sensor that they recommend, thankfully, I can return this Amazon. Looking to spend $250 or less on the ATO sensor.