Best Dosing pump?
- Thread starter johnyboy
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domination2580
Reef-a-nator
A video would be a great thing to post. Whoever does it I think will help a lot of people
smokin'reefer
Sea Urchin
Just got mine in yesterday. Kind of like yours it occlusion errors and Bank A Banks C but it works fine in Bank B. Would this mean that it is a technical problem and not an operator error issue? Or is that what you finally found out that you had not prime to cassette properly?No, just 2 of them.
I've been using the third one, and I'm constantly getting occlusion errors. I made sure the line is not pinched anywhere, so I'm not sure what's going on... it's driving me nuts
smokin'reefer
Sea Urchin
Sorry Johnyboy. Didn't mean to thread Jack you. But it seems This Thread kind of got off a ways back.
If the error is occlusion I would look and make sure there is none, i.e. the green lock is released, there are no bends etc. You can verify there is no occlusion by putting a syringe on the extra port and:
- To check the inlet side, close the white valve on the cassette, release the green lock and pull in. If you get fluid relatively easy then that side is good.
- Then close the green lock blocking the inlet, open the white valve on the cassette while pushing slightly with the syringe. After a few turns you should get flow towards the end. The more open the valve the easier it will be to push. If you're successful in pushing fluid with not a lot of pressure on the syringe then the other side is good too.
If the error is air in line then it's more likely the priming. I would attempt doing a better prime.
Especially following my procedure with no positive pressure (the feed is lower than the pump and gravity feeding is not an option) then it's much more susceptible to air in the line and bad priming.
All in all, I would suspect it's air in line since having two heads fail seems much more unlikely. I really need to make a video on how to prime these guys successfully as not using them with gravity feeding goes completely against their design.
- To check the inlet side, close the white valve on the cassette, release the green lock and pull in. If you get fluid relatively easy then that side is good.
- Then close the green lock blocking the inlet, open the white valve on the cassette while pushing slightly with the syringe. After a few turns you should get flow towards the end. The more open the valve the easier it will be to push. If you're successful in pushing fluid with not a lot of pressure on the syringe then the other side is good too.
If the error is air in line then it's more likely the priming. I would attempt doing a better prime.
Especially following my procedure with no positive pressure (the feed is lower than the pump and gravity feeding is not an option) then it's much more susceptible to air in the line and bad priming.
All in all, I would suspect it's air in line since having two heads fail seems much more unlikely. I really need to make a video on how to prime these guys successfully as not using them with gravity feeding goes completely against their design.
cpark645
Active Member
The occlusion error I got in this case was most likely a priming issue. It started working again after I reprimed a new cassette. I've set up my new replacement pumps since then and have had no problems so far.
smokin'reefer
Sea Urchin
I'm moving the same cassette that works fine in the middle Bank over to bank a. I get an occlusion error there. When I move the same cassette to bank C , I get the air inline error. I'll just play with it some more tonight. Thanks for your input. I believe twilard said it took him a day or two to get it worked out.
I think it's all about familiarizing your self with the pump and working out it's quirks. Remember, we're using this out of it's design context so things like this might appear. Your two biggest weapons are the syringe on the extra port and the back priming feature which will help in many occasions.
cpark645
Active Member
Yep there's definitely a learning curve, but once you understand it and set it up, it's smooth sailing.
When I get any error the first thing I usually do is try to take out any air inside the cassette. I do this by:
1) Use the green stopper to pinch the inlet line.
2) Make sure the back white button is pressed in and closed.
3) Insert the syringe into the top valve.
4) Take off the green stopper from the inlet line and pull with the syringe. I like to use a largest syringe I have (5 ml).
5) Release/open up the back white button and then push the liquid from the syringe slowly. During this part, it's important to make sure NO AIR from the syringe is pushed into the cassette. I usually have spare fluid left in my syringe before I stop pushing fluid into the cassette.
6) Insert the cassette back into the pump, with the syringe still in the cassette.
7) Take off the syringe, and put the top back on.
These are the steps I took and it worked for me. Hopefully this helps.
When I get any error the first thing I usually do is try to take out any air inside the cassette. I do this by:
1) Use the green stopper to pinch the inlet line.
2) Make sure the back white button is pressed in and closed.
3) Insert the syringe into the top valve.
4) Take off the green stopper from the inlet line and pull with the syringe. I like to use a largest syringe I have (5 ml).
5) Release/open up the back white button and then push the liquid from the syringe slowly. During this part, it's important to make sure NO AIR from the syringe is pushed into the cassette. I usually have spare fluid left in my syringe before I stop pushing fluid into the cassette.
6) Insert the cassette back into the pump, with the syringe still in the cassette.
7) Take off the syringe, and put the top back on.
These are the steps I took and it worked for me. Hopefully this helps.
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smokin'reefer
Sea Urchin
I'll play with it some more this week and follow your suggestions. I think it's just that god-awful beeping shortens my patience quotient every time it goes off.
