electrical type question - dead waveboxes

[christyf5]

So my second wavebox just packed it in yesterday. I have no idea what the problem is, I turned it off to do a waterchange and when I turned it on there was no power to it at all :confused: I took it apart and cleaned it but still no go.

Anyway, these things are made up of quite a few bits and pieces, the pumps themselves have some sort of little square thingy on the end of the power cord that the controller and the transformer both plug into. How do I go about checking to see if it is the pump itself or the transformer??

I managed to check the controller (even though there is a light on the transformer that usually indicates power) on another powerhead and it works (actually both of the wavebox controllers work). Currently I've jerry rigged the wavebox using the wavebox controller and a tunze 6100 (with the impeller housing of the old wavebox pump as the 6100 has a larger outlet that doesn't fit the wavebox housing). And it seems to be working out pretty well.

Anyway, I have two pumps, two transformers (one the black box and the other the large hockey puck looking thing) and one silver driver box and don't know whats dead or not. Granted I could just cut the ends off the pump cords (one has a plug thingy and the other has some sort of strange white computer type plug) and try to put some regular plugs on them.

I'm going to stop now or I'll just keep coming up with odd ideas/confuse everyone more :razz:

Any help would be appreciated!! :biggrin:

[Zoaelite]

Are they less than a year old? If that's the case I would try and go through warranty and let tunzee fix em for you. I had the same mentality with my xbox 360 and long story short after melting my xbox with a hairdryer, cracking it apart with a hammer and wrapping it in a blanket for the loving approach I voided my warranty because I tried to handyman it.
Levi

[christyf5]

No, one was purchased in 2006 and the other was purchased in 2008 and the receipt is lost. So no warranty for either as far as I know. I guess I could head over to the Tunze forum at RC and see but I would imagine they'll either 1. tell me no go or 2. tell me to send it in, fix it and send me a bill. With this being my second dead one in only a couple of years, I have zero interest in putting any serious money into fixing these or buying a new one.

[Zoaelite]

I was really interested in a wave box for the new tank (A tunzee at that) but after hearing this I might try vortek out. Who sold you the second one? It might be benificial to go back to them, tell them you purchased it less than a year ago and that its dead and see if they can point you in the right direction.

[christyf5]

nah the second one was used as I couldn't afford new. Only the first one was new and the warranty ran out long ago on that one.

[Myka]

Hey Christy, have you tried wiggling the feeding button (then wait 8 minutes for the feeding mode to disengage). I have thought mine was broken when the feeding button was actually stuck down even though it didn't look like it, and didn't feel like it either when I wiggled it, but it worked afterwards.

[christyf5]

Hmm never tried that, but the wavebox worked prior to turning it off using my controller, not the feeding button. Worth a try though, the 6100 sucks as a DIY wavebox :razz:

[Myka]

I didn't know I had hit the feeding button either of the times I did that. I never use that button. It's worth a try! I have my fingers crossed for you!! :D

[christyf5]

Nope that wasn't it. I tried both of the wavebox controllers when I set up the 6100 (swapped out the "single controller" that came with the 6100 for the wavebox one so it would actually turn on and off).

Besides, there is a light that is normally on with the transformer and it ain't on.

[Myka]

Nope that wasn't it....Besides, there is a light that is normally on with the transformer and it ain't on.


Ohhhh, ya no lights on the controller = bad. Dangit, I was hoping it would be a quick fix like that. If I were you I would try emailing Tunze. They are a pretty good company, I wouldn't be surprised if they hooked you up with a new or refurbished controller.

[banditpowdercoat]

Is the light on the transformer that plugs directly into the wall? I'm unfamilliar with the Wavebox's components, but sounds like you may have a different issue here than the box's. If the power supply is dieing, then it may be a power issue with your house electricity? Do you seem to blow other electronic's? How long do regular incandescant lightbulbs last in your place? The power grid at my house is so full of harmonics, Incandescants only last 2 months Tops. Might be an issue there too??

Just sayin it seem's awefully strange that 2 wave boxes died the exact same way for you. And you havn't modded them, or exceeded their programming/design characteristics. So maybe something else is the common denominator???

[christyf5]

Is the light on the transformer that plugs directly into the wall? I'm unfamilliar with the Wavebox's components, but sounds like you may have a different issue here than the box's. If the power supply is dieing, then it may be a power issue with your house electricity? Do you seem to blow other electronic's? How long do regular incandescant lightbulbs last in your place? The power grid at my house is so full of harmonics, Incandescants only last 2 months Tops. Might be an issue there too??

Just sayin it seem's awefully strange that 2 wave boxes died the exact same way for you. And you havn't modded them, or exceeded their programming/design characteristics. So maybe something else is the common denominator???


I don't know about the incandescent bulbs, we've only been in our place for 5 months or so so I have no idea how old the bulbs are to begin with. The waveboxes haven't been modified in any way.

Anyway, waveboxes have the pump on a very long powercord, at the end of this cord is a little box that has two connections to it, one going to the controller and the other going to power via a transformer (large black box). This little box also has an adjuster on it to work the "volume" of flow coming out of the pump.

I have the wavebox connected to my aquatronica powerbar and I turn it on and off via my controller. I'm starting to wonder if that isn't the common denominator. We haven't had any power outages, I've checked the plug on the powerbar as well as checking the wavebox on a completely different outlet. I think I'll have a go at the tunze forum, maybe they have some ideas on whats what.

[PoonTang]

Hey Christy, when you have finally given up and are ready to throw the pieces in the garbage I would like to have a go at tearing them apart to see if I can fix it. I would offer to try to fix it for you but most of the time I usually wind up making things worse. LOL

[Binare]

I gotta agree with Dan on this. Look at the common things between both boxes. What controller are you using? Most of our "reef" controllers use single pole relays, switching only the line, and not the id. Can cause in some instances voltage leaks, under and/or over voltage conditions etc. Electronics don't really like these sorta issues. You could have a bad connection on the id of your supply to the controller, or even in the powerbar for the controller causing the same issues. Anytime I use cheap (reef controller) electronics to control expensive electronics, I try to isolate with either another relay, or transformer, both items are much much cheaper then a new wavebox.

[christyf5]

Ok so common things:

both times it was hooked up to an aquatronica powerbar with aquatronica controller
both times it was hooked to the same socket on the powerbar


differences:

the first one died in a different house
the first one died on its own, it was working one minute, dead the next
the second one died after being off for approximately 20 minutes to do a tank waterchange
the first one died when plugged directly into the powerbar socket the second one was plugged into a three way socket thingy and then into the powerbar

I've looked into getting replacement bits for it, if it is just the powersupply it shouldn't be too pricey to fix, however if its the pump then I'm done, they're just too bloody expensive.

If I do get this fixed I won't be running it on my aquatronica controller anymore

[muck]

Did you get anything from the TUNZE forum yet?

[christyf5]

yeah they just refered me to Xenia, the canadian tunze people

[banditpowdercoat]

It just might be the powering up/down via the powerbar that is the thing? Some electronics just dont like the spikes/surges you can get when you plug in/unplug them all the time(which is what the powerbar was basically doing) Like modern TV's. If you were to shut off/turn on a PLasma TV by the plug, it surely wouldnt last to long I don;t think.

[StirCrazy]

are the tunze waveboxes ment to be on a controler? I thought they were not suposed to be switched on and off??

Steve

[christyf5]

Could very well be. I just find it interesting that with the new model it took 6 months of weekly off/on (waterchange every week) and the old model it took 2+ years.

So I guess the thing to do is to use the feeding button and change the water out faster? My new tank I won't have to worry about turning the wavebox off as all waterchanges will hopefully be done via the sump and not the main tank (hopefully less siphoning)

[christyf5]

are the tunze waveboxes ment to be on a controler? I thought they were not suposed to be switched on and off??

Steve


Well I'm not switching it on and off constantly, just once a week to do my waterchange when the water in the tank is lower than the wavebox likes. I guess I should just leave it on and push it down in the water as the level gets lower.

[StirCrazy]

Well I'm not switching it on and off constantly, just once a week to do my waterchange when the water in the tank is lower than the wavebox likes. I guess I should just leave it on and push it down in the water as the level gets lower.

oh ok.. that shouldn't hurt it unless it the way it is being switched as mentiond befor.. I assumed as you had it on a controler that it was going on and off several times a day.

Steve

[christyf5]

oh ok.. that shouldn't hurt it unless it the way it is being switched as mentiond befor.. I assumed as you had it on a controler that it was going on and off several times a day.

Steve


No, it has its own controller and goes on and off via that. It just happens to be plugged into the aquatronica powerbar and is on 24/7.

[Skimmerking]

TIME FOR YOUR WALLET TO BUY SOME VORTECHS:biggrin:

[christyf5]

TIME FOR YOUR WALLET TO BUY SOME VORTECHS:biggrin:


My wallet is done. Being the generous guy you are and all, you can buy me some if you like :razz:

[Skimmerking]

PM Coming your way

[Myka]

So I guess the thing to do is to use the feeding button and change the water out faster?

You could push the feeding button a second time when it comes back on... :)

[christyf5]

You could push the feeding button a second time when it comes back on... :)

I'm not the most organized person when I'm doing water changes likely I'd be across the room/in the bathroom/getting a drink etc.

[Myka]

Me too. I'm pretty quick with the water change tough. I have a pump set up, all i have to do is turn the pump around (switch the hoses for each other), and then move once of the hoses to either the drain or the tank. I can do a 15 gallon water change in about 6-8 minutes. :D