electroscan electrode overload

[dparilla]

So, we sailed this weekend. Hold n' treat worked like a champ. We got home, I hit the start button one more time to make sure the tank was empty. When I got back on board today and flushed the system with water (and a little urine). It turned on and said electrode overload. I checked the circuit board and it is fine. raritan engineer are looking into it, but I was wondering if anyone else had seen this. The system was installed in May. I use a salt feed tank when on the potomac or upper Chesapeake. Normally I see around 17 amps during the cycle, now it goes from .1 to an overamp in a matter of seconds. IDEAS???

Dan

 

[kloudie1]

Plates shorted internally.. Probably a defect in manufacturing.. ?? or the wires going to the plates are shorted..

 

[dparilla]

Step 2

Wires appear fine. Flushed the heck out of it last night. Will try an acid rinse today (maybe lucky?) And then hopefully see what raritan says. I would think that it should be under warranty if it is an internal short.

In all, at least it happened when the holding tank was empty!

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

If you rinsed out the system without adding salt, that would explain it. You don't just use the salt tank when you're out...salt MUST be added to EVERY flush. Running it without enough salt will destroy the electrodes.

Raritan recommends flushing out the treatment unit with fresh water before the boat sits, but that's only if it's gonna sit for more than a week or two. And when you come back, you have to put enough salt water through it to purge all fresh water out before you run it again.

I'd be surprised if there's anything wrong or defective in the ES... my guess is, operator error...you've misinterpreted some of the directions for operating and maintaining it. There's more of learning curve to it than most people think. especially waters like the upper Chesapeake that are an alternating combination of highly brackish and fresh that can even change depending upon the amount of rain in any given week.

 

[dparilla]

Hello Peggy. Nice to hear from you. I can just about guarantee that it was not operator error. The ES is part of the hold n treat system that I installed in May. We have added salt every flush. I have the two gallon feed tank installed and have been meticulous in ensuring proper salinity. I monitor the treatment cycle routinely. The strangest part is that it worked perfectly from the time it was installed all the way through our trip on Sunday. We ran the cycle manually just before returning to port and amps were 18 during the cycle like every other time. It was on Tuesday that I was back on board and used the head several times. The auto cycle kicked in and that was when the error occurred. The only time it ran below 14 amps was on initial salt feed calibration and once on the Potomac when i had to kick up the salt concentration.

I have been speaking to Raritan throughout to try and figure out the issue and they suggested flushing the system with about 10 gallons of sea water followed by an acid treatment ala the instructions. So far, no change.

 

[dparilla]

We even make sure to brief our guests on proper use with a demo and clear instructions that nothing goes in the bowl that hasn't been eaten first or come off the toilet paper roller.