[jart]

Hi all,

I have a regulator/ solenoid that I bought from Rex Grigg's site about 3 years ago. The solenoid is a Clippard. The solenoid is on a timer and comes on in the mid-afternoon and switches off at around 11 pm daily.

Lately, I've been noticing that the solenoid will switch on and off during the day. After switching off, it usually will turn back on after a 15 minute period. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later. This is particularly annoying since this will not help with the small amount of BBA I have at the moment.

It has been warm and humid here lately, but not ridiculously so.

I have already begun to research the acquisition of a new solenoid... but just wondering if anyone else has experienced this behavior from their solenoid.

 

[jart]

Dang, am I the only one in TPT land with a faulty Clippard solenoid? :icon_mrgr

 

[bsmith]

You know you aren't the only one with a faulty Clippard!!! There are posts about these piece of a$$ solenoids failing in multiple ways every day it seems.

Your issue is a new one in my book though, I have never heard an issue like that before.

I highly doubt that it is something you can fix yourself so you should just bite the bullit and get a Burkert 6011 and call it a day.

Here is a thread I originally started hoping to fix my Clippard but ended up just getting a 6011 and have been happily running it trouble free ever since.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/e...ng-clippard-solenoid-burkert-replacement.html

 

[jreich]

sounds like a heat issue to me.

 

[jart]

Yeah, I saw that thread. Thanks for all the effort you put into it. I think I'm going to let BTimmer92 set me up with a post body kit when all is said and done.

The odd thing is, it seems to have stopped malfunctioning for the last few days anyway. Which may be why my plants seem to have a little more vigor.

I seem to recall you having posted a video showing how to detect a leak from a solenoid, correct?

 

[jart]

sounds like a heat issue to me.

That's a good thought.. although is hasn't been unseasonably warm here at all. Just humid. Or maybe you're suggesting that the solenoid is overheating secondary to some sort of malfunction?

 

[jreich]

That's a good thought.. although is hasn't been unseasonably warm here at all. Just humid. Or maybe you're suggesting that the solenoid is overheating secondary to some sort of malfunction?

im not really sure what is causing the heat issue, but it sounds like its getting overheated then shutting down, when it cools it turns back on. maybe lack of flow? those things get way hot, the co2 helps keep it cool, so maybe there is something restricting flow?

 

[bsmith]

Even if it's working now it is guaranteed that when it fails next it will be at the worst possible time. Just reace it as soon as you possibly can.