I’ve been using the Profilux standalone doser for just over 6 months now which means it’s time for some pump cleaning. In the time the unit has been in operation, the Profilux standalone doser has worked extremely well–the only mark against it has been an infrequent noise. Roughly one month ago a single pump began creating [...]
I’ve been using the Profilux standalone doser for just over 6 months now which means it’s time for some pump cleaning. In the time the unit has been in operation, the Profilux standalone doser has worked extremely well–the only mark against it has been an infrequent noise. Roughly one month ago a single pump began creating an intermittent high pitched noise when in operation.
Having used an array of peristaltic pumps, including the Thomas motors used here, it as not a surprise. Friction happens, but thankfully it can be remedied with a quick cleaning.
The goal of disassembling the pump heads was to remove any debris within the rollers and on the shaft while also cleaning out any build up within the tubing. Thankfully a simple wipe down of the components with a dry cloth and a light rinse of the tubing managed to take care of the above while also eliminating the noise that was occurring on the third pump.
Full instructions on this pump maintenance can be found on GHL’s Service Forums. Note that GHL states that self service is not covered under warranty. We are unsure of the details of this potential issue, but GHL does advise servicing the pumps every 6 months. We received the Profilux doser free of charge to review and admittedly had little hesitation to take it apart. If this makes you uneasy, contact your retailer.
The pump heads detach from the dosing unit using four clips. A small screw driver can be used to pop these off and remove the head. Be cognizant that the shaft remains connected to the dosing unit and only the white plastic portion is removed.
Here you can see the clips which take a little finesse to remove.
The three peristaltic rollers are kept in place by the plastic backplate. Remove these first before touching the tubing–it all comes out quite easily. When finally removing the tubing, do not change the positioning of the black plastic clips on the tubing. These set the resistance of the rollers. The pumps actually function like a gear, with the shaft spinning the three rollers which creates a controlled rate of flow that cannot back siphon.
To clean the tubing I actually connected it to the waste water line of our RO/DI unit. With some light massaging, any build up inside is quickly flushed out. After re-assembling the unit be sure to re-calibrate in case of any change in flow rates.
Overall the cleaning took 15 minutes for the 4 pump heads, and this included snapping a few pictures. The unit is back working quietly, dosing balling solutions up to 24 times a day. I’m still very please with the Profilux Doser and will continue to employ it on the glassbox–the control and easy of use are difficult to beat.
