Neptune Trident - No Water Sample

Aprod

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Hoping to get a second set of opinions as I am struggling to get my Trident operational again despite researching and troubleshooting all morning. Keep encountering the dreaded "No Water Sample" prompt and verified that the cuvette is not filling as expected when primed.
  • The sample line (black tube) on my trident is clear of debris as I have thoroughly smoothed it out with my fingers several times now and water injected via syringe easily shoots out the other end unobstructed.
  • I uncoupled all of the hose connections internally on the Trident solenoids/ manifolds, and injected RO water through a syringe to unclog any potential debris. No observed blockages.
Controlled testing:
  • When I uncouple the sample line from the junction at the back of the trident and place the short end in a shallow tray of water off the back of the trident and then prime the sample line, the cuvette fills up with fluid and drains without issue or leaks within the trident. From my perspective, it is working as expected.
  • Then when I go and attach the black sample line to the junction at the back of the trident and place the other end in my sump directly without any kinks, the cuvette will not fill when primed. Only bubbles with shoot into the cuvette.
Given the above two results, this leads me to believe that the issue is with the hose.
  • I submerged the hose completely under hot water, kinked the very end of the submersed edge and injected air via syringe into the exposed end to see if i could identify any air bubbles. Pressure built up in the hose and only relieved when I undid the kink. This leads me to believe there are no holes/ tears in the tubing as i would have observed bubbles and a loss of pressure on the plunger of the syringe.
  • I then completely submerged the sample line in a cup of water and connected it to the trident coupling at the back. I kept the submerged tubing and cup of water as close to the trident as possible to reduce amount of line exposed to air, then primed the trident. Surprisingly, the cuvette filled with fluid.
  • I ran two more prime tests keeping the cup in the same position next to the trident, but removing more and more of the sample line from being completely submerged. That way, if a hole was present in the line, it would eventually stop filling the cuvette once the hole was exposed to air. In all tests, the cuvette filled as expected.
  • Finally, I ran a third test with only the very tip submerged in the cup right next to the trident. The cuvette filled as expected.
  • Directly afterward, i removed the tip of the sample hose from the cup next to the trident and put it in the shortest possible path to the sump. Primed the sample, but, frustratingly, the cuvette did not fill. Only bubbles.
  • As a control study, i submerged the tip of the drain line in RO water and quickly swapped the drain line (clear) hosing to the sample (black) coupler on the trident. Then primed the sample. Once again, the cuvette did not fill.
Considering the trident was working just fine a week ago, i find it hard to believe that the reason the cuvette is not priming is due to hose damage as neither the sample line nor drain line worked when coupled with the sample junction on the trident. That would leave me to believe that the height differential (~2 feet) between the trident and the sump may be causing odd pressure, but, again, this configuration worked seamlessly for at least 6+ months.

At a loss on what to do next. Would be frustrated having to do the "Advanced Trident Replacement" considering i can clearly see that the peristaltic pump and solenoids are all functioning as expected. Is it possible that a peristaltic pump can lose power over time?
 

MnFish1

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Hoping to get a second set of opinions as I am struggling to get my Trident operational again despite researching and troubleshooting all morning. Keep encountering the dreaded "No Water Sample" prompt and verified that the cuvette is not filling as expected when primed.
  • The sample line (black tube) on my trident is clear of debris as I have thoroughly smoothed it out with my fingers several times now and water injected via syringe easily shoots out the other end unobstructed.
  • I uncoupled all of the hose connections internally on the Trident solenoids/ manifolds, and injected RO water through a syringe to unclog any potential debris. No observed blockages.
Controlled testing:
  • When I uncouple the sample line from the junction at the back of the trident and place the short end in a shallow tray of water off the back of the trident and then prime the sample line, the cuvette fills up with fluid and drains without issue or leaks within the trident. From my perspective, it is working as expected.
  • Then when I go and attach the black sample line to the junction at the back of the trident and place the other end in my sump directly without any kinks, the cuvette will not fill when primed. Only bubbles with shoot into the cuvette.
Given the above two results, this leads me to believe that the issue is with the hose.
  • I submerged the hose completely under hot water, kinked the very end of the submersed edge and injected air via syringe into the exposed end to see if i could identify any air bubbles. Pressure built up in the hose and only relieved when I undid the kink. This leads me to believe there are no holes/ tears in the tubing as i would have observed bubbles and a loss of pressure on the plunger of the syringe.
  • I then completely submerged the sample line in a cup of water and connected it to the trident coupling at the back. I kept the submerged tubing and cup of water as close to the trident as possible to reduce amount of line exposed to air, then primed the trident. Surprisingly, the cuvette filled with fluid.
  • I ran two more prime tests keeping the cup in the same position next to the trident, but removing more and more of the sample line from being completely submerged. That way, if a hole was present in the line, it would eventually stop filling the cuvette once the hole was exposed to air. In all tests, the cuvette filled as expected.
  • Finally, I ran a third test with only the very tip submerged in the cup right next to the trident. The cuvette filled as expected.
  • Directly afterward, i removed the tip of the sample hose from the cup next to the trident and put it in the shortest possible path to the sump. Primed the sample, but, frustratingly, the cuvette did not fill. Only bubbles.
  • As a control study, i submerged the tip of the drain line in RO water and quickly swapped the drain line (clear) hosing to the sample (black) coupler on the trident. Then primed the sample. Once again, the cuvette did not fill.
Considering the trident was working just fine a week ago, i find it hard to believe that the reason the cuvette is not priming is due to hose damage as neither the sample line nor drain line worked when coupled with the sample junction on the trident. That would leave me to believe that the height differential (~2 feet) between the trident and the sump may be causing odd pressure, but, again, this configuration worked seamlessly for at least 6+ months.

At a loss on what to do next. Would be frustrated having to do the "Advanced Trident Replacement" considering i can clearly see that the peristaltic pump and solenoids are all functioning as expected. Is it possible that a peristaltic pump can lose power over time?
You have done a lot of troubleshooting - I might suggest calling the company technical support
 
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Aprod

Aprod

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You have done a lot of troubleshooting - I might suggest calling the company technical support
Thank you - yes, I have an inquiry submitted to Neptune via email. I have worked with them in the past and they have been helpful, so I am sure they will help me to resolve. Just wanted to get some other thoughts/ feedback in the interim.
 

Handsmcfeeler

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I ran into the problem as well. I checked everything. Weirdly enough once I took off the filter it worked fine. I did clean it and blow through it. For some reason the filter was giving it trouble.
Where is this filter? I'm experiencing the same trouble
 

braaap

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Where is this filter? I'm experiencing the same trouble
It is on the end of your sample line. If you don’t know where it is you don’t have one. Because you had to manually put it on.

Most likely you’ve got a bad pinch valve.
 

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