391 Multimeter Troubleshooting: Your Guide to Accurate Diagnostics, Part 2

We continue our in-depth conversation with Tom Tinney, Product Specialist and equipment guru at AquaPhoenix Scientific diving deeper into the technical aspects of multimeter troubleshooting. This episode is packed with practical tips designed to help you navigate the often-confusing world of diagnostics and electrical troubleshooting. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just getting started, Tom’s hands-on advice will guide you through common troubleshooting challenges so you can improve your accuracy and efficiency in the field.

Missed Part 1? No worries! You can catch up on Episode 390 to get the foundation before diving into this advanced discussion.

How Can You Avoid Fake Signals?
Ever wonder why you're getting water meter readings when the system isn’t running? Tom breaks it down. If low-voltage sensor wires run too close to high-voltage AC wires, electrical interference can mimic a water meter signal, leading to fake readings.

Pro tip: Keep the wires separated by at least 12 inches, and if they must cross, do so at a 90-degree angle. "Running them through the same conduit isn’t just a bad idea; it’s a code violation," Tom advises.

The Troubleshooting Tool, You Didn’t Know You Needed: A Paperclip
That’s right—Tom channels his inner MacGyver with this simple tool. "When I troubleshoot, I always bring paper clips," he shares. They’re perfect for quick fixes, especially when dealing with short circuits or stripped wires.

How Long Can a Conduit Run Be on a Water Meter?
Tom recommends keeping conduit runs short and efficient:

● Water meters: up to 1,000 feet
● Conductivity sensors: 200 feet max
● Amplified pH sensors: up to 1,000 feet
● Non-amplified pH sensors: Stick to 20 feet or less for optimal performance.

Pro Tip: Save Your Multimeter’s Battery Life
You don’t need to keep your meter on "Resistance" all the time. Switching it to Volts AC, Volts DC, or simply turning it off can extend your battery life significantly.

Troubleshooting with the Experts: Top 4 Calls
Tom Tinney shares the top troubleshooting calls he receives:

1. The 1575 Controller Mystery
   ● Issue: Controller reset every time the relay activated.
   ● Fix: A simple switch adjustment from 230V to 115V solved the issue.
2. The Miswired Outlet
   ● Problem: Controller shutting off when a relay turned on.
   ● Fix: Rewriting the outlet, which had reversed hot and neutral wires.
3. Destroyed Chlorine Sensor
   ● Issue: Excessive flow and pressure destroyed the sensor.
   ● Lesson: Always stick to the manufacturer's guidelines and communicate them clearly to plumbers and electricians.
4. Competing Controllers Failing
   ● Issue: Controllers from different manufacturers failing simultaneously.
   ● Fix: The culprit was a faulty sensor and excessive aeration.

Who Should Be Using Remote Communications?
While it may seem logical to apply remote communications to your highest-value accounts, Tom suggests starting with smaller ones. Remote communication technology can save time and money by allowing you to troubleshoot remotely, and the investment often pays off with just one saved trip a year.

Troubleshooting Leaks in an MPT Thread
When it comes to troubleshooting leaks in an MPT Thread, maintenance is key. First, make sure you clean your sensors at least once a season, or even more frequently, similar to how you maintain a cooling tower.

When replacing the boiler sensor in an MPT Thread (an angled thread going into an angled pipe), don’t screw it in until it "clicks"—this can cause leaks. Instead, tighten the sensor by hand. Once it’s snug, use a wrench to turn it only ½ to ¾ of a turn more. If you’ve already got a leak, chances are you’ve overtightened it. Don’t try to fix a leak by cranking it tighter—at that point, you’ve already gone too far.

The Blackmore Method
This formula answers the age-old question: How do I know what to set my biocide pre-bleed on?

If you know the system volume, incoming makeup water conductivity, and how much you evaporate every minute, this equation will tell you exactly what to set your pre-bleed to:

A Fun Fact: The Cooling Tower Scene in Die Hard
Did you know? The blue box with the two dials on the wall in the Die-Hard cooling tower scene was one of Tom’s old controllers! Tom even tracked down the Fox Studios building manager and discovered that it was there from 1988 through 2012. How cool is that?

Timestamps
02:07 - Trace Blackmore reminds you about our free Events for Water Treatment Professionals page on our website. It’s a comprehensive list of all the events our team is aware of for water professionals to attend in the USA and around the world. Don’t wait, scale up your knowledge today by attending a conference in the upcoming months.
03:15 - The Hang is happening on November 14, 2024: a free zoom networking event for water professionals
05:40 - Tom Tinney, Product Specialist and equipment guru at AquaPhoenix Scientific continues his talk on Troubleshooting Multimeters
01:04:35 - Drop by Drop with James McDonald

Connect with Tom Tinney
Phone: +1 469 999 8603
Email: pir8@tomtinney.com
Website: https://www.aquaphoenixsci.com/
LinkedIn: Tom Tinney

Links Mentioned
Episode 003 Controllers with Tom Tinney
390 Multimeter Troubleshooting: Your Guide to Accurate Diagnostics, Part 1
Industrial Water Week Resources Page
Multimeter
Assorted Fuses box 5 X 20
Resistance Substitution Decade Box
pH/ORP Simulator
4-20mA Simulator to simulate Pyxis
Fluke Meter with Frequency
Complete Panel Systems
Test Kits
Dragon Con, The Dragon Award
The Rising Tide Mastermind

Books and Movies Mentioned
Die Hard 5-Movie Collection starring Bruce Willis (Christmas is around the corner, folks)
Path of Tyrants (Backyard Starship) by J.N. Chaney and  Terry Maggert
Son of the Black Sword (1) (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior) by Larry Correia
Tower of Silence (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior Book 4) by Larry Correia
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
Quick Throttle Magazine 1997
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
Blood of Invidia: Maestru Series Book 1 by Tom Tinney & Morgen Batten
Threads: Book One of the "Fabric of the Universe" by Tom Tinney
The Future is Short: Science Fiction in a Flash by Carrol Fix
Visions II: Moons of Saturn by Tom Tinney
The Future is Short - Volume 2: Science Fiction in a Flash by Jot Russell

Drop By Drop with James
In today’s episode, we’re thinking about chlorine chemistry and the Reservoir Effect.  Have you heard this phrase before? The Reservoir Effect? In the debate between which is a better biocide at higher pHs, chlorine or bromine, the Reservoir Effect is an important concept to consider. When sodium hypochlorite, chlorine gas, or even calcium hypochlorite mixes with water, the target product they produce is hypochlorous acid or HOCl. This hypochlorous acid is subject to a dissociation which converts some of it to the hypochlorite ion or OCl-, which is a weaker biocide than hypochlorous acid. The pH of the water has a major impact upon how much this dissociation happens. That’s at the heart of the whole chlorine versus bromine debate because the chlorine chemistry dissociates more at a lower pH than bromine does. This means more hypochlorous acid is converted to the weaker hypochlorite ion at a lower pH than hypobromous acid is converted to the hypobromite ion at the same pH. This concept is used to justify using bromine chemistry at higher pHs versus chlorine. But is this argument as simple as this? I propose that the Reservoir Effect muddies the waters a bit. I just talked about how the hypochlorous acid dissociates to the weaker hypochlorite ion. This dissociation between the two is a very tight and fast ratio. It’s an equilibrium reaction. As soon as the hypochlorous acid is consumed in the battle against unwanted microbiological activity, some of the weaker hypochlorite ions are quickly converted BACK to the stronger hypochlorous acid form. This is the Reservoir Effect because even though the hypochlorite ion is weaker, it is waiting there to turn back into the stronger hypochlorous acid very quickly when needed. Sort of like the Incredible Hulk. Bruce Banner is the mild-mannered hypochlorite ion just going about his day, but when push comes to shove, he bulks up and turns green…although green isn’t a good thing in a cooling tower, but you get the point. Now, there are certainly many other factors when comparing chlorine chemistry to other alternatives in a cooling water system, but the Reservoir Effect is one that I don’t think many people know about nor consider. Think about it.

Events for Water Professionals
Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we’ve listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.