Eagle-Research

If the red light on the hour meter is flashing when gas is being produced, the inner wiring is fine and if the hour meter is not working it needs replaced.

If the hour meter red light is NOT flashing when gas is being produced, we go into the machine (take the hood off and   check that the hour meter is getting voltage (with a volt meter) applied to the hour meter tabs.

If it’s not getting voltage, we fix the wires.
If it is getting voltage, we replace the hour meter.

I believe the problem is that one or both of the wires (internally) leading to your hour meter has a bad connection where the wire connects INSIDE the terminal ends.  This bad connection in not visible to the naked eye and requires a voltmeter or ohm-meter to discover.

The fix is really easy for anyone who knows how to use a soldering iron (we now solder all these connections).

That would be lye and indicates that you have a tiny gas leak there.

I’d love it if you’d send me a picture of it for my (eventually) trouble-shooting guide.

After the picture, remove the Tower Cap, clean the lye off (wipe first, then rinse several times with a damp cloth or sponge until the slippery feeling is gone) Don’t let water get down inside the machine (past the black collar).

Then seal the threads with Teflon Tape as per the Operation Manual and/or this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFXJaOSwwZs&t=8s 

Put 9 to 12 clockwise wraps of Teflon Tape around the top of the silver water fill stem.

Put the Tower Cap back on, making sure it is straight up (not cross-threaded).

You shouldn’t need to remove the Tower Cap very often

1. Is the green gas production light on?  

Yes = proceed.

No = get in touch with me

Since your green light stays on and does not flicker, we’ve eliminated the possibility of a partially plugged gas out hose.
So the issues we’ll now test for are:
1. Not enough gas production (usually a lean lye mixture)
2. A gas leak (fairly easy to find)
3. A bad electrical connection (power to or from the electrolyzer)

Next: Remove the Cap from the Water Fill stem (black top water-fill cap or the Tower Cap as appropriate) and look down the silver stem with a flashlight to confirm bubble production…  Do this with the fan running (so power is on and timer is activated) and liquid level near full…
For this test, the fluid should be about 1/4 inch (6mm) above the plastic block inside so you can see the bubbles coming out of the top holes in the white plastic block.
It helps if the machine is cool when you do this test, so that the ‘lye mist’ isn’t rising to cloud your view.

Are there lots of bubbles, few bubbles or no bubbles?


2. Is there gas being made in the electrolyzer?

With the green light on, take off the black water fill cap (or tower cap) on the top of the machine.  Check (look) down the stem with a flashlight and see if there is bubbling (gas being made).  This assumes your water level is above the plastic block inside, so you can see the bubbling.

Yes = proceed.
No = get in touch with me

3.  Re install the fill cap or Tower Cap and look for gas leak(s).

You can check if gas is coming out your cannulas by putting them in a glass of water.  Yes, gas will come out only one or the other of the tubes, depending on which has the least restriction under the water.

If gas is being produced and not coming out your cannulas, then it is leaking out before it gets to the cannulas.  Find the leak (see below).

If you are getting bubbling in one bubbler and not the next, then there is ABSOLUTELY a gas leak between where the bubbles are coming out and the next bubbler.
Same if you are getting bubbles to the final bubbler but not out the cannula, there is a leak (usually in the bubbler lid) that isn’t allowing the gas to get to your cannulas.

Common reasons for leaks are loose or miss-threaded container lids, loose fittings (seal broken to lid), hose connections and Humidifier pressure release. 

OR, (if bubbling in the Humidifier and not in the Drinking Water Bubbler) it could be a plugged Drinking Water Bubbling Stone, so the ‘gas leak’ is gas venting out the pressure relief valve on the top of the Humidifier

You can find gas leaks using the ‘soapy water technique below OR (if it is the bubblers) by submerging the bubblers under pure water in a bucket or sink.

To make a soapy water solution, put a good squirt of dish soap into 1/2 cup of water.  Mix it in gently to minimize bubbles.  Then you’ll use a small paint brush to brush the solution over any seal (some people use a small spray bottle), trying to make a soap film that will trap any escaping gas and show you bubbles.

You’d need to turn on the machine to do this effectively (gas flow makes leaks show up by making bubbles).  
It also helps to PLUG (with your finger or a vinyl cap) the gas output fitting on the top of the Drinking Water Bubbler, because this will allow pressure to build up and make the leak ‘worse’ and easier to find.

Don’t just tighten hose connections and get frustrated (that leads to broken fittings and hoses stuck on too tight to remove, increasing frustration).  
Use one of the ‘gentle’ above techniques to actually find the leak, so you can address it and fix it.  All the connections should seal without excessive force.

Do you have a video I can watch? 
I really need to make such a video.  In the meantime, here is a ‘gas leak’ video that kinda (uses spray bottle instead of brush) shows how to apply the soap and what to look for.  You are making a ’soap film’ that will ‘capture’ escaping gas (if there is any) and make bubbles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ3WHM9Od4M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g58eD3EiiIU

You MAY need to plug the end of the accessory hose to help find the gas leak, so pressure will build up and make the leak worse (and easier to find).


If I was trying to find if there is an additional tiny leak and isolate it, I’d start by plugging the gas output of the machine by taking the Tower cap off and installing the shipping black cap to seal off gas release.  See the green gas production light go out.  If the Green gas production light does not go out, the gas leak is in the cap or inside the machine.

Then (assuming it passes the tests so far or any found leaks have been fixed) I’d put the Tower Cap on and plug the Tower Cap gas output. See the green gas production light go out.  If the Green gas production light does not go out, the gas leak is in the Tower Cap, likely the Tower Cap threads but might be the cap you use to seal the Tower Cap gas output.  We include such a ‘plug cap’ in the Torch Kit (don’t lose it)..

Then (assuming it passes the tests so far or any found leaks have been fixed) I’d add the Humidifier and plug the gas output.   See the green gas production light go out.  If the Green gas production light does not go out, the gas leak is between the Tower Cap gas output and the Humidifier gas output.

Sealing the Tower Cap base with Teflon Tape
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFXJaOSwwZs&t=83s 

To diagnose the problem there are a series of questions.  The next question depends on the answer to the previous question so I can only ask one at a time.  
Please remember that I’m diagnosing ‘blind’ thus depend on you to be my hands and eyes.  More information is better and photos / videos are greatly appreciated.  Please include previous text with replies so I can review the information (else I end up asking the same questions over and over).

1. Does the red light come on in the main power switch when you turn it on?

Yes, Proceed to #2

No. 

Check the power receptacle and power cord to be sure there is power in the receptacle, the machine is properly plugged in and the power cord is firmly attached to the back of the machine.

Return to 1.

Note: ask about timer function and alarms…

Note: ask about fluid level…

2. Does the green gas production light come on and stay on (no flicker) when you turn on the timer switch?

No.  Proceed to #3

Yes

Since your green light stays on and does not flicker, we’ve eliminated the possibility of a partially plugged gas out hose.

So the issues we’ll now test for are:

a. Not enough gas production (usually a lean lye mixture)

b. A gas leak (fairly easy to find)

c. A bad electrical connection (power to or from the electrolyzer)

#3. Next confirm the machine is making (enough) gas:

Remove the Cap from the Water Fill stem (black top water-fill cap or the Tower Cap as appropriate) 

and look down the silver stem with a flashlight to confirm bubble production…  Do this with the fan running (so power is on and timer is activated) and liquid level OVER the holes in the white plastic block down inside…

For this test, the fluid should be about 1/4 inch (6mm) above the plastic block inside so you can see the bubbles coming out of the top holes in the white plastic block.
For people having difficulty seeing down the tube, you can also use a ‘dip stick’ to verify fluid level.  A wooden skewer or chop stick works well)

The plastic block itself, not the standoffs, is about 5 3/4” (14.5 cm) from the top of the silver water fill pipe.

The FULL fluid level is about 5 1/8” (13 cm) from the top of the silver water fill pipe.

It helps if the machine is cool when you do this test, so that the ‘lye mist’ isn’t rising to cloud your view.

Before going to the next step I need to confirm the machine is making gas INSIDE the electrolyzer tank.

Are there lots of bubbles, few bubbles or no bubbles?

If the liquid isn’t above the holes, you won’t be able to see the gas bubbling out of the holes.


No bubbles.  

Please confirm what the green light is doing when the bubbling is stopped (solid green, flashing or off)?

The green light doesn’t come on when I turn on the timer switch .

Is there an ALARM sounding?

Does the green light come on when you turn on the main power, press the top timer switch button and REMOVE the water fill cap?

If yes then you likely have a sludge block in your gas-out hose.

If no, contact us for further instructions.

If the light starts flashing too much, to where gas production (bubbling) slows down; you can likely clear the hoses by using a syringe to inject water backwards through the tubes.

In the case of the EA-H160 I’d take the bubbler stone off the end of the tube in the filter and then inject water up the tube with a syringe.

Note that the bubbling stone itself can become plugged and can usually be washed or replaced.

First, as long as the fan is spinning ‘noise’ doesn’t matter to it’s function.
But I can understand that it is annoying.

Most fans do not need to be replaced, just lubricated.

We recommend a product called Fluid Film  https://www.fluid-film.com
https://www.fluid-film.com/retail-locations/

To fix, take the lid off (I won’t void your warranty for following my instructions).

4 handle screws and 4 screws on each side, (put them in a bag to prevent loss).
 
You may see the plastic ring around the fill stem come unsnapped as you lift off the cover.  I’d ‘resnap’ it together now so it’ll be properly in place when you replace the cover.

Be CAREFUL when running the machine when the cover is off (to test for fan operation).  The electrolyzer side is low voltage 28 VDC and the power supply side is high voltage.

There is slight danger of electrical shock on the high voltage side of the firewall (the electrolyzer is on the low voltage side of the firewall.  When not actually running the machine (with cover off) you can unplug the power to the AquaCure to be SURE there is no electrical risk.

Then with the hood off (because it’s easier to lubricate from the inside), push the fan ‘out’ a bit to open up a gap so that you can spray the fluid film into the gap.  Spin the fan and spray again.

This will lubricate the inner bushing and should eliminate the noise.

Best to lubricate it from the inside of the machine.  No fan removal is required.  Just push or pull the fans out, to reveal a gap that you can spray the Fluid Film into and all ‘grinding or squealing noise’ should disappear.

If needed, we can send you a replacement fan.
Changing out a fan is pretty straightforward.  Screwdriver level skill.

The fan itself is fairly obvious to replace, four screws to undo.

If changing out the fan, when pulling the connector off the circuit board, be sure to pull on the connector and not the wires.  The ‘plug’ fits into the ‘receptacle’ on the board, pries up the plug out of the receptacle with a flat screwdriver.

In the newer versions of the AquaCure, the fan connector is located behind the surface circuit board.  You can clip off the zip ties to remove the surface board, and then use fresh zip ties to re-mount it. 

Take care that when you remount it, that none of the exposed electrical connections on the back will touch metal.

Be sure to replace the fan so that it’s blowing air INTO the machine.  The fan is mounted so that the specifications label faces into the AquaCure.

When you replace the AquaCure hood, taking care NOT to strip out the chassis threads.  

It helps to put in the handle screws first, then the bottom screws, then the middle screws (push the tin in tight by hand when putting in the center screws, do NOT depend on the screw to ‘pull’ in the tin).

Don’t tighten the screws so much that they strip out.  Just hand tight is good enough.

If looking for a quieter fan

You would want a 4” fan, operating from 24VDC.  The current one draws 0.02 Amps (20 milliamps)

If needed, we can send you a replacement, but this is likely a better fan, because it has ball bearings instead of a sleeve.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083HCF5BV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2KU1WIWHUZBP1&psc=1
or
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QPRHJD5/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A235LT0EDLFSAR&psc=1

Replacing with a new fan will require the skill of connecting the new fan to the original wiring, which is straightforward if there are two wires.  

If more than two wires on the new fan (it’s quite common for multiple speed fans) then connect the ground (usually black) and then find which of the other wires is the full speed wire to connect the red wire to.

We tried making a gasket in the base of the Tower Cap, because we thought it’d be simpler if we could make it work.  It does work for a time, but eventually it does get chewed up and stops sealing.

Once that gasket is gone, it’s gone and you revert to the original form of sealing (Teflon Tape), as per the Operation Manual.  

That’s why we include a roll of Teflon Tape with every machine.  The roll should last for years because the Tower Cap should only be removed for maintenance cleanings every 100 hours.

Put 9 to 12 Layers of Teflon Tape wrapped on TOP of each other CLOCKWISE around the top threads.  
How to apply Teflon Tape to Fill Stem
https://youtu.be/sFXJaOSwwZs 

That will seal the leak.

When using Tefon Tape, the rubber gasket is not needed (the tape seals all by itself), just throw the gasket away.    If the rubber has come loose (or shoved down into the silver stem) just throw the gasket away.  It cannot be re-used.

We haven’t yet found a really good way to re-seal that gasket to the steel washer AND (very important) seal around the outer edges of the gasket.  
We are sure it can be done with appropriate sealants, (like perhaps Permatex Ultra Bond or E6000), and we are experimenting with various adhesives but really, it’s simpler (for now) just to wrap the threads.

Here is the proper gasket if you want to try repairing it.
https://www.primal23industrial.com/900-OD-X-500-ID-X-125-Thickness-EPDM-Rubber-Washers-_p_203.html

If you have had a Tower Cap base leak, then lye may have run down the fill stem and into the machine.  
If that happened you may want to remove the hood and clean the inside of the machine, so the lye doesn’t take off the galvanize finish or cause short circuits.

The problem is likely that your duckbill check valve has ‘sticky lips’ causing the valve to be stuck shut.  This causes a vacuum to form in the electrolyzer (when it is shut off and cools down) which sucks water up (called backfilling) from the humidifier and often from the Drinking Water Bubbler to the Humidifier… And causes the AquaCure to over-fill.

This is USUALLY caused by lye crystals forming on the duckbill lips, which is usually prevented by using the syringe to fill the AquaCure through the duckbill check valve on the Tower Cap.  This is one of the many reasons that I tell people to fill the AquaCure using the syringe through the duckbill, so it get’s ‘cleaned’ every few hours.

The vacuum that sucks the water back into the electrolyzer (from the filter) is NORMAL, all electrolyzers form a vacuum when they cool.

But a vacuum is an issue because of the backfilling that would then also (naturally) occur.  Backfilling causes the electrolyzer to over-fill.

Most electrolyzers solve this issue by adding a check valve to the outgoing gas hose, to only allow gas/liquid to flow OUT of the electrolyzer but not IN.

But check valves can (and often do) fail (for many reasons) allowing the backfilling anyway.  Those check valves also cause a vacuum to be formed (and be held) in the electrolyzer. 

These check valves also cause a pressure drop of (usually) 0.5 psi, which means that the electrolyzer needs to be operated at 2.5 psi to have an output of 2 psi (lower pressure is safer).

So all considered, I chose a BETTER option, the duckbill.  This is what a duckbill valve looks like 
https://www.zoro.com/aro-replacement-duckbill-neoprene-93114-1/i/G2549942/feature-product
 
The duckbill allows air to flow into the electrolyzer and prevents HydrOxy from flowing out, mitigating any vacuum and solving all the above issues.

We can test for check valve proper operation by putting a measured amount of water in the humidifier, running the AquaCure for an hour to warm it up and then allow it to cool with the gas output (from the humidifier) disconnected.  
If ANY water is missing from the humidifier when the AquaCure has cooled (about an hour) then the duckbill failed (stuck shut) and you have back-filling.  Sometimes you can actually see the water rising in the Tower Cap to Humidifier hose.

Obviously we have ONLY the humidifier hooked up during the test because the Drinking Water Bubbler would ‘refill it’ if there is a vacuum.  So the humidifier output must be open, so it can suck in air if it ‘needs’ it.
 
The duckbill valve ‘lips’ can get ‘stuck shut’ with lye crystals.  

It’s usually easy to fix with the ‘toothpick’ cure below… because once the duckbill lips have been released, they work fine.

The ‘fix’ is really simple.  Here are the DIY fix instructions:
You would need
1.  a toothpick and some olive oil.  

The duckbill is a low pressure one-way check valve specifically placed in that location to PREVENT a vacuum from forming inside the electrolyzer.

You need to thoroughly wash the duckbill, inside and out, then apply a very thin layer of olive oil onto the inner portion of the lips, using the toothpick.

That should prevent the lips from sticking and causing backfilling, if that is your problem.

Wash it first with a jet of pure water, then take a toothpick, wet it with olive oil (just enough to make it slippery because too much olive oil can ALSO cause the lips to get ‘sticky’) 
and gently insert it into the center of the duckbill (careful not to tear the lips), you should be able to slide it past the lips, clearing anything that is holding the lips shut.

You only need to open the lips, no need to stick the toothpick in more than ¼” past the lips.

That should fix the issue.  

Note: It might ‘over-fix’ the issue and the lips don’t stay shut like they should (resulting in a gas leak), the fix for that is to use the syringe to ‘suck backwards’ which will clamp the lips together.  Make sure there isn’t anything between the lips keeping them open.

If lightly lubricating the check valve lips DOES NOT WORK (Note that TOO MUCH oil can cause the lips to stick shut too), 
then you CAN add another duckbill check valve on the Tower Cap gas out fitting.
https://eagle-research.com/product/check-valve-duckbill/
You’ll need a short adaptor hose to connect it to the gas output AND to file off the ridge so that the Tower Cap to Humidifier hose can fit onto the end of the check valve.

Note: I DESIGNED the Tower Cap system to have the AquaCure fresh water filled THROUGH the Tower Cap duckbill, so the duckbill would be ‘washed’ (cleaned of lye crystals) every time the AquaCure is filled, which is supposed to prevent lye crystal formation that would cause the lips to stick shut (or open).  

Further, the Tower Cap is NOT designed to be removed constantly to re-fill the AquaCure with water (the plastic threads and seal will wear out).  ONLY remove the Tower Cap for the 100 hour sludge cleanings.  Re-fill the AquaCure through the duckbill check valve.

Note: Some people ‘accidentally’ plug the duckbill check valve, thinking it’s just a pipe sticking out the side that would be a gas leak.  DO NOT plug (or cap) the valve.  Air MUST be allowed to flow into the AquaCure as the gasses cool down to prevent backfilling.

Note: If you’ve been removing electrolyte as the machine ‘overfilled’, you should add an ounce of lye to replace lye you took out when you were lowering the electrolyzer liquid level. 

To add lye you need to pour the electrolyte solution out into a container, mix in the additional lye and pour the electrolyte back into the AquaCure.  
NEVER just pour pure powdered lye down into the machine (it will set up like concrete and plug orifices)!

… “the overflow button is going off again and the bubbler is drained.” 

Then the problem was not fixed.  The check valve lips are still ’sticky’  This is actually a very rare problem, usually caused by people not filling the machine through the Tower Cap check valve as described.  As you can see, the valve needs to be kept clean to work properly.  But I’ve heard of a couple (out of thousands) that got sticky even with people properly filling the AquaCure through them.

In any case, the machine itself is not having any problem.  In your case the entire problem is the one valve on the Tower Cap.  And that problem is 100% ‘fixable’ with proper maintenance.  
In your case, it just has to be cleaned thoroughly, which should fix the issue in and of itself.  
The olive oil is just an additional procedure for those that don’t get the valve entirely clean.

In your case, since it ’stuck’ again, the answer is simple.  It was not yet clean.  It will function correctly once it is really clean.

Since your valve is being particularly sticky, here is some advice I’ve never given to anyone (because I’ve never needed to), to make sure it is REALLY clean.

it may help to (when you clean it this time) wash the inside of the Tower Cap really well with warm water and a bottle brush, concentrating on the check valve inner side.  

Do not use dish soap.  Dish soap can cause the valve to be sticky.  The lye IS an ingredient of soap, so no soap is needed to make it clean, just warm water.

Then squirt HOT (tap) water through the check valve a LOT, at least 10 times and up to 50 times.  
This should wash any lye off the inner lips of the check valve. Then clean and dry the Tower Cap and do the olive oil.  
The olive oil won’t stick to the inner lips if they are wet with water.  

Blowing dry air through the check valve (with the syringe) will help to dry it.  

And note that you only need a very THIN layer of olive oil, too thick creates it’s own problem.

 
Note that the issue ONLY occurs AFTER the machine is shut down.  As the hot gasses cool, they make the vacuum that sucks the water back (if the check valve doesn’t allow air in).  So the alarm would not ‘go off’ as you are sleeping (assuming you run the machine all night).

There IS the option of putting a check valve on the gas output of the Tower Cap as well, so that (in theory) the water would never suck back from the Humidifier.  This would (in theory) ‘fix’ your issue.  I’ve never recommended this before either, but again, I’ve never had a check valve ‘fail’ to function properly after being cleaned and properly lubricated.

The ‘problem’ is that the check valve lips are partially stuck open.  This is usually caused by lye crystals (which can also cause the lips to stick shut, which causes backfilling).

A quick fix is to put the syringe on the valve (just like filling with water) and pull backwards, creating a vacuum that should seal the lips.

If that doesn’t work then I’d dip a toothpick in some olive oil and gently insert the toothpick in through the lips, to  lubricate the inner lips.  You’d do it gently because the inner lips are thin and you don’t want to tear them.

Then do the syringe pull again.  That should do it.

Generally the duckbill check valve lips don’t leak because they are kept clean by the injection of the filling water from the Humidifier.  It’s part of its maintenance.  The water squatting through them washes the lye off them.

You could confirm a leak (or not) by putting your finger on the duckbill check valve input and then turning the machine on at 100% PWM.  if there was a leak, draining away your gas, bubbles in the Humidifier will confirm the leak.

Or another thing that might help is to put your finger over the duckbill opening (temporarily sealing it) as gas pressure builds up in the AquaCure and once bubbling starts release your finger.  The pressure in the machine will then squeeze and hold the duckbill lips shut.

Once clean, the duckbill check valve should work properly.

Here’s my FAQ Notes on how to easily fix.  

Here is a video to help you to Adjust AquaCure Liquid Level Sensors
https://youtu.be/jka6VzQb1Fw

You’ll need two screwdrivers.  Sorry for the instructions length, but I tried to be comprehensive.  The fix is simply to turn a tiny screw (for which you can make a tiny screwdriver by shaving a toothpick).

First note that some people suddenly have their high level sensor ‘activate’ inappropriately after they ‘clean’ their AquaCure.  The sight tube shows that the fluid level is not high, but the sensor is saying that the reservoir is too full.
This is perfectly possible if the orifice(s) to the reservoir have become plugged, so that the reservoir cannot ‘drain’ properly.  Thus, even though the sight tube and the main electrolyzer are not ‘too full’ the reservoir (where the level sensor is located) is actually too full.

The ‘proper fix’ is for this to clear the blockage out of the lower (or upper) reservoir orifice, which can usually be done with multiple hot water rinses (refer to maintenance rinse instructions).
If rinsing doesn’t work, the plug may need to be physically removed.

If there is no ‘plug’ the sensor can still be sounding the alarm after an overfill situation due to some sort of ‘residue’ left over from the overfill, which makes the sensor more sensitive.  You just need to turn down the sensitivity (see below) and it’ll work properly after that.

Another issue is if the high level Sensor Slipped out of position

First, the upper liquid level sensor may have slipped down (wiggled loose in shipping or during maintenance rinsing).  We recently had this happen on a couple of machines.

We are now fixing every one in place with double sticky tape as well as the zip tie, but you may have received a machine that was built before that change.  The zip tie is usually enough unless there is an extraordinary ‘event’ to cause the ‘slippage’.

So this is the first thing to look for once you get inside the machine.  

So, take the AquaCure housing lid off (I won’t void your warranty for following my instructions).

4 top (handle) screws and 4 screws on each side, (put them in a bag to prevent loss).
 
Take off the black water fill cap or the Tower Cap (as appropriate).

You may see the black plastic ring around the fill stem come unsnapped as you lift off the cover.  I’d ‘resnap’ it together now so it’ll be properly in place when you replace the cover.
If it comes loose (into two pieces) then the top piece goes on first and the bottom piece snaps onto it from underneath, to hold it into the hole in the cover (and make everything look nice).  The ring also helps prevent the Tower Cap from wiggling too much.

Be CAREFUL when running the machine when the cover is off.  The electrolyzer side is low voltage 28 VDC and fairly safe.  The power supply side has high voltage.  Just don’t touch any wires or terminals when the machine is turned on.

The high level sensor is strapped onto the side of the tall white plastic chamber (the reservoir tank).  There are two sensors, obviously it’d be the top one.
Compare the upper sensor to the position in the picture.


The  ‘slipped sensor fix’ is just to move the sensor(s) back into position and it should work fine.  

The bottom of the lower sensor should be 1.75 inch above the upper lip of the lower cap. 

Upper (high level) Sensor Adjustment
The next thing that can go ‘wrong’ is the high level sensor can go ‘out of adjustment’ (become too sensitive).
This issue occurs about once in a hundred machines (if this is the case sorry, your lucky day).

If the high level sensor is too sensitive and needs to be adjusted, there is a tiny adjustment screw on the side of it.

It can happen that the sensor becomes more sensitive after it was factory set (it’s an electronic thing).  

Once re-set, it should be fine because it’ll be customized for YOUR machine in YOUR location (placement of wires, temperature, etc. all affect it).

Assuming that you have fluid in the machine, the bottom red light (on the sensor) SHOULD BE ON.  A red light on the sensor indicates that there is water being ’sensed’ (assuming of course that the capacitive sensor is adjusted correctly)

The electronics takes the signal from the sensors and lights up the AquaCure Front LEDs appropriately. 

So an indicator light on the lower sensor (showing there is water) tells the circuit board that the lower water level is OK and the circuit board does NOT light up the Red LED on the front of the AquaCure. 
If there isn’t enough water (or the sensor is miss-adjusted), the sensor light will not be on and the circuit board WILL light up the low level LED on the front of the AquaCure.

An indicator light on the upper sensor says there is water (and thus too high a liquid level) so the circuit board DOES light up the AquaCure high level LED.

If the sensors are in position and not signaling appropriately for liquid level then 1 of two things are (usually) the issue.

1. plugged fluid orifices: so the reservoir has a ‘fixed’ too high or too low of liquid level because the fluid can’t flow in or out.  The FIX is to clear the orifices, which can usually be done with multiple hot water rinses.  Usually if the white ball is floating free, the orifices are not plugged.

2. The sensors become miss-adjusted.  We do not know why this happens.  It’s an electronic thing.  But sometimes (about 1%) when the customer sets up the AquaCure (or does the first maintence rinsing), the High or Low sensor needs a tweak to re-set it properly.  We don’t know what it is that causes this, but once re-set at the customer’s location, they work reliably.

I’d guess our time for adjustment would be in the 10 minute range (hood off to hood on) and it would be FIXED, no more high level alarm, except when there actually IS a high level.

Once done you’ll have no more issue with it.

You’d need a Phillips head to remove the hood and a tiny flathead (like to tighten spectacle screws) to adjust the sensor screw.   Can use a tiny anything, one woman even just made a flat edge on a toothpick. 

Make sure the fluid level is slightly higher than the ‘full’ line on the sight tube but not ‘over-full’.

Don’t depend on the white plastic ball to assume the fluid level.
As I point out in the Manual, you cannot depend on the little plastic ball in the sight tube to float properly.  I put it in there to help see the fluid level line (the meniscus), and it does great when it works, but it can get stuck to the side of the tube and/or get some lye crystals on it which causes it to sink.

So check inside to be sure the liquid level is correct, (use a dip stick.  A chop stick works well)

The plastic block itself, not the standoffs, is about 5 3/4” (14.5 cm) from the top of the silver water fill pipe.

The FULL fluid level is about 5 1/8” (13 cm) from the top of the silver water fill pipe.

The testing and setting for OVER-Full should be done with the water level at about 4 3/8” (11 cm) from the top of the silver water fill pipe.

Turn on the AquaCure.

For the high level sensor: Turn the tiny adjustment screw clockwise 180° to make it less sensitive… then wait about 2 seconds for the electronics to adjust and if the alarm is still going off, turn it another 180° clockwise, etc.  KEEP GOING until the alarm shuts off.

You need to allow enough TIME for the sensor to ’settle’ as you adjust it everytime, so it got ‘confused’ until it sorted itself out.  You need to wait at LEAST 2 seconds after each adjustment to let the sensor ’settle’.  
Continue turning unto the alarm does NOT come on when the AquaCure is full as described above.

It helps to quickly getr ingto the ballpark to just keep turning (without taking your hand away) until the alarm shuts off, then adjust by tweaks to get it accurate.

Those liquid level sensors are very reliable, but sensitive to adjust.

Also you’ll notice that as you get close to the sensor with your fingers or screwdriver, that it will alarm.  That’s because it ‘senses’ the mass of these objects.  So to get a true setting, you need to move your fingers and screwdriver away from the sensor.

(picture of tube on syringe)

Once the high level sensor is adjusted, IF NEEDED, suck the excess fluid out (I use a tube stuck on the end of the syringe.  I cut 6” off an 1/8” ID by ¼” OD vinyl tube) 

or pour out the extra fluid.  Take care because the fluid contains lye.  
I’d save this fluid to put back into the machine when it needs more water, so I’d be putting the lye back into the machine.

I save lye solution in glass mason jars with plastic lids like this:
 

When the liquid level is FULL (about 5 1/8” (13 cm) from the top of the silver water fill pipe) check the sight tube to see that the liquid meniscus (fluid line) is at (or close to) the FULL line.  It’s nice if the white ball is also floating there, but not required for proper machine operation.

When you replace the AquaCure hood, taking care NOT to strip out the chassis threads.  Tighten the screws gently until JUST tight.

It helps to do the top 4 (handle) screws first, but leave them loose, then the bottom 4, leaving a little loose, then the middle 4 tighten them but be sure to push in the metal, don’t have the screw pull in the metal or you’ll strip out the thin threads in the metal.  Then tighten the other (loose) 8 screws.

Do NOT depend on the screws to ‘pull’ in the tin or you’ll strip out the threads in the housing.
It’s good to leave all the screws a little loose until they are all in place, so some movement is possible to line up the holes.