4. TROUBLESHOOTING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
4.1 DMS/DMC Models
A - SYMPTOM
B - CAUSE
C - REMEDIAL ACTION
1. Air blower is running
but little or no turbulence
is observed in aeration
chamber
This could be due to
insu
ffi
cient air supply to
the aeration chamber,
caused by one or more of
the reasons opposite:
1. Blocked air di
ff
user
1. Disconnect air pipe at the
union and clean or replace air
di
ff
user
2. Blocked air hose or
pipe
2. Inspect hose and pipe for
blockages, especially at joints.
Unblock as necessary
3. Leaking hose or pipe
joints
3. Inspect all hose and pipe joints
and tighten as necessary
4. Kinked, crushed or
split air hose or pipe
4. Inspect and replace as
necessary
5. Excessively worn
carbon vanes in Rotary
Vaned Air Pump (DMC
only)
5. See speci
fi
c air blower manual
2. Aeration chamber
contents have
a greyish (dishwater)
appearance
6. As B 1-4
6. As C 1-5
3. Noticeable odour &
poor e
ffl
uent quality
7. As B 1-4
7. As C 1-5
4. Aeration chamber
contents are grey/brown
to black. Slight to strong
septic odour. E
ffl
uent
quality is poor and is grey.
Air blower is running
and good turbulence is
evident
8. Heavy hydraulic surge
fl
ows from laundry or
kitchen activities
8. For commercial applications,
install a surge tank before the
Diamond
9. For residential applications,
reduce the
frequency of laundry to 1-2 loads
per day
5. Aeration chamber has
a clear appearance
with very few suspended
solids (<5%). White suds
observed. E
ffl
uent is clear
with no odour
9. Light loading
resulting in total
digestion of solids
10. No action required if e
ffl
uent
quality is acceptable. Typical of
intermittent use.
6. Aeration chamber as 5,
but with very
fi
ne
particles in the e
ffl
uent
causing it to appear
turbid or murky
10. See B 8
11. See C 8-9
7. Aeration chamber
contents have a
grey appearance and
slightly septic odour
11. System is lightly
loaded and has been
in use for less than 3
months
12. Continue start-up regime of
minimal laundry and minimal
cleaning chemicals.
13. See C 1-5
12. Insu
ffi
cient organic
matter present in the
in
fl
uent resulting in a
slow start-up
14. “Seed” plant with WPL
Formula 33 to help initiate start-
up
13. See B 8
15. See C 10
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