Strange Ebb Controller Problem Please Help

[rukind]

brand new to ebb and flo so help very much appreciated.

so I have an ebb-ctr model ebb and flow controller bucket. Problem I'm having is when the drain cycle is finishing a small amount of water from the hose falls back into the tank and it kicks the pump on again. I think this issue can be resolved with a check valve but what I've noticed is that if the controller cycles on and off about 3 times it gets stuck in the on position. I figure the pump will naturally be experiencing this as buckets back fill into the controller bucket. So what is causing this to get stuck in the drain on position. It got stuck once so bad that even after switching to fill the drain pump was still stuck on and flipping the floats did nothing.

bad relay?

Sometimes I can flip the float on and off over and over then other times it just gets stuck on.

I feel like it has to be a bad relay because even if the it hadn't drained all the way the fill cycle should have triggered it to stop right?

 

[G.MoneySJ]

hello, I am trying to understand your problem and would love to help could you maybe show me one or two pics of what you are using and your problem so I can assist or make a recommendation that will solve your problem while not creating another.

The ebb and flow is a rough process and the timing of your flood is crucial I have lost more plants to it then I care to recall I have found myself continually moving away from it the longer I grow and the more knowledgeable about processes I become. A BIG life saver for me was medium and a hard lesson. What are you using may I ask. when dialing in a system I fear the worst and would always use what had the best buffer and it was the Gordo blocks that Rockwool I think its called that gave a much bigger cushion

for error. the worst thing you can have happen is the timer not go on and the table never flood. when that happens and you have a 1000w going if you don't catch it in 18 hrs everything is dead or on its way the expanded clay pellets I have several hundred lbs and will likely never use again because its like 4 or 6 hrs. without a flood and if your plants are not dead your end of run yield has been kneecapped because most of your roots are so dry they crispy. Any way let me know any other problems ur having and if you are interested I can send some pics and explanation for what I eventually evolved to when I still felt like ebb was what I should do. I had a separate and segregate system so as to not all my eggs in one basket so to speak

 

[Ryesty]

I have ran the ebb and grow 3 gallon bucket system for years.
It sounds like a bad float switch. When u reach into the control bucket and manually activate the switch does it function properly. If not, replace the switch or return the control bucket if it’s under warranty. Here’s a quick check of small things that will trouble you. Make sure you have an anti siphon hole in your fill line at the top of your Rez. I have a line coming from my fill pump to the top of my Rez then a 90 degree elbow fitting then continue with a line to the control bucket. Right before the 90 I drill a tiny hole to stop the flow of water to your control bucket. Without this it will drain your Rez. If you bought your system it will already have this.
Next those float switches can get all dirty and some build up from nutes. I clean mine with a tooth brush periodically. Third make sure you don’t get any hydroton in the bottom buckets. It will stop up your line. It can be a real pain to fix that when your in flower and can’t get to it easily. If you can Every day during a fill cycle make sure all the buckets are filling and draining properly to avoid disaster. It’s a pretty simple system once you get the hang of it. I personally love the system. I have pretty much changed out all of the components except for the Rez at least one time. I’m on my 3rd control Bucket. After a few years they can start to act up. I’m on my second set of buckets, the light will take there toll after several years and they will start to get brittle. Hope this helps.