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Reviews (2)
16 Jul, 2018
Survived a drop in the pool, batteries didn't
3 of 3 found this helpful I am a bit late reviewing this because I only used it today for the first time. Instructions were ok, but I had a hard time figuring why the manual feeding button combination which I used for testing before installing by the pool always dispensed the same amount regardless of volume setting. Well, i'll tell you the secret they didn't bother to include in the instructions. Manual feeding mode always executes only one volume-1 feeding cycle whereas programmed feeding executes a number of cycles as per the volume setting. This means that if volume is set at 5, then pressing the manual feeding button combination drops a small quantity respective of volume setting 1. But when programmed feeding happens this small quantity is delivered 5 times over and you can actually hear the motor stop and start again between these distinctive 5 volume-1 dosages. Other than that the device operates ok but makes a screeching noise at the start of each cycle. I had to disassemble the device completely, more on that later, to find the cause. I installed the device on a small platform by the pool and then an accident happened while I was inside the pool I slipped and falling in my hand was caught on the platform supporting the feeder and the platform came apart and fell in the pool along with the feeder still attached to part of the platform. I wish I had a video of that, anyways, the thing is that the hopper contained so much air that the whole feeder floated sideways taking water obviously. After rising to my feet I immediately took it out and set it aside, removed the batteries and then completely disassembled it to dry, I was surprised to find very little water inside, I left it like that for a few hours to dry and then assembled it again partially to see if it would still work. In doing that I found out what was causing that screeching noise at the start of each feeding cycle. The design uses a lever switch which is operated by the feeding blades that turn and press on this switch, obviously to ensure the blades always stop at a specific point at the end of each volume-1 feeding cycle. Now as the edge of each plastic blade slides over the metal lever that operates the switch and just as it goes over the lever's trailing edge and the lever pops back, it creates a horrible sound like something is broken or about to break inside. The way I see it the plastic cogs are surely stressed when each blade in turn compresses the lever as it slides over it and reaches it's trailing edge and goes over it. In time this thing alone could cause the cog transmission to fail prematurely on a device otherwise very well built. Now, about my testing after immersing the feeder partially in the pool water. The good news is that the device is still working ok, lcd display, motor etc, the bad news is that one out of 4 batteries was shorted by the water and was much hotter than the others when I set them to dry, and the other three batteries seem to leak a brownish fluid, so I'm getting new batteries tomorrow, but the device survived that drop in the pool water, amazing I think. One last word about assembly if you ever need it, the feeder's main circuit is behind the lcd screen, if you need to take this apart to dry, when putting it back take care to seat the red led in its pocket because the board will go in and its 4 screws can be tightened but if that led is not inside its pocket the board will be twisted on its right side as seen from inside the feeder. Now about the batteries damage, it occurred to me that the battery compartment, when full, is the heaviest part of the feeder by far and this is the part of the device that sank first in the pool water but when the partially full hopper contacted the water the whole device stayed afloat because of the hopper's buoyancy. Also the koi food inside the hopper was all dry too, imagine that after a drop in the pool, only very small bits of food that was in between the feeder blades got wet and then was flushed by the water entering the feeder and was stuck to the internal surfaces of the mechanical compartment, where the motor is etc, one more reason to take it apart to get that wet food out of there. Now, did I mention that I am very happy not to have damaged my new feeder?
14 Jul, 2016
Works very well
Works as expected. Length is just right, not too long, not too short. Used it with Xiao-Mi hybrid earphones connected to SE K810i.
Prompt delivery, thanks.