Watching bubbles pass through your Airlock but not seeing any changes in the BPM (Bubbles per minute) count on your Plaato App can happen for different reasons.
In this article we lay out troubleshooting steps to help you narrow down the probable cause and find a resolution.
Note: Please follow each of the troubleshooting steps below. If the issue persists, contact us through the messenger app at the bottom right of this page. You can also send an email to support@plaato.io sharing a rundown of the steps you have taken.
Troubleshooting Steps
Bubbler Alignment Check:
The bubbles should be breaking the water right above the LEDs. Check that your Bubbler is inserted and aligned correctly; make sure your bubbler is inserted with the bubble-exit placed right above the LEDs, the sensor that counts the bubbles is located right below and so they have to be aligned👇🏼
Bubbler Seating Check:
If the bubbler is not pushed all the way down the bubbles will be released too early and be too small to be counted by the sensor. Push down on the bubbler during fermentation to see if the sensor starts counting correctly.
Smart-Part Check:
If your Bubbler is aligned and seated correctly, proceed to check the sensor of your Airlock. The Infrared Sensor that reads bubbles is located in the Smart Part of your Airlock, just right above the LEDs.
With your Plaato Airlock still plugged into Power, separate the Smart-part from the Tritan. Pull on the Tritan with a little force.
Move your finger over the IR-sensor (right above the LEDs). Do you see the Top LED flash with every finger movement?
Try with a piece of paper, do you see the Top LED flash with every swipe?
Make sure your Sensor does not have any liquid on it, or any other obstruction.
Important: If the Top LED does not flash, please record a video showing this and send it in to us through the messenger app at the bottom of the page. You can also attach it to an email to support@plaato.io
Smart-Part Seating Check
When placing the smart-part back on the Airlock, make sure it clicks in and seats closely to the Tritan. There should not be a visible gap between the two parts.
Check again that the Bubbler inside the airlock is pushed all the way down.
Check again that nothing is blocking the bubble-exit.
Check that the bubble-exit on the Bubbler is placed directly above the LEDs
If you are using a Plaato Valve, remove it and try without the valve.
Hold both parts of the Airlock together while it is on the fermentation
(the top and bottom) Do you see now see it counting bubbles?
Lighting Check - External factors
The IR-sensor of the Plaato Airlock is affected by external lighting conditions of the environment it is placed in. Strong light (especially fluorescent lights) will distort and make bubbles less visible to the Sensor. This usually leads to the sensor counting no bubbles at all or only a few bubbles. Evaluate the lighting conditions👇🏼
Is the Plaato Airlock placed near a window?
Is there any fluorescent lighting above your Airlock?
Do you have any other strong lighting close to your Airlock?
Does the lighting conditions in the room the Airlock is placed change often?
Plaato Airlock Usage Considerations
Wash your Plaato Airlock and make sure all parts are not being affected by any liquid marks or suds. Check that you have also followed our Safety and Usage Considerations checklist here: Safety and Usage Considerations
Contact us
If this issue has persisted after running through all of these checks, please contact us through the messenger app at the bottom right of this page.
Important: In your message it is very important that you share with us a rundown of the troubleshooting checks you have taken so far:
What troubleshooting steps you have taken and the results
A video of your Plaato Airlock on your fermentation, showing bubbles passing through but not being counted. Please make sure the state of your LEDs on your Airlock is captured in the video.
Whether the sensor on your Airlock responds when you run your finger above it.
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