DIY Auto-Top-Off (ATO) System

[RobboT]

But how much water comes in before the float switch shuts off. I would think it would be prone to very frequent cycles, since it's shut-off level is the same as it's turn-on level.

The switches dont have a hair trigger on them so it works out fine. I also discharge in my fuge not in my sump so theres even more lag time before it shuts off. I'd say the fluctuation in the sump (a 10g tank) is 1/2" to 3/4" which means it doesnt pump until theres about 1/2 gallon required. I've been using 1-2 gallons a day lately so that means the pump only runs 2 - 4 times a day.

 

[JWeb]

Drawing is great, RobboT. As Nate suggests, however, it seems that you are really only switching the pump on the low-level switch... and the pump is probably cycling quite often. Is that true? Also, do you worry about having 120VAC wired directly into the water? Although the wires probably provide great insulation, the risk is much higher, IMO.

My system only wires 12VDC into the water and uses two switches - LOW=ON, HIGH=OFF. In addition, the current flowing through the switches is only what is necessary to pull the relay coil (a few milli-amps). I suppose, though, that even 12VDC at low current would cause issues if current leaked into the reef.

So, as I said in the very beginning, there are many ways to accomplish this!

Nunofs - I've looked at autotopoff.com several times and only now just realized I was looking at PVC caps covering the switches. Thanks!

Jeff

 

[JWeb]

HA! I always forget to read the next page of posts to find the answers to my questions.

Jeff

 

[RobboT]

Also Jeff, the switches are sealed so there is no exposed wiring in the water and its in my sump so there is no chance for voltage in the reef itself.

Without using a complex setup of float switches you really always have to rely on a single switch. More importantly this kicks the $--- out of the "one-drop-per-second-hope-the line-doesnt-clog-hope-one-per-second-isnt-too-fast" method I was using before

 

[NateHanson]

Also Jeff, the switches are sealed so there is no exposed wiring in the water and its in my sump so there is no chance for voltage in the reef itself.

Well, its a remote possibility to have an electrical short in the sump, but actually you're whole SW setup is electrically contiguous. As long as there's a solid channel of water from the sump to the display (return line or drain will work for this) the whole setup should be electrically live if there's an AC leak in the sump.

 

[RobboT]

Very unlikely that any significant voltage could make that trip. If this really was a concern then there is no float switch scheme to avoid it. The sensors themselves are just as likely to cause the voltage issue as the wires in the scenario your talking of.

 

[RobboT]

Here are some very bad pics of my switch setup. One of these days Im going to learn how to get the camera to focus properly.

Picture 1 is the switch rig. Picture two is the box that you plug your pump into. The orange cord coming out of the back of that box goes into the wall outlet.

It ain't pretty, I know. I literally made it from leftover pieces of PVC that I had lying around. The next two are going to be much prettier.

 

[NateHanson]

Yeah, I agree there's no reasonable chance for this to happen, but it's all one bucket of electrolyte. I'm really not saying anything negative about your switch arrangement. Sounds good to me. I was just making a note about the electrical continuity of the sump and display.

 

[JWeb]

RobboT, it says right there that you are advocating against whizzing on the electric fence!

I like how you hide the wires in the PVC pipe - that's something I need to do. What about putting PVC caps over the switches as I've seen on autotopoff.com? Any reason you might have chosen not to do that?

If we put all of these ideas together, we'll have one hell of an ATO system.

Jeff

 

[RobboT]

Hmmm somehow a post I made got lost, weird.

Nate - I know you weren't. Unfortunately reefkeeping means lots of salt water near lots and lots of electricity. Nature of the beast I guess.

Jeff - the onyl reason is that I didnt have any lying around. I've had those switches in my basement for over a month. Being the procrastinator that I am I never got around to figuring out the parts I needed and actually building one. This guy that I am mentoring needs a top-off by early Dec so he can go home with a little peace-of-mind. So finally Tuesday night I went to the basement, dug out a pile of 1/2 PVC and put one together. For the next two Im building I will go to HD and get the right parts.

 

[NateHanson]

This is going to be a great article for the newsletter. At some point I'm going to impose on each of you to write a short blurb of your ATO solution, and I'll put them together into an article with "four solutions to automated top-off" or something like that. So take some pictures now while it's easy to do so.

Thanks, Nate

 

[RobboT]

Nate if you want you can refer back to "A Tale of Two Drippers" which I wrote for an old newsletter. You might be able to use some info in there in preparing a new story.

 

[NateHanson]

thanks Rob. I'll look that up.

 

[JWeb]

Is my write-up here too comprehensive, Nate? Are you looking for a summary?

Jeff

 

[RobboT]

We did an in-place setup for Dawn (skyedolphan) this past Wed that was my favorite so far. Forgot to take pics. I used horizontal switches instead of verticals, drilled them right into the wall of her 100g stock tank. Wired up and set the pump in her RO/DI reservoir. Very neat and tidy. Going to build another hanging version with vertical switches tomorrow, that one should be neater than the frankenstein's monster I put in my tank so I'll get pics.

 

[JWeb]

Sounds cool! What are these horizontal switches like? Any advantage over the vertical switches? Did you use a latching relay setup or your "hair-trigger" configuration?

Jeff

 

[RobboT]

Hair-trigger!! I'm no electrician so I do what I can.

The switches look like the pic I attached.
www.mcmaster.com page 457 of the online catalog.

Being a shortsighted cheapskate I saved $2 and got the inside thread ones. It worked out because of the setup Dawn had. I just drilled my 5/8" holes in the side of the sump, threaded them and screwed the switches in. I like the horizontal switch better than the vertical. In the future I will order switches that are threaded on the outside as well so I can just screw it into a fitting for a hang-on type of setup. If someone wants a direct drilled sump setup (as I think Lam does ) I will get those because it makes a very neat and clean setup.

 

[JWeb]

I like those... as you say, they will easily integrate into a PVC support structure.

I'd love to see some pictures of your creations!

Jeff

 

[RobboT]

I will get some but dont hold your breath.

 

[RobboT]

OK I dont have any of the horizontal install but I have one of the vertical switches on a hang on rig that is much prettier than the ones above.

The two switches

Wider view

Installed in sump

The box you plug your pump into

The person I made this for IM'd me this morning to tell me he's going through manual top-off withdrawal He's constantly checking the tank only to find out that its fine.

For a small fee I will make one for anybody who wants one.