BEEP, BEEp, BEep, Beep, beep.....

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I awoke to this beeping from my Octopus 3000 today so I calmly went downstairs to investigate. The temerature was down to 76 (normally 79), so I figured it was just cold last night. But then....I noticed that the water level in my tank was 2 inches from the top and there was no noise from the overflows. So I went into my new fishroom to discover the main pump was OFF! I then discovered that the reason it was off was the GFCI tripped. The only thing plugged into the 20 Amp circuit was the main pump and a Reef Life float switch. This float switch is basically an extension cord with a male plug on one side and a female on the other (this is where my Litre Meter dosing pump is pluggen in). In the middle of the cable is a microswitch and 20 Amp relay enclosed in a plastic box. Also out of the box are the control leads that run to the float switch. I do not believe that the main pump shorted anything out. I think the Life Reef float switch must have gotten shorted by salt spray...the thing is that the length of the control lines are so short that you can not get the microswitch/relay box away from the sump!
Bad design....

Can anyone recommend a beter float switch ?

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

For now, I might splice into an extend the control lines so that I can move the switch further from the sump.....Later, when my bench is finished everything will be hung on the wall, as far from the sump as possible, but I gotta finish building the bench and doing the plumbing for my refugium and frag tank.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Oh ya...I disconnected the switch and plugged it into another 20 Amp circuit to avoid this for the time being. Now, the main pump has its own dedicated circuit.

 

[denvig]

Chuck these are the ones I am using. They seem to be very well made.

http://www.reeffanatic.com/products/float-switch-and-level-control/float-switch-sensor.asp

http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/float_switch/104594.html

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Uh that's Ultra Life...not Reef Life

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Hey Dennis !

Chuck these are the ones I am using. They seem to be very well made.

http://www.reeffanatic.com/products/float-switch-and-level-control/float-switch-sensor.asp

http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/float_switch/104594.html

Thanks Dennis, the unit looks pretty nice ! Do you know approximately how long the control lines are ?

 

[denvig]

Not sure but about 36" or so with a small stereo plug at the end

 

[KAS]

I had a similar problem with the outlet itself which is behind my tank. After several outages, tripping the GFCI, I figured out that the tang was splashing water which was running down the wall and into the outlet thus tripping the circuit. I taped an old overhead slide over the outlet to protect it from spray. Not very high tech but it has solved the problem.

Just a temporary thought for you.
-Karen

 

[Armando]

I have had problems with the Ultra-Life float switch.

The latest problem is that when it triggers on and off, it completely screws up the Pinpoint display. Maybe is throwing noise in the power lines.

I think the Ultra Life switch is not reliable and way overpriced equipment, but that's just my opinion.

 

[denvig]

If you really want to get fancy

http://www.koboldusa.com/products_d...gID=3&ptID=70&pID=164&pmp=NWP&ptName=Switches