Water Top OFF

[Mineral]

Hey Guys,

Ive been surfing the net checkin out DIY projects, some people use float switches with timers on power heads ect.....
then i ran into this.......

http://home.att.net/~s-pawlowskis/topoff.htm

has anyone ever used this method and is it reliable ??????

Thanx as always !!!! :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

-Pete

[Mineral]

Guys, any top-off suggestions ????

[Reef Mike]

Just use a float switch attached to the powerhead. Works great for me. No need for a timer or anything. A simple float switch and you are set.

I have one extra if you want it drop me a PM

Mike

[afss]

The advantage to a timer is that if the float switch gets stuck open then the pump for the top off can only pump in so much each day.. giving you a margin of error is you happen to be away or not paying close attention to details.

Scott

2 problems i see with the setup you have linked to. One is that you have to suck on that hose every time you fill the reservoir back up and 2 the reservoir needs to be air tight. The smallest of leaks and it won't work.

[Chrismo]

I have a tsunami unit that measures water pressure (thus water level) and turns a pump on when it's low. I like it alot. no moving parts. $100 bucks I think on mops.

Or for safety, you could hook up 2 float switches in parrallel, and even if one stuck on, the other would stop it from overflowing. you'll sleep better.

[Reef Mike]

Chrismo is dead on..

Thats what I have done. I have two switches in parallel. If the main switch fails there is one an inch above so that when the water rises the second switch will cut off.

If that fails then I am in big doodoo :)

Mike

[Sailor]

I had a problem with my float switch sticking on a couple of times. I found out it was not limited to me. I was using the Madison 8000 liquid level switch available through Acklands-Grainger. It wasn't a question of wattage but something else (the thread is on ReefCentral) so I went with a relay made by Dayton 25ZC10 also available through Acklands-Grainger. This makes the switch activate the relay only and not the pump for topoff. Been working like a charm ever since.

Items:

Madison 8000 liquid level switch - Grainger Item: 2A554 - $13.60 cdn

Dayton 2A582-M Relay Socket - Grainger Item: 2A582 - $7.49 cdn

Dayton 5ZC10 Relay - Grainger Item: 5ZC10 - $5.16 cdn

The thread on RC is here:
Floatswitch (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=200393)

HTH

[ScottM]

I use a simple furnace humidifier float available at any Home Depot or Home Hardware. It's hooked up to my reservoir and is gravity fed so it's fairly low pressure. I've never had this simple mechanical float fail and it's been in use in multiple systems for about 4 years. Total cost for the float = $6.

Scott

[All Wet]

Same as Scott. Two years running and no problems, OK maybe a little calcium build up, but easily cleaned and back in service.

[Schlesien]

Scott, All Wet, do you guys have pictures?