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#52
08/22/2004, 09:48 PM
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It is not a good idea to use the float switches to directly switch a 120 volt load. You are just asking for trouble. Also the reed switched in the floats do not do well with the back EMF caused by switching a motor on and off. I know some of you have had no problems, but this is still not a good idea.
Also it best to avoid line voltaged in your aquarium whenever possible. Bean |
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#53
12/23/2004, 04:29 PM
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Just found that thread yesterday. Very nice.
Jsut a couple question. 1- Is the system still working fine? 2- Why did you put timer? Thanks again for sharing with us! Cheers,
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Jean-Didier |
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#55
12/30/2004, 02:08 AM
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I first built an auto top-off using one float switch tied into the AC power chord of a power head. It worked OK, but I agree with Bean that it is just trouble waiting to happen.
I used Headshrink's design and built a better one so I can go on vacation. Works like a charm. My wife asked me if I was still going to have a friend of ours come and check on the tank periodically. I told her "Nope, I trust my creation". Hope it doesn't let me down.  Got an automatic fish feeder, and the lights are on timers. So, it should just cruise on auto-pilot. Craig Oh, here's a link to pics of the finished product: http://www.dutchone.com/DP_75_Equipment_Top_Off.html |
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#56
12/30/2004, 03:03 AM
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Well I just feel like a proud grandpa now. I'm way to young for that.
Glad it works so well for you.... BTW: Realize that it COULD fail and you always use automated equiptment at your own risk. Since I moved my tank home I don't leave mine armed anymore (new carpet). I only arm it once a day now instead of a continuous monitoring. At the office I didn't care. Now it is more of an auto-water-level device. |
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#57
12/30/2004, 03:38 AM
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well if you use a 10gallon bucket just make sure you have a sump big enough to hold an extra 10gallons incase the float sticks.
when i build mine im going to use a 5gallon bucket, im allowing for 7 extra gallons in my sump. that way even if the power goes out and the float sticks, the water from my external overflow, and the 5gallon bucket wont be too much for my sump. |
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#58
12/30/2004, 06:30 PM
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Good point. I have a 10g top off to my 280g system, which if all of it pumps in at once (kalkwasser) the tank doesn't get affected too badly.
It evaporates about 2 to 3g per day.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
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#59
12/30/2004, 08:07 PM
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Maybe using a timer on the auto top-off is a good idea. Before I made it I added about two gallons once a day. With it on a timer it can still top off only having power say, fifteen minutes a day. I have a mini-jet 404 as the pump. At it's lowest rate it pumps 13 gallons an hour. If the timer lets it run 15 minutes a day, the most it can pump is 3.25 gallons. If every possible thing that could go wrong did, it could only put 23 gallons on the floor.
The top float switch is never under water. I would think the chances of it failing would be very slim. I also agree with the top-off storage tank only holding as much as the sump could contain without overflowing. Going on vacation for a week or more that's not possible. You could even go one step further and have another pump in the sump that returns to the storage container after being set off by water sensing leads. That way if the top-off pump got stuck on, it would just end up recircing back to the storage tank and back. Let's get crazy !Craig |
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#60
12/30/2004, 09:25 PM
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The timer is a good idea but make sure you can trust the timer. The very first time I used mine I had it on a timer (appliance timer) and left for vacation. I came back and my main pump was caveatting badly and the top-off never fired. Turns out the timer had a bad motor. Goes to show you that anything can fail... and occasionally does. Lets all pray that our tanks don't one day split open.
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#61
12/30/2004, 09:27 PM
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Headshrink - don't even go there with the tank splitting.
My new one is 185 gallons. I can't even imagine what my wife would do to me if the new one split and all that water and sand flooded the house. I would be out of the hobby for sure.Craig |
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#62
12/30/2004, 09:35 PM
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I would recommend making sure your home-owners or renters insurance is not only current but will cover that sort of thing. I'm sure you probably have thought of this, but for anyone else out there who may read this.... make the call now.
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#63
12/30/2004, 11:47 PM
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I talked to my insurance company about my tank, and they indicated I was covered, but you know when it comes time to claim, it's be "I didn't know..sorry about that..."
 And I've got 280g of water ready to cascade into my living room at any time. 
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
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#64
12/31/2004, 02:42 AM
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The custom tank I had built, Oceanic said they would only warrant it if it was on one of their stands. That was not going to happen. Mike at Aquarium Design Group, where I purchased the tank, agreed to give me the same warranty as Oceanic. But, that just covers the tank itself if it comes apart. I really do need to talk to State Farm and get it in writing that they will cover any damage if a catastrophe happened.
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#65
01/10/2005, 02:25 AM
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Well, I was all set to leave to meet my family at my in-laws and go snow skiing. My auto top-off had been working perfectly with my 5 gallon bucket as a test. Right before I was going to walk out the door I pulled the pump out of the 5 gallon bucket and put it into my 35 gallon trash can with RO/DI water. I tested the float switch and it WAS all good. I was about to walk out the door when I looked and there was water all over the floor. I was so ****ed and I didn't have time to figure out what went wrong. I cleaned up the water and shut down the overflow and left.
During my vacation I thought long and hard as to what the problem had been. I couldn't believe it was my new auto top-off project, but what else could it have been. Got home and everything was still alive, thank God. Tested the auto top-off and it worked perfect. So, I am scratching my head and it hit me like a brick. The 5 gallon bucket was only about 2 feet high, and the trash can was about 4 feet high. After I tested the float and the line was full of water, it just gravity feed and overflowed! I am even more ****ed at myself now for not thinking about that a head of time. Lesson learned. It's back in service and working perfect again. So, even a perfect project can still bite you if you don't think everything through. Note to everybody - make sure the auto top-off line extends higher than the container to prevent a syphon and anger.  Craig |
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#66
01/10/2005, 02:30 AM
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Correct, and this was brought out in my article that I posted in the first message of this thread.
Sorry you had a mess to clean up, but I'm glad to read your livestock is okay!
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
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#68
01/10/2005, 02:47 AM
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__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
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