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ATO issue

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by PotRoast, Jan 4, 2013.

  1. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

    999
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    +24 / 0 / -0
    I am not 100% happy with my ATO setup.


    I have a direct feed line from my RODI to a solenoid, then into my tank. The solonoid is controlled by a float switch. I have a backup float that will shut the solonoid off if a high water line is reached in my sump.


    The problem is that I don't have any way to control the solonoid if it sticks on. Even if I get a high water warning from my backup float, if the solonoid is stuck on it is stuck on and RODI water will run all day long.


    I know I can setup a separate reservoir and fill it periodically, but I don't want to do that.


    Do I have any other options?




     
  2. Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    +5 / 0 / -0
    Another solenoid in series with the one you have but on a timer so it can only be on for enough time to maintain the water level in your tank?

    Or if you have a controller there are other ways of course.
     
  3. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Jeremy I thought of your idea but not sure how it would work for me. My tolerance for low and high water is very small, maybe a 1/4" of water level. That way the water level stays consistent for my skimmer. So my ATO is on and off all the time.....hard to control with a timer.

    I have a controller.....not sure how I would incorporate it I guess.
     
  4. Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    +5 / 0 / -0
    What controller do you have? We use an Apex at the shop with float switches and it's pretty reliable. Not 100% of course as float switched do fail over time.

    I would think about the only thing you could do is add more solenoids and have them programmed in conjunction with your max water level switch. You could even have one on each side of the RODI if you wanted I guess.

    Ever thought about adding a baffle in your sump so water the level in that chamber is more controlled?
     
  5. iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
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    +0 / 0 / -0
    As Foo suggested to me a few years ago, get a Litermeter III. Best piece of equipment I ever bought. Built like a tank, and reliable as can be. You can use their ATO set up, or just reconfigure a couple times a year when the humidity in the house changes. They hold their value as well, so if your situation changes, you can get a lot of your money back.
     
  6. dead fish Dead Fish

    832
    Iowa City
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    It's decidedly lo tech, but I use one of these eshopps things plumbed to a 14 gallon reservoir. I fill it up once a week and everything is golden. I suppose there's even a way to get a float valve working so the water automatically refills.


    http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=QH03531&child=QH03531&utm_source=adwordsfroogle&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=adwordsfroogle&utm_content=QH03531&gclid=CMmx3YCLz7QCFYVFMgodJnoAqA
     
  7. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

    999
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    Thanks for the suggestions guys.

    The liter meter and the reservoir kinda defeat the purpose....for either to work I need to fill up a reservoir....that is the last thing I want to do.

    The way I have it setup now is perfect......it is protected three ways by my controller and float switches. The only thing it doesn't do is prevent against a stuck open solonoid.

    The best thing is that solonoids are unlikely to stick open. The margin of error as it stands now is very low....but I would like to improve on it.

     
  8. mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

    494
    Dubuque
    Ratings:
    +28 / 1 / -0
    I'm using the same thing and it works well, because I topoff with limewater, I need to clean with vinegar every few weeks otherwise it gets a little gummed up.
     
  9. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0
    I think the best safeguard would be something like Waverz said. Use a secondary solenoid open for XX amount of time when the float is triggered. If the primary one, controlled directly by the switch fails to close, the secondary would close a short time later.

    I use top off dosing pumps on mine. Primary control is a float switch, but secondary control is a time function just in case something sticks. It would be a similar principle.
     
  10. Jamie

    Jamie Well-Known ReefKeeper Vendor

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    I setup mine like this. Waterline from RO/DI unit to a Solenoid valve that opens for 1 hour a day (just long enough to fill top off reservoir then closes)

    Overflow of reservoir is prevented by a float valve which shuts the water off if the reservoir is full before the solenoid valve closes.



    The Top reservoir is dosed into the sump via gravity through a float valve at the exact same rate as the water evaporates. Not a single float switch is needed this way. The only way this system could fail is if the solenoid valve stuck open AND the float valve failed that feeds the sump.


    You can see the float valve in the top right corner of my top off reservoir and the float valve in the lower right of the sump. I also have a small power head in the top off tank that stirs it for the same hour that the solenoid valve opens. I throw a scoop of kalk in there every day or so to keep it potent. Only the top half of the top off tank is able to be dosed because the float valve is about 9 inches up. The bottom half is just a settling space for the kalk. All of this only requires one channel on my reef keeper or could be done with a simple timer. Even with the use of kalk I have never had one of these kent float valves fail in the 8 years I have used them.







     
  11. Jamie

    Jamie Well-Known ReefKeeper Vendor

    591
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    +24 / 0 / -0
    I just reread your post, why not instead of a 2nd backup float switch which still relies on your controller why not just add a float valve this will give you mechanical backup on top of the electronic backup and pretty much be failsafe should either fail.
     
  12. jnjsad

    jnjsad Inactive User

    440
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    Okay, I'm going to ask the dumb question - b/c I've seen it talked about several times and I really don't know what it is...can someone post me a link of a scelenoid they are talking about? I'm not entirely sure what these are, where to get them, and exactly how to connect them to apex. If I saw a picture or link...I could get a better grasp of what folks are talking about as I foresee several useful ideas for these things...
     
  13. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

    999
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    Thanks Jamie I am going to look into your system over the next several weeks and see if I can make some improvements at my end. Very helpful.


    jnjsad...a solonid in my case is a small electical device that you have to plug in. The device is basically a switch and it clicks open or closed. I have my RODI line running through it, and the solonoid is controlled by a float valve. If the float drops, the solonid opens, and water flows freely into my sump. If the float is high then the solonoid clicks closed and the RODI water quits flowing.


    here is an example of a solenoid used to control RODI lines.....


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 22, 2018
  14. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

    999
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    T
     

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