Auto Top Up Failed Again :(
 

My second auto top up system failed this weekend (of course while I was out of town). I've pretty much had it with these crappy things.

I used to have a Tunze Osmolator and the pumps would fail every few months so I ditched that one for some float switches which worked for years. Then I decided to get a Aqua Gadget Hydrofill thinking I wanted a little more security. Do not purchase this, its garbage (in my opinion), bad design. It was finicky from the start. If you get any foam or dirt or anything on the sensors it fails. It has flooded my living room twice in the past 7 days.

Decided to go back to the old float switches and upgrade my Apex to control them.

I was thinking of doing this:

Single controller float. When its activated wait 5 minutes then turn on the water, when its deactivated with 5 minutes then turn off the water. This should prevent the constant on and off that you sometimes get.

Then the second switch will be closer to the surface as a fail safe. If activated the system is shut off and alarm sounds.

Also purchased 2 leak detectors if activated system is shut off and alarm sounds.

I was considering having 2 float switches do the on and off work but it just doubles the chances that one of them will fail. I think I would rather have apex programming that says if the water is on for more than 10 minutes something is wrong, close the water and sound the alarm.

If the controller float fails, and the programming does not stop the more than 10 minute water on, and the dead stop float fails I still have the leak sensors.

What do you guys think?

I use a double float set-up similar to this.
http://autotopoff.com/products/DS1/
I actually have it right out of the water in my sump, and only use it as a secondary (and third) safeguard in case my primary float (which regulates sump level and fed by my RO/DI) fails. The primary float feed only comes on for 5 min every 6 hours via a solenoid that is connected to my Apex. If power is off, solenoid is off. The power goes through the double switch controller, and will cut power if the 2nd or 3rd float is activated.
http://autotopoff.com/Solenoids/
The double float switch will not allow power to the solenoid.

Might be a little overkill, as even my primary float has never failed. But it does give me good peace of mind.

And the whole set-up costs way less than a Tunze or most other ATOs.

HA! That's the system I used to have. I should have stuck with it!

I have a second hand JBJ auto top off with controller and 2 floats and a cheap pump (can't remember brand atm) been working awesome for over a year and half with no issues

Me too. Been using the autotopoff.com unit for many years without problem coupled to an aqualifter pump. It's fairly bulletproof.

I use a gravity feed from a bucket. System Cost 15.00 and has never failed

10 years with a furnace humidifier float valve in the sump connected to the rodi. not a single problem.

I have used 2 Kent Float Valves for 14 years with no problems.

I uses 1 Kent Float Valve from my RODI to a 45 gal drum and a second Fent Float Valve from the 45 gal drum to my sump.

The water storage tank can be any size. I use a 45 gal drum,

Tom R

using the Tunzie 3155 ato system, so far it works very well. I like the gravity system best but my wife has a problem with a five gallon pail on top of a 6' step ladder in the living room. LOL!

Ugly but fairly simple. Many, many years of trouble free operation. A variation of the mechanical float valve, gravity feed method. I don't have sump or room to mount a container above my display, so use a glass carboy pressurized by an air pump on a timer to feed a mechanical float valve in the display. I shortened the valve by a couple of chambers to reduce the footprint in the tank. I think after 5 or 6 years, I may finally need to replace the float valve. The rubber seal that closes the opening in the feed line when the valve is up has finally hardened to the point where it no longer provides a complete seal. Should be about $10 at the local hardware store.

What I find good about this set up is that everything happens rather slowly & even if something goes wrong, there's generally no disaster in the form of a flood. The fresh water is limited to the 7 gallons in the carboy and the air pump keeps just enough air pressure in there to feed the tank with a trickle when the level drops to open the mechanical valve. It gives me about 7 days of ATO.

https://tsl4pa.blu.livefilestore.com...boy.JPG?psid=1

https://tsl4pa.blu.livefilestore.com...lve.JPG?psid=1

My ATO:
Apex
breakout box
digital aquatics float switch
Tom's aqualifter pump

The program turns on the ATO every ~4 hours and replaces what has evaporated. It typically runs for 5-10 minutes, with a check for the return pump and salinity. Worst case scenario my entire reservoir slowly empties into my sump causing 3 ppm salinity drop. No flood, my sump is big enough.

[SumpATO_A8] (virtual outlet for switch)
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Sw1 OPEN Then ON
Defer 001:00 Then ON
Min Time 240:00 Then OFF
If Outlet RTNPUMP_4_2 = OFF Then OFF
If Condx5 < 33.0 Then OFF

[ATO_4_4] (aqualifter outlet)
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Outlet SumpATO_A8 = ON Then ON

I just build my own digital one with dual optical sensors for extra reliability
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07...0cfc6a9ea9.jpg


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Where do you get those optical sensors I used one of those before and found them very reliable.

i'm shocked the tunze pump has failed for you like that. i never let mine run dry which i think is the key and all the ones i've run over the years have worked flawlessly.

I'm even more surprised because I have let my Tunze ato pump run dry weekly for about 4 years and it still works like a charm.

Kent Float Valve

I use 2, 1 in the sump, 1 on RODI outlet. 5 or more years now, and never once over filled my tank. I have an electric solenoid on my RODI tank for if my sump overfills i use as a backup. The electric shutoff has failed at least twice now when i'm cleaning the tank and it doesn't shut off the solenoid.

In the end, Crappy float valves have been the most reliable.

In my old setup I had a double setup. Basically, the first sensor is for control to start and stop the auto top off. That one is fed through another auto top off which is just a secondary shut off. Both systems have to be satisfied to feed water. If the first one fails, the backup will de-energize the auto topoff pump.

I did this after flooding my tank and the salinity dropped to 1.010!

What I use is a solenoid after my ro/di storage tank on a timer,every 2 hours on for 1 minute and as a back-up I use a big float valve in my sump, if the water rise to much it will stop from overflowing. Having it for 2 years and never had a problem..100% safe. Cost me 50$ all together

I ordered them in bulk (10) from the manufacture over seas. I can try and find out the brand name if you want

With no moving parts they are awesome. I made two different version. One uses a float at the backup sensor and the other uses an optical sensor
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07...ae95846d2c.jpg

I like my salinity precise :)


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And I bravely topoff from a 90g tank. Think this is my 5th osmolator and no problems.

Love my Osmolator. Until I wrecked it to with all the Apex stuff. :lol:..This tank move is now around $600 in broken equipment. Good thing my head is attached to my body or I would screw it up to.
Im looking at switching now to the duel Apex floats & the Aqualifter pump. Or is the Auto top off duel switch a better purchase for the same price.

Yea occasionally mine would run dry but nothing to long. At one point I just bought 3 replacement pumps they were failing that often. Eventually I threw it in the garbage for an autotopoff.com

I have my tank plumbed directly in to the RO/DI so its just a solenoid that turns on or off been running like that for around 5 years or so. That part works great, I have one of the newer bulk reef supply 150gpd systems and always getting 0 TDS out with the inline meter.

You two are effing crazy. Don't come crying here when your tanks crash from "sudden low salinity". :neutral: My rule is ATO container is no bigger than 10% of the system volume. If the ATO is full, the majority of the tanks' inhabitants will handle it (SPS may not). If I design the system, the sump will also hold this volume with the power off and not get the floor wet.

Guess I will go with the Auto top off duel & Aqualifter

I got the osmolator pump working by direct wiring it to the Tunze power supply. Now to figure out how the float switch turns if on/off ?

Okie. I have it.