DIY ATO with non contact switch's

[mikebow16]

Has anyone tried or has any experience using capacitive sensors on an ATO? I came across these while looking at float switches

How reliable are the with saltwater and ro water?
Having a no contact sensor would solve a lot of problems with mechanical and optical float switches.

I figure I could build the whole thing for less than $30


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[aaronpentz]

I've been using the same industrial grade switch for the last 15 years. Use a dry contact relay to interface it to my apex and have never had a failure yet

Adjusting the water level is as easy as moving the switch on the velcro. And mine is reading through the glass sump wall.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[neilp2006]

Has anyone tried or has any experience using capacitive sensors on an ATO? I came across these while looking at float switches

How reliable are the with saltwater and ro water?
Having a no contact sensor would solve a lot of problems with mechanical and optical float switches.

I figure I could build the whole thing for less than $30


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How does that work? The non-contact sensors I see on google are magnetic


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[neilp2006]

Found it on amazon. That is cool. I might do these in my water system to save drilling float switch holes in my 55gal barrels


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mikebow16]

It senses changes in capacitance, from what I read it maxes out at 13mm thick glass or plastic. You will have to run it to a relay or an arduino since it maxes out at 500 mA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[neilp2006]

It senses changes in capacitance, from what I read it maxes out at 13mm thick glass or plastic. You will have to run it to a relay or an arduino since it maxes out at 500 mA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cool. Awesome.

12v wall wart to power, then use it to close a relay connected to Apex bob. Sweet.

How do you line it up- and is it switching at the same water line every time or does it vary by 1/4-1/2"?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mikebow16]

I assume it will be the same point every time I haven't ordered it yet once you figure out where it activates


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[perkint]

Can't give much useful info, but am in the latter stages of putting a little controller together using an ESP8266, one of these and a couple of DS18B20s along with three relays and an algae magnet. This will do ATU (with the sensor mounted to the algae magnet), heater control and also control a bank of 12V fans for cooling.

Not actually put it on the tank yet, but did some tests with the sensor and it seemed pretty consistent even testing on a small coke glass of tap water, which impressed me! Not sure how well it will cope with moving water, but easy enough to code hysteresis in.

Tim