Electrobes' K.I.S.S. 40Br Thread

I forgot to include pics of the final installation of the Relay/Float-Switch/Doser into the stand. Here they are:

Here is what the relay looks like inside the project box. The relay and the top cable are velcroed to the project box, so nothing is loose.

DSCN3481Small.jpg


And here is the project box with the goods plus the doser I am holding up... the float switch is in the tank:

DSCN3482Small.jpg
 
Well the way I understand it it works like this:

When I had the dosing pump connected directly to the float switch.. the float switch was taking a direct 120V hit. This is supposedly risky as it can fry the magnets in the float switch.. in which case could conceivably leave the switch in a permanent on position.. drowning your tank.

Then you add a relay. The relay either allows a connection to happen or not. In short I now have the float switch connected to a 12V wall transformer. When the float switch turns "on" it allows the 12V to complete the circuit.. this completion "activates the Relay.

Now that the relay is activated.. the draw-bridge for the 120V to cross comes down. With the 120V now able to complete it's circuit it turns on the Dosing pump.

When the float switch goes into the "off" the 12V no longer completes it circuit, which means the draw-bridge in the relay goes back up, and now the 120V can't cross.. turning off the dosing pump.

In essense the relay softens the blow to the float switch.

I hope I explained that well... :rolleyes:
 
ok, i kinda get it? somewhat.... but not really. i guess what i dont understand is how to hook up the FS to the DP via the relay?

is this for your top off system?
 
Oh! Okay. All the wires go to the relay. The 12V wires: One has nothing attached to it, the other is connected to one wire from the float switch.

The free wire of the 12V and the free wire of the float switch goes to the relay. That is a complete circuit.

The doser: One of the power wires is cut and now has two ends. Both of these ends go to the relay.. each in different places on the relay.

Once this is attached you have completed another circuit.

The first circuit (float switch and 12V) goes first (The float switch activates the entire process). When this circuit goes live it turns on the relay.

When the relay is on, it allows the 2nd circuit to happen (Doser).

If at anytime the first circuit is no longer on, the relay turns off, which stops the 2nd circuit dead in it's tracks.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12327480#post12327480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Electrobes
Oh! Okay. All the wires go to the relay. The 12V wires: One has nothing attached to it, the other is connected to one wire from the float switch.

The free wire of the 12V and the free wire of the float switch goes to the relay. That is a complete circuit.

The doser: One of the power wires is cut and now has two ends. Both of these ends go to the relay.. each in different places on the relay.

Once this is attached you have completed another circuit.

The first circuit (float switch and 12V) goes first (The float switch activates the entire process). When this circuit goes live it turns on the relay.

When the relay is on, it allows the 2nd circuit to happen (Doser).

If at anytime the first circuit is no longer on, the relay turns off, which stops the 2nd circuit dead in it's tracks.
Click to expand...

And If you are a visual learner like me..... :D Just mentally replace the word "pump" with the word "doser" and it will make more sense with respect to your setup Christian.

Disregard the neutral wires... they dont need to go through the relay. This diagram was for someone else a few months ago that wanted to switch both the neutral and the hot wires for added protection.
RelayWiringDiagramNO-1.jpg
 
so how do you know what relay to use? and how many different types of relays are there?

what are the #2 and #5 prongs for on the relay? and why arent they used?

wHY, why, WHY???? :LOL:
 
This is a standard "Double Pole Double Throw" relay (DPDT). There are many different types out there, but this one seems to be the relay of choice amongst aquarist.

A relay is nothing more than a 120V switch that is controlled by a 12V "control circuit". The relay can do one of two things when it gets a signal from the control circuit; It can OPEN or CLOSE a 120V circuit (which is usually a pump, doser, or solenoid valve) which will turn the device ON (if the circuit is closed) or OFF (if the circuit is open).

The relay pictured above has the 120V passing through the "Normally Open" contacts (Pins 1 & 6). This means that when the control ciruit is OFF, the relay is in the OPEN position, and the pump (or whatever) is OFF. If you were to use Pins 5 & 2, you would have the relay wired in the "Normally Closed" position. This would mean that the pump would remain ON as long as the control circuit is OFF. An ATO must use the Normally Open contacts because we only want to pump water when the 12V float switches (part of the control circuit) tell the relay to turn "ON".

Clear as mud, right? :D
 
haha, no it actually makes alot of sense! thanks for taking the ttime to explain it to me. :)

so there is always power coming from the 12v supply going to #8, but power from the 12v wont reach #7 untill the float switch is activated right?

at that point it closes the relay switch and allows the 120v ac coming from the wall to pass through the relay, and power up the dosing pump, all without blowing up the what,.... float switch or 12v power supply?
 
Heh I think you have it ;)

To be honest the relay attachment isn't hard, I was just being stupid about the entire build of it. I basically got lazy about it and goofed off... and paid the price. When I finally snapped out of it I got it pretty and functioning well in about 10 min. :D
 
So I filled the tank up today and took a look at it today. The good news is that it isn't leaking, but I am worried about this:

DSCN3485Medium.jpg


I know tanks get these little bubbles but should this worry me??
 
No sorry guys, that's the flash I tried blocking. I am just worried about the bubbles in the seam... the most they go is a little less than halfway.

I am pretty crappy with a camera :D
 
oh, your talking about the thin white line that runs vertically along the glass joint on the inner half of the joint?
 
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