Float switches designed to be submerged?

[dipan]

Sorry this may be a stupid question, but are the mechanical GHL float switches designed to be submerged in saltwater?

Reason I ask is I have had one in my sump for maybe 6 months or so. Its original purpose was to be an auto top off, but I am just now getting around to setting it up. I did test it when I placed it in service and it worked fine in Profilux Control. It cycled from - to X appropriately.

It is now locked on X. I have noticed a bit of greenish ?corrosion where the wires enter the top of the assembly. There is some heat shrink on the wires just above the entry point, but there is no discernible sealant where the wires go in.

I do plan on using automatic water changes, but if the sensor is prone to failing in the "X" on position, this would be problematic. I was also planning on using a third float for sump flooding detection, so three floats on a single assembly. I do have a total of three floats already, but have not placed the other two in service.

Should I seal where the wires go in with some low viscosity silicone? I think the reed valve in the stem should be safe from the silicone as it should be sealed independently.

I have seen other mechanical float valves available that have a clear vinyl tube siliconed to the top of the float valve to seal the wire entry point from water intrusion. Actually, I have a top off system from autotopoff.com that has this clear tube siliconed onto the low valve. I am planning to use this to automatically fill my RO/DI reservoir.

I do need to have some certainty about the reliability of the system before putting it into play. I don't want to have any [more] accidental floods! I have had some floods, but not as the result of the Profilux ... human error forgetting to turn off the top off manually

Is the optical water sensor better sealed from water intrusion? Perhaps that is a better way to go, but much more expensive.

 

[chadfarmer]

i had mine do the same thing on me on 3 of them i went with the optical

 

[dipan]

i had mine do the same thing on me on 3 of them i went with the optical

Good to know, thanks... How long has the optical switch been running for you?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

We have not had one single warranty case on a float switch for way over a year, if you dont tell us we dont know. I just did my annual returns to GHL, all of which amounted to a few LCD screens and not a single optical or float was in the shipment.

The float switches and opticals are internally sealed with silicon, unless you take it apart you will not see this.

Both are designed to be submerged.

I strongly recommend the optical over float only for the fact it provides pinpoint level accuracy and is not mechanical, just give the optic a wipe once in a while.

If using a float I would recommend replacing every 18 months as anything mechanical is degenerative in nature.

 

[chadfarmer]

i had my optical over a year old

 

[dipan]

We have not had one single warranty case on a float switch for way over a year, if you dont tell us we dont know. I just did my annual returns to GHL, all of which amounted to a few LCD screens and not a single optical or float was in the shipment.

The float switches and opticals are internally sealed with silicon, unless you take it apart you will not see this.

Both are designed to be submerged.

I strongly recommend the optical over float only for the fact it provides pinpoint level accuracy and is not mechanical, just give the optic a wipe once in a while.

If using a float I would recommend replacing every 18 months as anything mechanical is degenerative in nature.

Thanks Michael. I bought these nearly two years ago now, so I was not even considering a warranty option. I tend to buy aquarium stuff, let it collect dust for a while, and then, when it strikes my fancy, put it into play

I'm glad that they are designed to be submerged. I will have no problems, with the additional information about the sealed nature of the switches, putting the two other floats I have into service. I will try to configure the system for topoff and AWC today with these two floats and no backup. This weekend I will place an order for two optical switches for the accuracy and longevity. I can use one of the existing two floats for emergency overflow detection, and the other on the shelf as a backup when the two optical floats arrive.

As an aside, are all the DALI cards you are shipping currently with the latest firmware? I was planning on using some DALI LED drivers that seem to require the newest firmware.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Hi

I am waiting on our next shipment of Dali, the ones we had were provided with the older firmware. Give us 6 weeks as we have just dont a monumental shipment and not all of it has still yet to land.