R/O auto top-off setups?

[leeweber85]

I'm in the process of trying to make my setup as automated as possible. How do you set up your RO filter on a float valve so that it fills up an entire container with out turning the filter on and off multiple times a day? I hope that question makes sense.

-Lee

 

[alkataz]

Try the level controller from reeffanatic.com. It might be what you are looking for. Way more reliable than a float swith.

 

[leeweber85]

Is it able to turn off the RO water?

I'm going to use a float shut-off valve that is made for turning off the RO once the container has filled. I'm worried that the container will only drop an inch or two and then it will turn on the RO again multiple times a day rather than once every couple weeks.

 

[leeweber85]

anybody?

 

[jmguerry12]

has anyone ecer tried the thing thats in a toilet

 

[scooters reef]

I use a double latching relay with floats to control the solenoid. It wont turn on until the bottom float drops, and then runs until the top float goes up. I use a 10 gallon resevoir. I got mine through autotopoff.com. Looks easy enough to make too, but I was too lazy.

 

[leeweber85]

do you have a picture?

 

[scooters reef]

No, sorry, but if you look on their site under custom it's listed as an option for their double float switches. They also have solenoids there already wired up. I've seen plans here on RC for making them yourself too, but don't remember where or what I searched on. Just seemed easier to buy at the time anyway

Since it's just RO I figured the odds of anything sticking are low, and damage limited just to the loss of water and membrane even then since it's in a fish room with a drain.

 

[graveyardworm]

I use the double float setup from autotopoff.com. It's worked flawlessly for over a year now.

 

[leeweber85]

I see the solenoid, but how do you hook up the float switch to the bottom of the container you are filling up? can the wire run through the water?

 

[ppht]

I am using the PurelyH20 optima Automated with float switch. I also added as a back up from floatswitch.com a dry contact with a selenoid shutoff that connects to my Aquacontroller 3. So if the RO/DI float fails the other will cut it off.


I was just looking at that autotopoff.com site. They have a nice valve and selenoid in one that would work great with an aquacontroller....hrmmm

 

[scooters reef]

Yep, the wire goes in the water.

Look here:

http://autotopoff.com/products/DS1/pages/DS07_JPG.htm

The two floats go on the hang-on mount. Plug the other end to an outlet, then plug the control to the solenoid into the open plug.

Hope that made sense.

I made add some other backup like ppht at some point, but since it's just a resovoir and not going in the tank at that point it's way down my list since, for me, nothing would really be damaged if it stuck on. Sticking off while on vacation would be my own concern

 

[leeweber85]

so what setup do I need to order? how much is it?

 

[graveyardworm]

I use two parts, the in tank double float, and the solenoid switch. I'm using the floats in my sump.

 

[scooters reef]

Well, there are other options, but if you went with the same as I have it's $50 for the sump mount double switch ,$10 for the latching upgrade, and $35 for the pre-wired RO/DI solenoid. Building your own I'm sure would be MUCH cheaper too if you felt up to it.

I also just noticed they have a backup switch option they didn't have when I got mine.

 

[scooters reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8061451#post8061451 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
I use two parts, the in tank double float, and the solenoid switch. I'm using the floats in my sump.

Same thing, except it sounds like he was planning an RO resovoir instead of going straight to the sump. If straight to the sump, then I would worry more about a float sticking.

 

[leeweber85]

I was planning on going to a resovoir. What is the latching upgrade??

 

[scooters reef]

The latching upgrade is listed in their custom page. The double switch is otherwise configured for the lower float to control the RO and the upper is just a safety backup in case the lower one sticks. Your RO would end up cycling. With the latching upgrade the RO comes on when the resovoir is almost empty and the lower float drops, but wont turn off again until it hits the top float and the resovoir is full.

 

[liquidlunch]

I having been using this one for 9 months now w/ zero problems. I did wire in an additional $6 float for a failsafe. Just plug in your pump into the box and it is activated by the float.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Electronic-Pump...83QQihZ014QQcategoryZ3212QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[scooters reef]

liquidlunch, that looks like something that would work in his sump itself for top-off, but not for the resovoir. It would still try to refill every time a little water was used. The idea is to almost drain the whole resovoir before the RO turns on to refill it and then continue running until it has completely refilled. That float would try to maintain a continously stable water level instead.