What's float switches alternative?

[Green_Lionfish]

Since the float switches has moving parts, and might fail, what's the alternative options for this?

Thanks

 

[DHyslop]

Avast Marine Works makes a pneumatic level switch that uses a barometric sensor connected to a tube in the water. But really anything has components that could fail, so having dissimilar redundancy is a good engineering approach.

 

[shonc182]

...a backup float switch.

 

[kretzkiller]

Tunze osmolstor, but ya, backup/redundancy.

 

[2hands]

Float switch, backup float switch, small pump that cant pump a lot, timer on ATO to limit how long it will stay on. Hole drilled in the sump with a bulk head and tubing that runs out of the house incase all else fails.

ThIs is what I use.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Dual float switches with snail guards! No better anywhere.

 

[kermitbanks]

Is this a FOWLR or a reef tank?

 

[phryan]

You could pull the sonar out of an old polaroid camera and hook it up to a microcontroller, some DIYers use a similar setup for robotics projects. However it is most likely not worth the effort.

Redundancy and control will offer protection.

I have run 2 float switches (1 main 1 backup) on my 120 w/ 100gal basement sump for nearly 10 years, the setup is house water to RODI to tank. I haven't had an issue with a flood and many will say it is too risky, I would do it different if I redid it.

When I setup my BC29 I made it much safer. 2 float switches. Top off water is stored in a container and fed through a 10ml/min dosing pump. An apex controller limits the pump to 1 minute every half hour, so even if both switches were stuck open the amount of water pumped would be minimal. If either float switch stays open for more than 1 hour than an alarm goes off and sends an email/txt. There isn't a catch for the switches getting stuck closed but I'd likely either see the water level drop visually, or see no top-off activity on the Apex.