phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 So i tried to attach my auto top off to my ACjr and once the water level went up to the float switch it didnt turn off. Anyone know if float switches work with the ACjr and if so whats the programing look like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 which ato are you using? I'm not quite understanding, if it's something like what is from ATO .com the module the float switch is hooked up to is what controls the ATO. I think you can just find a float switch that will plug into the AC it's self but I don't have one so I don't know for sure, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 Its just a (DIY topoff) single float switch attached to a power cord. To my knowledge there is no input on the Jr for a float switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Its just a (DIY topoff) single float switch attached to a power cord. To my knowledge there is no input on the Jr for a float switch you can wire it up to work on the serial input but im not really sure how. ctenophore is well-versed in AC manipulation. I just go with a timer and use the OSC function to do about 5 minutes of running every 2 or 3 hours using a aqualifter (2.5 gph flow rate) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 i programmed it for 5 min once a day but when the water level reaches the float switch it should turn off. I didnt turn off for me using it on the controller. I dont know if programming the other way that your talking about would make a difference or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rioreef September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 You mentioned the float switch is plugged directly into the AC Jr. Is this directly? What is the float switch controlling, a solenoid? You mentioned it did not turn off, are you refering to a solenoid? Just looking for info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 (edited) Sorry about the confusion. Its a power cord and in the middle of the cord i spliced and attached a float switch. Then i have a small pump (sitting in a RO storage container) plugged into it. I plugged the power cord into the DC8 and the float switch didnt turn off the power to the pump once the water reaches the float switch like it should. It doesnt turn of until the timer cuts it off. Edited September 8, 2008 by phisigs79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Can you post a pic of your ATO? I'm assuming you have the ATO power cord plugged into a DC4 or DC8. Re: serial port float switch. Yes, this is very easy, especially with a Breakout Box. You plug the breakout box into your AC serial input plug. Then you put the float switch wires into the ground and I-1 pegs on the breakout box. The relevant code looks like this: If Switch1 CLOSED Then KLK ON If Switch1 OPEN Then KLK OFF If pH > 08.45 Then KLK OFF Max Change 060 M Then KLK OFF You need to experiment with your switch to see whether "open" or "closed" corresponds to up or down. Either way works, it's just a simple on/off toggle. I drip kalk with my topoff water, so I have my pump controlled by pH as well as float switch. That prevents overdoses in case I take out too much water and forget to turn off the topoff pump. The Max Change statement prevents the pump from switching on and off if the float switch is bumped by waves. This says that if it gets kicked on and then off, the next time it can come on is 60 min later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 Yes the power cord is plugged into the DC8. Its a simple up and down float switch spliced into a regular old extension cord. Isnt the breaker box only good on a AC3? I have a AC jr and want to do exactly what you are doing with yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Yes the power cord is plugged into the DC8. Its a simple up and down float switch spliced into a regular old extension cord. Isnt the breaker box only good on a AC3? I have a AC jr and want to do exactly what you are doing with yours. I think only the ACjr with the serial port option has a minidin-8 port where you can connect a breakout box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Yes the power cord is plugged into the DC8. Its a simple up and down float switch spliced into a regular old extension cord. Isnt the breaker box only good on a AC3? I have a AC jr and want to do exactly what you are doing with yours. Sounds like you don't have the float switch set up to break the circuit. If you have the AC Jr. set up to turn on the outlet for 5 mins a day - that should send power to the float switch ONLY. Then, if the float switch is down (water level is low enough), that should connect the leads to run the pump. Then, when there is enough water the float switch should break the circuit - regardless of whether the AC Jr. has turned off the outlet. Of course, the pump will only run for a maximum period of 5 mins as it's programmed regardless of water level - i.e. if the pump doesn't pump enough water to trigger the float switch in 5 mins, the pump will not run for more than 5 mins. So basically, the float switch should be configured as a decision point - to pass power to the pump? or not? Make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 Is there a cheap and easy DIY version of the breakout box? I have the serial port option on my AC jr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 (edited) Is there a cheap and easy DIY version of the breakout box? I have the serial port option on my AC jr Not that I know of. Look at my last post - I think you're just wired wrong. components should be in series and i think you're wired in parallel. Edited September 8, 2008 by Brian Ward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 That makes sense to me but it doesnt work on the AC jr for some reason. Thought i heard of someone having the same issue as well. All i know is i tested it and the float was up and the pump was still on. I retested it of the AC jr and it worked fine. I was pretty confused on how this could happen. I need to check my float switch tonight and verify that it didnt get stuck open The way i wired it was to cut the positive wire on the extension cord and hook each end of the extension cord to the float switch. This not right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 That makes sense to me but it doesnt work on the AC jr for some reason. Thought i heard of someone having the same issue as well. All i know is i tested it and the float was up and the pump was still on. I retested it of the AC jr and it worked fine. I was pretty confused on how this could happen. I need to check my float switch tonight and verify that it didnt get stuck open The way i wired it was to cut the positive wire on the extension cord and hook each end of the extension cord to the float switch. This not right? I don't know what the terminals of your switch look like, but you should come out of the DC8 and connect black and white wires to the input power side of the float switch. Then, connet the output (switched) terminals to the pump. Do you know the brand or part number of the switch so I can look it up and see the configuration? Some of the ones I just looked up seem to only have 2 leads to the switch. If this is your case, then you will break either the black or white to split the circuit. So ... you have the cord coming from the pump, cut 1 of the wires in the cord (not the common ground if you have a ground - white or black if you have colored wires) and splice the float switch into the cut line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Chris, I have experienced exactly what you're talking about. I was trying to let some water evaporate to let me salinity raise a couple points, so I turned off my ATO with my ACII. So I thought. My ACIII website said my ATO was OFF, and I confirmed it on the unit, but the Tom's aqualifter pumps was still going. I have a dual top off pump. This exact unit: http://www.autotopoff.com/products/DS1/index.htm This is plugged into the ACIII, and the aqualifter pump is plugged into the ATO. I thought the water might have been being fed by gravity, but after touching the aqualifter pump, it was vibrating and definitely on, even though the ACIII said it was supposed to be off. I ended up unplugging the ATO so the water could evaporate with getting topped off. I've run into this problem twice. I don't know if the power is so minimal for the aqualifter pump, and the ACIII doesn't register it or something. The pump still cuts off when the float switch gets high enough, so I'm not really worried. Its just weird that the ACIII says that its off, but its really not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Chris, I have experienced exactly what you're talking about. I was trying to let some water evaporate to let me salinity raise a couple points, so I turned off my ATO with my ACII. So I thought. My ACIII website said my ATO was OFF, and I confirmed it on the unit, but the Tom's aqualifter pumps was still going. I have a dual top off pump. This exact unit:http://www.autotopoff.com/products/DS1/index.htm This is plugged into the ACIII, and the aqualifter pump is plugged into the ATO. I thought the water might have been being fed by gravity, but after touching the aqualifter pump, it was vibrating and definitely on, even though the ACIII said it was supposed to be off. I ended up unplugging the ATO so the water could evaporate with getting topped off. I've run into this problem twice. I don't know if the power is so minimal for the aqualifter pump, and the ACIII doesn't register it or something. The pump still cuts off when the float switch gets high enough, so I'm not really worried. Its just weird that the ACIII says that its off, but its really not. Plug it into either outlet 4 or 8 on your DC8. I ran into this as well - I dont think the aqualifter responds like a normal resistive load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 Thats how mine is hooked up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Thats how mine is hooked up well crap... looks right to me. read the voltage at the end of your extension cord to see if power is being cut or not. once the float switch breaks the circuit, the pump shouldn't be able to run anymore. use outlet #4 or #8 on the DC8 - there's something different about those outlets. and if the system works when you unplug manually, i'm guessing it's a switching issue in the DC8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 September 8, 2008 Author Share September 8, 2008 ill try plugging it into a plus 4 or 8 and let you know if it works. It very strange that that it doesnt cut it off but i went into it hearing that it didnt work. I thought it was impossible it wouldnt work but sure enough it didnt cut off the power. I was confused but at the same time knew it could happen. Still dont know why this is so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 Plug it into either outlet 4 or 8 on your DC8. I ran into this as well - I dont think the aqualifter responds like a normal resistive load. Thanks man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar September 8, 2008 Share September 8, 2008 I'm pretty sure the AQ is designed to accept an analog input, like whether a switch is open or closed. Then you can write this switch position into your program, and the program will consider the switch position before acting out your commands. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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