Anybody make their own float switch?

[stacyt]

I've found a few online specifically for tanks, but I'm thinking they should be relativly easy to make. Going on vacation in a couple of weeks, and would rather rely on a top off system, than the people watching the house. Any suggestions on a specific make/setup that others here are using?

 

[lurch694u]

I know you can buy them for pretty cheap...

 

[offshore80]

Keep in mind that if they hang up open you'll come home to a mess and a freash water tank.

 

[escape2thewater]

offshore, that would truly suck!
- Kyle

 

[donjasper]

Since we're talking DIY - anyone ever try a toilet valve for this sort of thing?

 

[melbournefl]

All things considered, buying one for $16.25 seems the most logical route to me. Made for R/O returns and saltwater safe, you can find them at Aquatic Eco-systems (search google for the link). I have three installed in my system and they are great. One other note, since my R/O system only produces about 35 gallons a day and my sump(s) are about 75 gallons I don't worry about them sticking toooo much, but I do shut them down if I'm going to be away for more than 24 hours and my "house-sitter" won't be around to check.
Good luck,
Paul

 

[stacyt]

MelbourneFL ,
Thanks for pointing me somewhere. Thats a pretty good price. I was trying to find someone that sales just the float switch, and hadn't had much luck. I'll check those out.

 

[starfishjackedme]

If you are worried about one "hanging up", which has never happened to me, you can always run two. One can be inverted to shut off if the water level goes too high, just for back up.
I couldn't imagine the hassel of trying to control salinity manually.

 

[pbuck]

I have enclosed mine in a 1" pvc pipe with a bulkhead strainer on the end. The pipe stands vertically in a chamber in my sump. It works beautifully.

 

[offshore80]

I want one for my 175 but after hearing all the horror stories from my lfs guy about 2 of his customers flooding their homes I'm pretty aprehensive about it. At the moment I just open a valve and let it run into my sump. but it would be nice to have it all automatic.

 

[melbournefl]

hmmmm, well I can see that if you 1) are hooking it straight into a freshwater line, not suggested since you're going to be pumping all sorts of ugliness in with untreated water, or 2) if you're out of town for weeks at a time, not likely unless *somebody* is probably going to be watching after your tank. It really depends on the volume of water your R/O unit produces I guess but, as I mentioned before, since my R/O unit only puts out 35 gallons a day I'm not too worried about it, nothing my 20 gallon wet/dry vac and a couple of fans won't handle if it ever did happen LOL
Good luck whatever you decide,
Paul

 

[stacyt]

Currently I top off my tanks manually. It's just a little bit of work. I add a gallon every morning, and evening to my 240's. My 80 gallon only looses about 1/2 gallon a day. The main reason I decided to do this is that I leave for vacation this coming Saturday, and just didn't want to rely on the people watching the house to have to top off the tanks twice a day. I don't think that I'll get it setup this time before I leave, but I have 2 more long vacations planned over the next 6 months. Hopefully all will go well while I'm away. I don't think that the switch getting stuck would be a problem. I plan on using a 5 gallon storage container, filled with RO water, hooked up to the float switch. The sump/fuge could easily hold 5 gallons without overflowing.

 

[offshore80]

I take a lot of 2 & 3 day fishing trips. My RO unit makes 90 gallons a day with a 10 gallon pressurized holding tank. My main concern is not flooding my house cause I have an over flow tied into my pump out line. But more of a situation where I get home from fishing or work and have had 20-30 gallons of RO water still dumping into my tank killing everything. But that's me. Whatever works for you. Just another thing to consider when hooking one up. It only takes one time.