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shinny
03/25/2006, 05:37 PM
my auto top off float switch seems to turn on and off quite a bit. I just hooked it up so I am trying to figure how well it is going to work. The float only has to "travel" a .25 of an inch to turn on and off. I don't know if I want it running that much. Anybody have this problem? Thanks

hopper
03/25/2006, 06:38 PM
I wouldn't worry about it only traveling a quarter of an inch. This will keep your water salinity stable by not having to add too much make up water at one time.

shinny
03/25/2006, 07:24 PM
yea, you are probably right. Now I am having trouble with the powerhead I am using to pump the water. It seems to be losing pressure when it is not running. I did modify it by siliconing .25 inch tubing to it so maybe it is leaking. I don't know. I think it needs a little fine tuning.

shinny
03/25/2006, 07:48 PM
Now I seem to have shorted out my relay if that is possible. Maybe I fried it I don't know. How frustrating.

BeanAnimal
03/25/2006, 10:39 PM
You really need to look into a latching relay setup using 2 floats. One float latches the circuit, the other turns it off.

This will keep the relay from "chattering" and turning your powerhead on and off constantly. This is bad for the reley and horrible for the pump.

Reefugee
03/26/2006, 06:17 AM
Bean -

What is a latching relay? How would you set one up?

Thanks
Minh

shinny
03/26/2006, 09:19 AM
yea I would like to know also. I think I allready fried the relay if that is possible. It does not seem to work now and I know that power is going to it.

FuzzyLogic
03/26/2006, 09:52 AM
This is a schematic that Bean made. It is a latching circuit. Obviously, the throw of the float switches and the water level in the sump has been exaggerated for demonstration purposes.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b285/fingers407/latchcircuit.gif