JBJ autotop off question

[kelleyga36]

I have a JBJ topoff system that has worked great up till today and I am not sure why. It feeds water from a 5 gallon container into my sump via a maxjet 600 pump. Sometime today it pumped the entire contents of the topoff container into my sump.Why? The float switches are clean and move freely.I believe I read somewhere that there is a internal timer on the controler that is only supposed to allow it to run for a specific time frame.Is this true?

 

[derek_s]

There is a timer, unless you have an earlier/later model than I do. But I think it only disables the pump for a short while, then restarts.

I'd say that it was likely that the float got stuck, since that is the most likely thing.

I would play around with it and see if you can replicate the accident. Also check the sump for any stray snails!

 

[kelleyga36]

I have tried to duplicate it but I can't. The floats seem completely free.

 

[derek_s]

Snail? Urchin?

Any equipment that might hold water (skimmer, reactors) that might have overfilled? Anything in the overflows that may have temporarily blocked a drain and lowered teh sump level?

If none of those I'm out

 

[kelleyga36]

No snails or urchins. Float switches are in the return pump chamber in my sump. I have no reactors and my MRC skimmer is as reliable as you can get.Should I switch to a slower pump so the timer would have time to shut it off?The maxjet only runs typically 30 seconds or so during a refill.

 

[derek_s]

Maybe. You may have to run some tests and see how long it will run before timing out.

I believe you can open the cover and there is a knob to adjust this to a rate that works for you.

 

[kelleyga36]

Well I did open the back and I see what I believe is the timer. It has 5 min next to it. I have moved it from one extreme to the other with no apparent effect. There is also a little switch in there labeled on-off. It is currently in
the off position . Any idea what that is for?
Thanks
Kevin Kelley

 

[derek_s]

I think there is a piezo buzzer that is in there that alarms when the ato is on. That switch may turn it off and on, but I'm not sure.

You may have to contact jbj on instructions on how to adjust the timer. I looked in my manual a while back and couldnt find he info.

Or if you are up to it, weed through RC. Maybe even a google serch may yield some info.

 

[kelleyga36]

Thanks for the input Derek . I have been looking thru my manual and it doesnt talk about the timer . So I guess I will do a little more research. It didn't harm anything. I just don't want it to happen again.
thanks