A quick write up here for the ATO I installed. I used http://www.aquahub.com/store/diygaquarium.html">http://www.aquahub.com/store/diygaquarium.html</a> as a reference so all credit goes to this site. *** If you don’t have most of these items it would be cheaper to get the kit from Aquahub.com!!!
I decided I did not want to manually add water daily and I wanted to have the SG stay the same instead of increasing when the water evaporated. I’m still not finished completely but you can get the general idea. I used some parts from around the house and others were purchased from various vendors. I made the acrylic float switch hanger to low. So I will have to adjust this later. I had to raise the level to reduce the micro bubbles.
This do-it-yourself project which involves household 120 volt electricity, which, if mishandled can cause shock or death by electrocution. If you are not comfortable working with electricity, do not assemble this kit. Proceed at your own risk
Parts obtained:
92 gph pump from Harbor Freight
Vinyl tubing to fit your pump
Computer power cord.
Float 50195K94 Low-Amp Switches with Slosh Guard [IMG]http://www.mcmaster.com/">http://www.mcmaster.com/</a>
Relay 1YDD5 12v dc coil /15amp 120v ac contacts SPDT from [IMG]http://www.grainger.com">http://www.grainger.com</a>
Relay base 4DG59 from [IMG]http://www.grainger.com">http://www.grainger.com</a>
Receptacle
Outside single gang box w/ cover
14 gauge stranded wire
Grey wire nuts
12v dc supply (car battery)
I have this all hooked up in temp mode but the above link will show you what you need to know. I also have it plugged into a GFIC receptacle.
In short I have my camping battery supplying the 12v’s until I get a transformer. I cut the female end of the computer supply cord off. My pump only draws .07 amps so make sure that your supply cord is big enough to handle your pump. I wired the green (ground) and white (neutral) to the receptacle. The black (hot or load) wire goes to the relay then a black wire goes from the relay #4&6 to the receptacle. This is your AC circuit.
Take the 2 wire from your 12v supply and put one the coil part of the relay and one goes to your float. Then take a jumper wire from the float to the other coil terminal #7&8. You can add a second float to turn off the pump if the water level gets too high. So you would have the low float in the normally open N/O and the second float in the normally closed N/C.
What happens is this. The water level is good system is off. The water level drops and the float goes down with the evaporation. The float will send current to the relay which turns on the receptacle and in turn turns the pump on. When the water level rises the float will rise. This will cause the relay to turn off. If over time the float sticks in the down position this could leave the pump on and the level rise higher than it should. Then the never used float set in the N/C position with rise and open. This will open the circuit and turn the power off to the pump.
The pump I got is too small. I only paid 7.00 for it. They have a 158gph pump for 18.00. I would suggest running the tube from the pump higher than you need it. This does 2 things. First it won’t allow you to siphon if the RO/DI supply and sump are on the same level. Second the longer the hose is after the hanger means more pumped water. This means the water placed in your system will be more than the float would allow. This float only moves about 1/8” to cycle the switch. So and extra 1’ to 2’ of tubing is not much. I put the hose in the intake side so it would have to go thru the baffles and mixed with the SW before it goes to the take and it adds to the water height because the float is in the return pump area.
[IMG]http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc225/propane4x4/fish%20tank%20build/1006011836.jpg alt="" />
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I decided I did not want to manually add water daily and I wanted to have the SG stay the same instead of increasing when the water evaporated. I’m still not finished completely but you can get the general idea. I used some parts from around the house and others were purchased from various vendors. I made the acrylic float switch hanger to low. So I will have to adjust this later. I had to raise the level to reduce the micro bubbles.
This do-it-yourself project which involves household 120 volt electricity, which, if mishandled can cause shock or death by electrocution. If you are not comfortable working with electricity, do not assemble this kit. Proceed at your own risk
Parts obtained:
92 gph pump from Harbor Freight
Vinyl tubing to fit your pump
Computer power cord.
Float 50195K94 Low-Amp Switches with Slosh Guard [IMG]http://www.mcmaster.com/">http://www.mcmaster.com/</a>
Relay 1YDD5 12v dc coil /15amp 120v ac contacts SPDT from [IMG]http://www.grainger.com">http://www.grainger.com</a>
Relay base 4DG59 from [IMG]http://www.grainger.com">http://www.grainger.com</a>
Receptacle
Outside single gang box w/ cover
14 gauge stranded wire
Grey wire nuts
12v dc supply (car battery)
I have this all hooked up in temp mode but the above link will show you what you need to know. I also have it plugged into a GFIC receptacle.
In short I have my camping battery supplying the 12v’s until I get a transformer. I cut the female end of the computer supply cord off. My pump only draws .07 amps so make sure that your supply cord is big enough to handle your pump. I wired the green (ground) and white (neutral) to the receptacle. The black (hot or load) wire goes to the relay then a black wire goes from the relay #4&6 to the receptacle. This is your AC circuit.
Take the 2 wire from your 12v supply and put one the coil part of the relay and one goes to your float. Then take a jumper wire from the float to the other coil terminal #7&8. You can add a second float to turn off the pump if the water level gets too high. So you would have the low float in the normally open N/O and the second float in the normally closed N/C.
What happens is this. The water level is good system is off. The water level drops and the float goes down with the evaporation. The float will send current to the relay which turns on the receptacle and in turn turns the pump on. When the water level rises the float will rise. This will cause the relay to turn off. If over time the float sticks in the down position this could leave the pump on and the level rise higher than it should. Then the never used float set in the N/C position with rise and open. This will open the circuit and turn the power off to the pump.
The pump I got is too small. I only paid 7.00 for it. They have a 158gph pump for 18.00. I would suggest running the tube from the pump higher than you need it. This does 2 things. First it won’t allow you to siphon if the RO/DI supply and sump are on the same level. Second the longer the hose is after the hanger means more pumped water. This means the water placed in your system will be more than the float would allow. This float only moves about 1/8” to cycle the switch. So and extra 1’ to 2’ of tubing is not much. I put the hose in the intake side so it would have to go thru the baffles and mixed with the SW before it goes to the take and it adds to the water height because the float is in the return pump area.
[IMG]http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc225/propane4x4/fish%20tank%20build/1006011836.jpg alt="" />
