Auto Top Off Delay?

[Vicki]

My sump works great! Water comes in from the tank and is pumped back to the tank just as it's supposed to. My Auto Top Off works great too! EXCEPT when there is a power failure. I have a JBJ ATO with one float in the RO resorvoir water and the other float in the sump.

After a power failure when all of the water has drained into the sump from the tank, I have about 1" of space left. When power comes back on, the pump starts pumping water back to the tank. By the time water starts draining back into the sump, the water level is below the switch in the sump, so the ATO *thinks* it needs to add water and so it does.

IF the power were to go off again shortly after it has just come back on, my sump would then overflow. This could go on and on until the resorvoir was empty (and it's 30 gallons when full).

I've fiddled with this for hours trying to adjust the flow of both the incoming and outgoing water with valves to correct this without success.

If I could somehow delay the ATO startup after a power failure, this should solve the problem.

Does anyone know of such a device I could just plug the pump attached to the ATO into or have other suggestions?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Vicki

 

[auqua man]

Would a timer work???

 

[DonW]

If i'm reading this right. It takes a few minutes for your sump to stabilize after a power outage. What pump are you using for the ato?

Don

 

[Vicki]

I don't think a timer would work because it would just restart in the position it was in when the power went off. If it was was one minute away from turning on, my sump would still overflow.

Thanks for the idea though.

Vicki

 

[DonW]

You basicly have two choices. A delay timer that prevents ato start-up for a period of time or a much smaller ato pump.

Don

 

[Vicki]

Yes, Don, that's exactly the problem! You just said it in a few words when I couldn't.

I'm using a small maxijet (I think it's a 400) in the resorvoir to pump the RO water into the sump.

Vicki

 

[Vicki]

Where can I find a delay timer?

THANKS!
Vicki

 

[DonW]

Yes, Don, that's exactly the problem! You just said it in a few words when I couldn't.

I'm using a small maxijet (I think it's a 400) in the resorvoir to pump the RO water into the sump.

Vicki

A mj is IMO way to much for a ato. I'd switch to a aqualifter. This way it will still begin filling early but it wont put much mor than a extra cup or so in the sump.
Other wise I'd build a start-up delay type module.

Don

 

[DonW]

Where can I find a delay timer?

THANKS!
Vicki

Do you feel comfortable working with electricity and wiring relays? If so I've got just the thing, otherwise I can build it for you.

Don

 

[Vicki]

Do you feel comfortable working with electricity and wiring relays? If so I've got just the thing, otherwise I can build it for you.

Don

I don't mind working with electrical stuff as long as it's not plugged in and going to shock me. I'd certainly be willing to give it a try to solve this problem.

THANKS!
Vicki

 

[DonW]

Get yourself a elk 960. It will come with everything set the way you need. Mount it in a radioshack box. Connect your pump to the nc contacts. On power up the relay will go NO for the amount of time you set 1-60 minutes. Simple

Don

 

[Vicki]

Get yourself a elk 960. It will come with everything set the way you need. Mount it in a radioshack box. Connect your pump to the nc contacts. On power up the relay will go NO for the amount of time you set 1-60 minutes. Simple

Don

Simple?

Where can I get an Elk 960 locally? I did see them on the Internet, so could order from there. What is an "nc" contact? Do I just cut the plug-in off the pump and connect to the nc contacts? How do I get the Elk 960 plugged in to the ATO?

Thanks again,
Vicki

 

[DonW]

One of my threads might help. None are local.

Don

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19975&highlight=feeding+timer

 

[DonW]

The big black cord in the pics would be your pump cord. You omit the floats. Hook up 12vdc. So when the power goes out the 12dc goes away. When it comes back the timer starts.

Don

 

[Vicki]

One of my threads might help. None are local.

Don

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19975&highlight=feeding+timer

That's just GREAT! Looks like I may be able to figure it out since your thread even has pictures!

Do I cut into the pumps cord and wire it to the Elk? Plug the pump's plug into the ATO and wire a converter to the ELK and plug the converter into any power outlet? Or, do I leave the pump unplugged and plug the DC converter into the ATO?


Thanks so much!
Vicki

 

[DonW]

That's just GREAT! Looks like I may be able to figure it out since your thread even has pictures!

Do I cut into the pumps cord and wire it to the Elk? Plug the pump's plug into the ATO and wire a converter to the ELK and plug the converter into any power outlet? Or, do I leave the pump unplugged and plug the DC converter into the ATO?


Thanks so much!
Vicki

Leave the ato as is. Cut into the pumps cord ( as in the photos) or wire in a male and femaile cord end, I'd just cut into the pump cord. The 12vdc transformer just gets wired to the elk 960 and plugged into any outlet.

Don

 

[Vicki]

Okay, I think I've got it. Now just gotta order all the stuff and get busy.

Thanks so much Don for all your help!

Vicki

 

[Vicki]

Got all the parts sitting in front of me.
I've managed to get the wall wart plugged into the ELK and it actually works when I plug it in.

I just cut open my pump's cord, and in your picture in the other thread, you ended up with a Green, White and Black inside cords and cut into the black one.

On my cord when I cut into it, I have a peach, green with yellow stripe and a blue inside cords. Which do I cut into and insert into the ELK?

Also, on jumpers 2 and 3..... which position do I want them in?

Thanks!
Vicki

 

[Vicki]

Okay, I think I've got it figured out. Either it was the Blue wire that should be cut, or it didn't matter which of the three was cut! Got that part working now.

I mounted it in the little plastic box it came in. Kinda cute!

As to the jumpers:

I have the Sec/Min set to minutes since I don't want this device coming on for an hour after the power is back on. OH, and the little white wheel is all the way counter clockwise.

Jumper Repeat/1-Shot is set to 1-shot since I only want this to work once after every power failure.

Jumper End/Begin is set to End.

Jumper -/+ is set to +.

Jumper Trigger Mode is set to B.

Do I have all those set correctly?

Thanks,
Vicki

 

[DonW]

Got all the parts sitting in front of me.
I've managed to get the wall wart plugged into the ELK and it actually works when I plug it in.

I just cut open my pump's cord, and in your picture in the other thread, you ended up with a Green, White and Black inside cords and cut into the black one.

On my cord when I cut into it, I have a peach, green with yellow stripe and a blue inside cords. Which do I cut into and insert into the ELK?

Also, on jumpers 2 and 3..... which position do I want them in?

Thanks!
Vicki

Well thats nice. Probably going to be the blue one. Jp2 goes in one shot mode. Jp3 in begin mode.
The relay is going to turn on when your jbj sends power to the pump. When the time expires it turns off the relay giving power to the pump. When the jbj turns off it turns the pump off.
Make sure the jbj is powering the board and pump.
Make Sense?

Don