DIY auto top off!

[Myteemouse]

Ok everyone!
I finnaly did a GOOD thing today (with the help of kgross. thank you)!
Now some of you know I got an JBJ ATO from a deal a while back!
The thing had ALL of the parts and the box and the instructions in it!
Well When I pluged it in! NOTHING!!!
I took it apart and the board had gotten water on it at some time, and was fried!
So I posted here what to do!
kgross PM'ed me and gave me a link on how to wire in a relay and hook it up with parts I already had and a few to get!
So here it goes!
I had the body and guts of the ATO
I took it apart and cut the pump plug from the board, also the plastic plugs for the flaots!
and threw the rest in the trash!

 

[Myteemouse]

All I had to buy was a relay for like 8 buck at radio shack!
And a few wire connectors and a 9 volt ac/dc converter!
total less that $30!
So what I did was cut the end off of the converter and connected both ends the the switch part of the relay!
And just to be sure I pluged in the converter to see what coonection I needed to make (smoky glass but can see threw it) and to make sure it worked!

 

[Myteemouse]

Then I cut striped the ends off of the wires for the plugs from the ATO box for the flaot switches! And attached them in a series type configuration!
float one has A & B
float two has C & D
I cut one of the wires from the converter right by the relay and connected A to the converter and B & C got connected and D got connected to the realy end of the wire from the converter!
Then I took the plug that was in the ATO (the wires when cut from the board are perfect for hooking up the relay) and connected the two pieces of wire (HOT and Common) to the propper two prongs on the relay switch!
Again I knew the right ones because when I pluged it in earlier I saw the open & closed prongs! I wanted to interupt the power with the float switch!
The lap shot was when I was getting ready to test with the float switches before I permanently connected the wires!

 

[Myteemouse]

After I tested it and knew it worked I did a proper connection and also wraped all connections with black electrical tape to protect them!
And then carefully placed all the relay, plug, and dual plugs back in the case from the JBJ ATO!
I ran the converter wires out of the hole from the "mode switch" on the side!And the main power cord still attached from the board from the ATO!
And screwed it back together!

 

[Myteemouse]

Then I hooked it up like any other ATO system!
The three differences fro mthe original ATO
ONE: no lights or signal alarm
TWO: two plugs instead of one ( the connverter it to fire the relay)and the power cord to be "RELAYED"
three: the system only works one way
This can be done with one float but I used two as a back up!
One is lower in the sump for day to day top offs
the other is higher to be a "backup" if the lower one sticks!
(If you wire them A B&C D this will work!)
So there you have it!
I hooked up my pump and ran my hose from a 6 gallon garbage can w/lid and pluged it in!
I hung the flaots from the baffels in the sump because I dont trust suction cups!!!

 

[kgross]

Looks great sir. I love how you reused the JBJ box, I didn't even think of that.

Let us know how that siphon box works to dampen the waves and slow down the switching of the ato.

Kim

 

[Myteemouse]

Thanks my friend!
Gonna think about that one for a while!!
I've been going hard all day so now it's time for a Whisky-7!
And maybe some Wii guitar hero!

 

[dngspot]

My system works like both ways like the auto top off should. It has a latching circuit that will allow the water to drop past the top float and the bottom float, before the pump or solenoid circuit is energized. Then to close that circuit the water must raise above the top float.

Here is the link.
http://wichitaaquariumclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=599&page=2

 

[Myteemouse]

I just used what I had!
I know it's now super fancy like yours but it works great!
I personally don't like the idea of putting a large amount of fresh water in all at once!
I prefer a little at a time so I don't "SHOCK" the system !\
And whats your safety if the top float sticks?!?!

 

[dngspot]

The float valve, seen in the second pic, is my safety. If the circuit fails then the float valve will stop the flow of water.

 

[Myteemouse]

Cool!
I like your set up but Mine was much more basic!!!
When I get the 95 set up I'll prolly do something like what you got!