Seeking suggestions for a DIY ATO.

[Myteemouse]

 

[fishoutofwater]

adam. PERFECT!

 

[DonW]

Nice photo! If you use a tunze replacement pump $20. You can skip the relay and all the wiring mess, and only use one electrical outlet.

Don

 

[tat2z_21]

Would you not need a ground going through the outlets. I am just wondering how the device that will be plugged into the outlets before the switch get the grounds. Just wondering. I see an input wire with neutral or ground entering it. And depending on the relay you will need the full 12vdc, so if using a unregulated wall wart may get you that depending on the load, but if you have a regulated one it will only put out the advertised 9vdc. Just some more things to look at..

 

[tat2z_21]

Awesome design though nice and simple.

 

[DonW]

Would you not need a ground going through the outlets. I am just wondering how the device that will be plugged into the outlets before the switch get the grounds. Just wondering. I see an input wire with neutral or ground entering it. And depending on the relay you will need the full 12vdc, so if using a unregulated wall wart may get you that depending on the load, but if you have a regulated one it will only put out the advertised 9vdc. Just some more things to look at..

The relays draw so little 9v is usually plenty. Most 110v pumps used for this type of application dont use the ground / earth, just hot and neutral. As drawn the switch is switching neutral and should not be done. Eliminate the switch or move it to the same side as the relay to wire it properly.

Here are two diagrams that are fairly easily to follow. Sorry for the slop I cant draw.
http://www.donwacker.com/picsonweb/IMG.jpg

Don

 

[ReefLogic]

this has become a tough decision here. DIY or non-DIY.....I just don't know.

 

[Scooterman]

this has become a tough decision here. DIY or non-DIY.....I just don't know.

it all depends on how big you want to go, simple and cheap, reliable, redundancy etc.
The last one I made, had three floats in the sump and one up top in the main. The one up top was in case water got to high for some reason in the display, it would shut down the main pump for a few minutes then tries again. Then I had two together, one high and one low for top off and the last one was either another high sump or maybe a low low sump to shut the pump off and not burn it up. As you can see you can get crazy with the design and protection. I actually have a float & optical sensor Don made that I never used LOL, I guess that could be another project one day.

 

[ReefLogic]

I want effective and reliable. I have had good luck with my DIY projects but things like this aren't stuff I am comfortable relying on my own hands with. I have also had some bad luck with DIY....I am sure it was my error though. And that is what scares me with this.

 

[DonW]

If you not comfortable playing with electricity then I'd just skip the 110v version. The low voltage version I think you can handle without fear of burning down the house. Of course there is always buying the parts and having someone give you a hand. I dont know where your located but it only takes a few minutes to solder one together.

Don