The CRAZY Project!

HIGH AND LOW WATER LEVEL SUB SYSTEM

The photos posted throughout this thread show the various float switch locations. Including two (you only see one in the photo) next to the Durso stand pipe and two toward the bottom of the sump (directly underneath the switch that calls for more water to be added.) These four float switches control the entire system.

This is the most complex system as it incorporates a multitude of components. A separate timer card, the latching relay in the middle of the board, another relay card to isolate the two outlets on the exterior of the enclosure, the reset switch, and the manual overrides.

I have to admit that I added some complexity here for specific functionality that I wanted such as the ability to override each outlet independent of the other.

So here's the run down. The timer cards can be triggered by either the application of voltage as with the ATO card or the removal of voltage. The removal of voltage is how this card works in conjunction with the switches. The switches are in a normally closed state and pass a continuous voltage to the card. If any one of the four switches is tripped, the power drops to the trigger on the card. The card will then energize for just a second or two and trip the latching relay. The latching relay then drops power to EVERYTHING in the system. The exceptions being the reset button is activated (for lack of a better term) and of course our H/L timer card.

The latching relay is important because I didn't want the system to reset in the event there was a brown out which is extremely common where I live. Can you imagine that your system just shut down because a snail plugged your stand pipe, there's brown out and your pump starts again?!?!?! Bad news. Anyway you get the idea here. Once the latching relay is tripped, someone has to press the reset button to trip the latching relay back to what I have wired to be the "normal state".
 
STATUS LIGHT SUB SYSTEM

Ok...ok...I can't argue here. The lights just make things look cool...but I attempted to make them functional. For the most part I succeeded.

There are two bi-color LEDs toward the top of the enclosure. The left one is for the ATO and right one is for the overall system status. If the two floats tied to the ATO indicate that the ATO added too much water and power is dropped to the card the left LED will go from amber to red. If either a high or low level condition is experienced and the latching relay is tripped, the LED on the right will go from green to red (the left LED will go out completely.)

Each of the override switches is lit non-stop. Any switch would have worked for this, but I thought lit switches would add to the WOW factor when my friends come over. Plus, their easier to see in low light.

The two blue LEDs are where I still have some work to do. The intention was to have each LED wired separately to each solenoid valve. This would indicate that the valve was working and voltage was being passed through. Unfortunately, this did not work as expected, so I'll have to find a solution to this later. So for now I have them wired to light when ever the solenoid valves are open.
 
You got it!

kcress said:
Looks good! Makes sense, backups all around on your house flooder.
Click to expand...
You got it. You can purchase PLC systems like Aquacontrollers and such but to get the same basic functions would have cost close to $1000 (would've been cool to have...don't get me wrong). I built this for half that. Obviously if you had more room and could use a seperate container, a retail $175 unit would have fit the bill real nice. :grinyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom