Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.
I need a sensor to stop overflow of tank and waste
When electronic float switches stick the refill water to the tank keeps on running and going out the overflow. As we do monthly maintenance at properties we may not see this so it could run up thousand dollar water bills. I need some sort of device in the overflow to either warn the owner or shut off the water and prevent waste. It is better to have a dry garden than a huge water bill. Any ideas? The overflow only really comes into play if we are experiencing really bad weather.
julieblades
Blades Irrigation Services
101 Durants Green
Christ Church
Barbados
How often do the float switches stick? Seems you could come up with something reliable. Maybe a redundant setup with more than one float switch per tank.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Wet_Boots</i>
<br />How often do the float switches stick? Seems you could come up with something reliable. Maybe a redundant setup with more than one float switch per tank.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
We have taken on a large development of upscale houses. A lot of the equipment is really old and not trustworthy. I am slowly replacing obsolete toilet tank type equipmentin the tanks with electronic floats and solenoids. We seem to have been sent a batch of float switches that are not too reliable but it is hard to tell which ones they are so I am looking for a fail safe method where I have a back up switch of some sort. Water is very expensive here so wastage is not an option. Thank you for your input.
Blades Irrigation Services
101 Durants Green
Christ Church
Barbados
If you have an overflow pipe, you can send the flow into another small tank, with its own (different kind, of course) float switch, and give the small tank an overflow into another tank/switch. Be as redundant as you wish, and certainly, inform the manufacturer of the problem float switches that their poor product is costing you big money.
Thank you for you input Wet Boots. After some research I have decided to try out a mercury float and put a Y strainer upstream of everything to prevent any little rocks from sticking the solenoid open. Our public water company here is a little slack on repairs and rocks are often found in pipes after they have been fixing leaks. Have you had any experience with mercury float switches? I am told that they are very reliable.
Blades Irrigation Services
101 Durants Green
Christ Church
Barbados
Mercury switches have been around for a very long time. As for strainers, if the water is going to feed any solenoid valves, you want at least 80 mesh straining. A standard Y strainer will probably have a 20 mesh screen. Of course, the strainers become another maintenance item, depending on how much debris they trap.
Grainger sells a float switch I have used for pond applications. Runs around $14 from their catalog. I think they have online purchasing and shipping. This float operates a micro switch. It can be set to open or close depending on the orientation of the float. The switches base is 1/2" pipe thread with wires extending out through the threads.
Over Educated
Overpriced
Glorified Ditch digger!
but still a bargain
and I never say "I told you so"
SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers »
Help with Troubleshooting / Service / Repair »
Controllers, Sensors, & Remotes »
