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Home > Archive > Alternative Power sources > July 2005 > Water low, switch help, please
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Water low, switch help, please
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| I can't do that Dave 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| Hi,
I am just putting in a pressure system to the garage so Momma can
finally go buy a washing machine. <g> It will run from 110v, either our
inverter, wind/sun-willing or the generator.
The pump manual is emphatic about not running dry.
The only low level switches I have found are in the $160 range. Hell
this thing is unlikely to ever get to turn off as the water supply is
almost 100% guaranteed, so $160 at the bottom of the tank and never
used seems steep for me.
Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
stuff will not be a problem.
Thanks in advance
Dave
| |
| Harry Chickpea 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| "I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
>Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
>a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
>it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
>dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
>stuff will not be a problem.
Why go thru the top at all? Use a microswitch, a springor
counterwieght, and enough tubing at the top to allow for a small
amount of weight deflection, and weigh the tank.
| |
| wmbjk 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| On 9 Jul 2005 15:54:11 -0700, "I can't do that Dave"
<davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
>Hi,
>
>I am just putting in a pressure system to the garage so Momma can
>finally go buy a washing machine. <g> It will run from 110v, either our
>inverter, wind/sun-willing or the generator.
>
>The pump manual is emphatic about not running dry.
>
>The only low level switches I have found are in the $160 range. Hell
>this thing is unlikely to ever get to turn off as the water supply is
>almost 100% guaranteed, so $160 at the bottom of the tank and never
>used seems steep for me.
>
>Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
>a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
>it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
>dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
>stuff will not be a problem.
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>Dave
A standard float switch (about $25), switching a $10 contactor
supplying power to the washer, should do nicely. You'd want a float
with contacts that open when the float drops, as opposed to the more
common version which has contacts that close when the float drops.
Although the operation of either can be reversed by doubling the float
back onto its lead and tying it in that position.
Easiest installation method is probably like this - bore a hole
through the access cap. Attach a J box using a 1/2" pvc threaded
adaptor through the hole. Attach a piece of 1/2" pvc conduit to the
adaptor so that the conduit ends perhaps 12" from the bottom of the
tank. Thread the float lead up through the conduit, and into the J
box. Inside the box, tie a knot in the lead to adjust the float height
so that its contacts will open when the tank is nearly empty. Make
connections in the box to go the contactor, which can be mounted
anywhere convenient. Leave enough slack in all the wiring so that you
can lift off the cap including the float and conduit, so that you can
manipulate the float by hand to test operation. Add a switch if you
want to eliminate idle power draw when the washer isn't running. But
you won't need that feature if the whole thing is generator powered.
If you'll be having a separate pressure switch controlling the
pressure pump, you might want to use one with a "low water cutoff"
lever, to protect the pump from running dry. These cost about $2 more
than the standard ones. They work by opening the contacts if the
pressure drops too far when the pump can't keep up with demand (such
as when the storage tank runs dry). The contacts can only be re closed
by holding up the lever until pressure climbs past the trip point. You
could power the pressure pump through the same system as the washer
instead, but then you'd have power being wasted by the contactor full
time.
Wayne
| |
| Bill Kaszeta / Photovoltaic Resources 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| On 9 Jul 2005 15:54:11 -0700, "I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
>Hi,
>
>I am just putting in a pressure system to the garage so Momma can
>finally go buy a washing machine. <g> It will run from 110v, either our
>inverter, wind/sun-willing or the generator.
>
>The pump manual is emphatic about not running dry.
>
>The only low level switches I have found are in the $160 range. Hell
>this thing is unlikely to ever get to turn off as the water supply is
>almost 100% guaranteed, so $160 at the bottom of the tank and never
>used seems steep for me.
>
>Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
>a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
>it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
>dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
>stuff will not be a problem.
>
>Thanks in advance
Try one of those level sensor switches used in washing machines.
You may need a relay because they open the circuit to the fill solenoid
when the washing machine is filled to the desired level. Sensitive
to a few inches of water. Available as replacement parts or used.
quote:
>
>Dave
>
Bill Kaszeta
Photovoltaic Resources Int'l
Tempe Arizona USA
bill@pvri-removethis.biz
| |
| Bruce in Alaska 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| In article <1120949651.074721.114310@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
"I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
> Hi,
>
> I am just putting in a pressure system to the garage so Momma can
> finally go buy a washing machine. <g> It will run from 110v, either our
> inverter, wind/sun-willing or the generator.
>
> The pump manual is emphatic about not running dry.
>
> The only low level switches I have found are in the $160 range. Hell
> this thing is unlikely to ever get to turn off as the water supply is
> almost 100% guaranteed, so $160 at the bottom of the tank and never
> used seems steep for me.
>
> Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
> a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
> it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
> dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
> stuff will not be a problem.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Dave
>
check DanKoff Solars site for a setup like your looking for.....
--
add a <2> before @
| |
| William P. N. Smith 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| "I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
>Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch?
http://omega.com/ has more level switches than you can shake a stick
at, in lots of price ranges and formats. Also, your local boat store
might have a bilge pump float switch that might work.
| |
| Ecnerwal 2005-07-09, 11:25 pm |
| In article <1120949651.074721.114310@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
"I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
> Hi,
>
> I am just putting in a pressure system to the garage so Momma can
> finally go buy a washing machine. <g> It will run from 110v, either our
> inverter, wind/sun-willing or the generator.
>
> The pump manual is emphatic about not running dry.
>
> The only low level switches I have found are in the $160 range. Hell
> this thing is unlikely to ever get to turn off as the water supply is
> almost 100% guaranteed, so $160 at the bottom of the tank and never
> used seems steep for me.
>
> Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
> a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
> it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
> dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
> stuff will not be a problem.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Dave
For free you can find a dead sump pump and scavenge it's float-ball
switch. For a good deal less than $160 you can buy the whole thing new
and scavenge the switch. For (probably) less money than that you can
cobble something up with a switch and a float...
| |
| Nick Hull 2005-07-10, 4:25 am |
| In article <1120949651.074721.114310@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
"I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
quote:
> Anyone got a neat idea for a low cost low level switch? The water is in
> a 4' diameter round tank laying on it's side and I cannot put holes in
> it to weld in a fitting so the sensor will have to come through the 4"
> dia. access hole at the top. I have a small machine shop so making
> stuff will not be a problem.
I use a bilge pump switch, a tilting float with a mercury switch inside,
in serioes with my 240 vac submersible pump. It's worked for 25 years.
--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/
| |
| Martin Riddle 2005-07-10, 4:25 am |
| I thrid the Bilge float switch. About $25 and buildt to take salt water abuse. Normall off and small enough to fit thru the 4"
opening.
http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Rule+Super+Switch.html
Cheers
"Nick Hull" <nhull@access4less.net> wrote in message news:nhull-8CBDDC.21523309072005@news1.east.earthlink.net...
quote:
> In article <1120949651.074721.114310@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> "I can't do that Dave" <davenpete@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I use a bilge pump switch, a tilting float with a mercury switch inside,
> in serioes with my 240 vac submersible pump. It's worked for 25 years.
>
> --
> Free men own guns, slaves don't
> www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/
| |
| Landline 2005-07-10, 12:25 pm |
| Use a loss of prime switch which will switch off the pump if it pumps the
tank dry or if it loses prime. Covers both accounts and they are cheap.
"Martin Riddle" <martinriddle@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FU%ze.406$%b4.199@trndny08...
quote:
>I thrid the Bilge float switch. About $25 and buildt to take salt water
>abuse. Normall off and small enough to fit thru the 4"
> opening.
> http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Rule+Super+Switch.html
>
> Cheers
| |
| I can't do that Dave 2005-07-24, 9:05 pm |
| Thanks Martin and to all else who replied. Much appreciated.
Sorry about the delay getting back to you all, been busier than a
one-armed wallpaper hanger.
Dave
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