2 x water containers controlled via float switches when full ?

[Ridgeway]

Like most of us I have an ATU res and a water change res, both have float switches so that the RO system is turned off when they are full however what I cannot figure out is how to set them up in such a way that I can still fill the second container once the first is full.

Ideally I'd like to set this with a safety that forced me to reset a manual switch that would override FS 1 and then allow the Ro to operate.

It's just trying to work out the most logical way to achieve this sort of thing...

[Alain B]

2 selenoid valve are needed and need to be programmed for each reservoir .

[Ridgeway]

Hi Alain,

i can see why these would be needed to control the outlet of the RO to the correct container but my question is more about how to set up the FS with programming so that i can still fill the second container even though the first is already full ? i could only see something like a tempory off and alarm doing this for a fixed period but dont want the ro to come back on unless i manually intervene.

perhaps i missed something in you suggestion with solenoids ?

[Alain B]

I am not very sure i understand your intentions ? Clarify and elaborate PLZ .

[RussM]

Please explain exactly how you have things set up. It's not at all clear.

[Ridgeway]

OK container 1 (water change) with high level float switch.

Container 2 (top up) with high level float switch.

If I set the float switches to turn off the RO system when full then once the first is full then I can't run it again to fill the other.

What type of program could I use to overcome this or perhaps it's more than just programming ?

[zombie]

It will be way easier with two solenoids. You could manually turn a valve to stop fill of one and then start a feed timer or virtual outlet to allow filling the other one, but that will probably be pretty annoying after a while.

[Alain B]

If you had as low level float switch in each , it will be much easier .

[Ridgeway]

It will be way easier with two solenoids. You could manually turn a valve to stop fill of one and then start a feed timer or virtual outlet to allow filling the other one, but that will probably be pretty annoying after a while.

If you had as low level float switch in each , it will be much easier .

Can someone explain the double solenoid method please, I assume it's something like fill container 1, once container 1 is full then close solenoid for container 1 and open solenoid for container 2 = fill container 2 until full. Is it along those lines ?

I have a low level float switch in my RO res and can easily add one in the water change res, how does that method work ?

[Alain B]

In my setup the RODI system is always ON , as i also use RODI also for my coffee machine and ice maker . I have 4 float switches in each reservoir : the lowest and highest ones are there only for alarm purpose ( in case something break havoc ) . I also have two float valves , one in each for extra security .Those will also provide more safety with the ssystem . The others two float switches in each system turn ON or OFF the it's own selenoid valve that will control the refilling of each reservoir .

[Ridgeway]

In my setup the RODI system is always ON , as i also use RODI also for my coffee machine and ice maker . I have 4 float switches in each reservoir : the lowest and highest ones are there only for alarm purpose ( in case something break havoc ) . I also have two float valves , one in each for extra security .Those will also provide more safety with the ssystem . The others two float switches in each system turn ON or OFF the it's own selenoid valve that will control the refilling of each reservoir .

So if your top up tank runs down then this means it is filled dynamically with the fully in-line RO ?

How many times p/day does your RO system get switched on/off ?

I'd loose sleep over water quality if I did that, being paranoid about getting a true zero result for each fill here.

[Alain B]

You mean how many time a day my ro tank for top off refill ?

[RussM]

What these guys are talking about is using two float switches per reservoir; the output of the RODI is Tee-d off to two solenoids, one for each reservoir. In each reservoir, the low switch triggers the solenoid for that reservoir to open. Once the solenoid opens, the Apex is programmed to keep the solenoid open until the reservoir is full - when the upper float raises, the outlet shuts off and the solenoid closes.

[ATO-Fill]
If ATlow CLOSED Then ON
If AThigh OPEN Then OFF


[SW-Fill]
If SWlow CLOSED Then ON
If SWhigh OPEN Then OFF

[Ridgeway]

You mean how many time a day my ro tank for top off refill ?

yes, curious if you have this fully in-line

What these guys are talking about is using two float switches per reservoir; the output of the RODI is Tee-d off to two solenoids, one for each reservoir. In each reservoir, the low switch triggers the solenoid for that reservoir to open. Once the solenoid opens, the Apex is programmed to keep the solenoid open until the reservoir is full - when the upper float raises, the outlet shuts off and the solenoid closes.

[ATO-Fill]
If ATlow CLOSED Then ON
If AThigh OPEN Then OFF


[SW-Fill]
If SWlow CLOSED Then ON
If SWhigh OPEN Then OFF

OK get it and this makes sense. I have enough parts already in stock here to replicate this so a job for the weekend.

Merci beaucoup Alain

et

Thanks Russ

[Alain B]

My ATO reservoir refill about once a week so i dont see a problem there with water quality . My TDS meter always show zero but even then i doubt much it is really a positive zero . Those meter are not really sensitive enough to detect a true zero but it is a thing we have to live with . I have to habit to check my tank water parameters once a week so if something come up i will surely be able to see it soon enough .

[Ridgeway]

My ATO reservoir refill about once a week so i dont see a problem there with water quality . My TDS meter always show zero but even then i doubt much it is really a positive zero . Those meter are not really sensitive enough to detect a true zero but it is a thing we have to live with . I have to habit to check my tank water parameters once a week so if something come up i will surely be able to see it soon enough .

Ah OK it's runs once p/wk, I misunderstood and thought it ran every time to replenish the ATU reservoir i.e. it ran as often as the ATU pump, many many times p/day hence I thought it would impact the output.

Seems a good way to run it as described above and know I understand your early comment about the 2 x solenoids..... glad I have a bag of them around, knew they'd come in useful for something.

Also glad I have spare places remaining on the EB6's

[Ridgeway]

What these guys are talking about is using two float switches per reservoir; the output of the RODI is Tee-d off to two solenoids, one for each reservoir. In each reservoir, the low switch triggers the solenoid for that reservoir to open. Once the solenoid opens, the Apex is programmed to keep the solenoid open until the reservoir is full - when the upper float raises, the outlet shuts off and the solenoid closes.

[ATO-Fill]
If ATlow CLOSED Then ON
If AThigh OPEN Then OFF


[SW-Fill]
If SWlow CLOSED Then ON
If SWhigh OPEN Then OFF

So looking like this (graphics required for Mech Engineers...)

Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 18.21.17.png

[RussM]

Exactly!


Me, I'd add a third normally-closed solenoid on the water supply side of the RO unit too for added safety.

[Ridgeway]

Exactly!


Me, I'd add a third normally-closed solenoid on the water supply side of the RO unit too for added safety.

Now that's a person speaking from experience....

PS: you mean at the RO outlet I assume ? i.e. before the individual solenoids.

[Alain B]

So looking like this (graphics required for Mech Engineers...)

Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 18.21.17.png

Nice graphics , i wish i could draw something like that !

- - - Updated - - -

Russ would mean a selenoid on the water supply to the RO system , that would give you the best security , and you could add some leak detectors in there too .

[Ridgeway]

The drawing part is easy, but I'm only allowed after I've mopped the floor..... we have very clean floors the days.

OK yes I already have one on the feed side and 4 x ALD's scattered around the floor, hence some crazy alarms going off recently during "floor cleaning"

[Ridgeway]

What these guys are talking about is using two float switches per reservoir; the output of the RODI is Tee-d off to two solenoids, one for each reservoir. In each reservoir, the low switch triggers the solenoid for that reservoir to open. Once the solenoid opens, the Apex is programmed to keep the solenoid open until the reservoir is full - when the upper float raises, the outlet shuts off and the solenoid closes.

[ATO-Fill]
If ATlow CLOSED Then ON
If AThigh OPEN Then OFF


[SW-Fill]
If SWlow CLOSED Then ON
If SWhigh OPEN Then OFF

Sorry to come back on this but I have a last question. I set up the system as detailed in this thread but only finished running the last cable from the SW low switch today and I may have misunderstood something here but I can't see how the RO system can come on to fill up the ATU reservoir whilst the SW tank is full ? and as it's nearly always full then this causes an issue.

What did I miss ?

[zombie]

Sorry to come back on this but I have a last question. I set up the system as detailed in this thread but only finished running the last cable from the SW low switch today and I may have misunderstood something here but I can't see how the RO system can come on to fill up the ATU reservoir whilst the SW tank is full ? and as it's nearly always full then this causes an issue.

What did I miss ?

Do you have separate solenoids and separate switches? If so, they all act independently of one another. If you dont, you need to for this to work.

[Ridgeway]

Yep all Independant, my program looks like this:

For RO system:

Fallback OFF
If ATUBOT OPEN Then ON
If ATUTOP CLOSED Then OFF
If WCBOT OPEN Then ON
If WCTOP CLOSED Then OFF

[zombie]

There is your problem. You need to program two separate solenoids, not just one.