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Thread: ATO automatic refill from RO

  1. #1
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    ATO automatic refill from RO

    Hello. I have a fluid monitoring module.

    Two of the sensors monitor sump water level.
    One is an ATO reservoir LOW sensor.
    The last one is the skimmer cup FULL sensor.

    So, all four of my FMM sensor ports are full.

    My PMUP is plugged into the energy bar because I wanted to save a plug and not have to use the dc jack.

    I would like to put my ATO reservoir inside a cabinet with my doses and energy bar and all my tank guts next to the stand.

    To do this, I theorize I will need the Neptune solenoid at the very minimum. This will control the flow of water to the ATO reservoir. I could plug it into the other accessory port on the energy bar or plug it into the currently not utilized FMM 24v acc port. In addition, I would also need to add at least one sensor to detect when the ATO reservoir was full.

    This is where it gets a little complicated. My RODI is on the other side of the house.
    I can run any wire or tubing under my house and drill a small hole in the floor.

    Option 1redundant) Get another ATK module and monitor the high level in the jug, and have the float Keep the included PMUP as a backup OR **use it to pump water over a distance of ~40 feet from a tertiary reservoir located next to the RODI unit- I could confidently splice the PMUP wire into some power wire if needed, and it would be???** Use a 24v accessory port to power the solenoid and splice in any needed extension wire under the house.

    Option 2minimal) Put the sensor that is in the skimmer cup in the ATO as a high level sensor and buy one of those $50 optical sensors that shuts off the power for protein skimmers to use as the skimmer full sensor. Then, just run the solenoid from the 24v acc port through some spliced wire under the house to the RODI unit. I don't really like this option that much, but it works and its a little cheaper.

    Option 3: (HELP) I was thinking about having a standalone ATK in a moisture-safe enclosure next to the RODI that controlled the filling of a tertiary reservoir next to the RODI unit. I could confidently splice an aquabus cable into a phone line or ethernet cord and run it under the house and daisy-chain it to my ATK. I would have to steal the optical sensor from my skimmer again, because my FMM used for topping off is all full.

    My issue is I need to monitor the indoor ATO reservor with at least one FULL sensor, but I'm all out of sensors inside.
    So, I could add another ATK to the reservoir and It would be redundant. I'd use the 24vacc to power the solenoid and I'd have two free empty sensor ports.

    I'm kind of leaning towards Option 1: adding another ATK for filling the reservoir and using the 24vacc to power the solenoid that controls the water coming out of the RODI. If you see any holes in the logic let me know. I have no idea what I'm doing.

    ALSO. with the RODI I don't know where to put the solenoid and I might have to buy some kind of sensor that turns the rodi supply water on or something because I also use the RODI to water plants so thats like a completely different topic but I"m more concerned with how to get this ATO to where I can keep it in its cabinet and not haul water around the wood floors anymore.

  2. #2
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    Do you have a spare energy bar outlet? If so, I would get an FMM plus (2) OS-1 with magnetic mount, a neptune solenoid, and a diaphragm or peri pump like the Avast diaphragm. Use the diaphragm or peri pump to get water over to the local ATO reservoir since both those pump types can suction it over rather than pump it. Use the two opticals and solenoid to auto refill to storage barrel.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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    I don't have a spare energy bar outlet, unfortunately. I guess either way I'm going to have to buy another FMM and might as well get the ATK since we are dealing with an endless water supply. The redundancy would help. I'll use the solenoid to control the flow of RO water into the ATO reservoir. I need to figure out if i want the solenoid in the house, or remote, because I want to leave my RO on. I also need to figure out how to setup my RODI unit to always be on demand.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by kentofms View Post
    I don't have a spare energy bar outlet, unfortunately. I guess either way I'm going to have to buy another FMM and might as well get the ATK since we are dealing with an endless water supply. The redundancy would help. I'll use the solenoid to control the flow of RO water into the ATO reservoir. I need to figure out if i want the solenoid in the house, or remote, because I want to leave my RO on. I also need to figure out how to setup my RODI unit to always be on demand.
    The reason I suggested the OS-1 and FMM is so you have magnetic mounts to put one near the bottom and the other near the top. The reservoir should have a float valve as well, but that can be purchased real cheap and drilled into the side of the barrel for even greater reliability than the ATK mount can give.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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    I figured out how to get my RODI auto shut off valve to work, so it turns off when you stop the flow. So I had another idea. Can i just plumb my RODI directly into my existing ATK and instead of having the PMUP, just use a solenoid to control water going in? maybe two solenoids just for safety? This would bypass having to use several sensors and a second module. The degree of redundancy is the same. doubling it over a self-refilling ATO reservoir seems like diminishing returns when it comes to safety from redundancy, if you get what I'm saying.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by kentofms View Post
    I figured out how to get my RODI auto shut off valve to work, so it turns off when you stop the flow. So I had another idea. Can i just plumb my RODI directly into my existing ATK and instead of having the PMUP, just use a solenoid to control water going in? maybe two solenoids just for safety? This would bypass having to use several sensors and a second module. The degree of redundancy is the same. doubling it over a self-refilling ATO reservoir seems like diminishing returns when it comes to safety from redundancy, if you get what I'm saying.
    You can and many people do this. The disadvantage is you now have an infinite water supply and if you don't have an auto flushing mechanism then you will not be putting 0TDS water in the tank. My RODI runs about 15TDS before the DI and 2-3 TDS after the DI for the first 5 minutes if I dont flush.

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  7. #7
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    I don't flush my RODI anyway and everything seems to be fine. I figured out the simplest thing I can do. Take the ATO reservoir LOW sensor and use that as the ultimate low sensor in the sump. Then the current sump low sensor will be used to let the apex know when the sump has been filled just like always, it just now has a delay built in where it has to reach the bottom sensor before it refills. Now, the only thing I have to buy is a solenoid.

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