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Coral Vue Hydros

DIY ATO with 12VDC Relay


PRReef

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Nice! Can you show a decent close-up of the relay with it all wired up together?

 

sure man, I will be updating this thread soon with good pictures and everything well explained.

 

This project will have 3 floatswitches, one of those will be to activate an alarm if the other 2 switches fail, it will have a LED to show when the Pump is active and a Buzzer that will be the alarm. Its going to have a power switch so I can turn it off when I need to do a water change or need to clean up the whole sump.

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Close up(Electric Extension Cord added to the relay along with LED and Floatswitches)

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Though it was a good way to insert the extension cord inside the Project box without making big holes to it. Quick Connect style :P

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Please tell me you are insulating all those connections with heat shrink!

 

 

all i know if that his diy led canopy looked professional

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Please tell me you are insulating all those connections with heat shrink!

Well not sure, probably electrical tape or something like that. Dont worry, its going to be insulated lol

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all i know if that his diy led canopy looked professional

 

hehehe thanks.

 

 

more pictures

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ugly cables, I need to do something with this mess.

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Finally I got the power supply, everything is working perfectly. More pictures of final wiring coming soon, its too late and I need some quick connectors from radios@ck.

 

 

 

 

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Do you have anything in there to take care of water disturbing? Otherwise the pump turn on everytime the float switch(es) move.

 

Im planning on installing what you guys called "Snail protector" which is a piece of PVC with holes but not sure yet because theres no water disturbance on the return chamber of my sump where this ATO will be installed, I used the same method of the floatswitches without anything and it was completly fine works flawlessly. The flow in the return chamber is dead. The only problem I had with my previous ATO was leaking current because I wasnt using a relay and that killed the switches.

 

so to answer your question: I dont really think I would need anything else to prevent water disturbance since that doesnt exist in my sump, only the 2 first chambers has turbulence and is not that bad either and doesnt affect the return chamber at all, the return chamber its pretty dead hehehehe thats why I dose on the first chamber of the sump :P so everything gets mixed up.

 

The floatswitches are going to be sealed with silicone and a piece of vynil tube on top right where the cables are joined with the floatswitch just prevent any damage to the internal body of the switches. Maybe I put some snail guard, who knows, it takes like 2 sec to make that guard.

 

The alarm on this ATO is really LOUD, its so annoying LOL

 

Im really happy I finished with this thing because having to top off my tank manually was a PIA :|

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Alex that looks great! Now i need one LOL

hahahahaha thanks Rob, its easy and cheap to make one of this things. Its easier to just buy one from a manufacturer but that wont be custom made like mine :)

 

 

Next project will be: BUYING A REEF KEEPER because im not making one of those hehehehe

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Looks good. Thanks for the good write up.

 

Where did you get the power supply from? Looks like a old cell phone charger.

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Looks good. Thanks for the good write up.

 

Where did you get the power supply from? Looks like a old cell phone charger.

 

I got it from eBay a couple years ago. It's just a cheap 12v Ac/Dc wall transformer 1000mA= 1A. You can get one from eBay for like a dollar and $4 for shipping. You can even use something smaller like 350mA because this particular relay only needs 200mA to work.

 

Take care. Let me know if you need help. I will be updating the part list and probably explain the buzzer wiring. I think I forgot to write that up here.

 

Thanks

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My first DIY ATO was pretty much likes your, after awhile the floatswiches were acting up and overflow the tank a few times. I got tired of using mechanical components(relay, floatswiches) I used an optical liquid level, solid state relay, and processor (Arduino Uno) for my second DIY ATO :-)

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My first DIY ATO was pretty much likes your, after awhile the floatswiches were acting up and overflow the tank a few times. I got tired of using mechanical components(relay, floatswiches) I used an optical liquid level, solid state relay, and processor (Arduino Uno) for my second DIY ATO :-)

 

hehehehe sounds like a good upgrade to me :P

 

Did you make any fail safe switch in case the first ones failed? my system need to burn 3 switches before having a flood. Actually the cr@ppy DIY ATO I was previously using never flood my tank, the switches were burned and releasing current to the water but never got to the point of flooding my tank because the fail safe switch. I guess I have been lucky hehehehehehe

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Looks real good. I like the idea of the switch built in. I have to unplug mine to do WC.

Thank you. I like the switch idea because that way I can turn off the alarm too and prevent to be scared by the crazy loud sound of it.

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