glazer Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 Sure everyone has heard/knows about the micro powerheads made by AquaGlobe, if not do a search!..lol I wanted to set a top off system in place on my minibow and thought one of these would work great. What got me going if you will is the fact that the powerheads are low voltage... only 24 volts coming out of the power pack. Most float switches are not really meant to be turning 120 volts AC off and on...and the ones that are, well I just didn't like the idea of having that high powered a switch in my sump. Soooo off to Radio Shack to see what I could find.... and here's the parts. DC Coaxial power jack, part# is 274-1576A In case you want to track one down other than at RS... the size of the jack is 5.5mm OD and 2.5mm ID DC Coaxial power plug, part# is 274-1573A Again, same dimensions as above. I also bought a "project box" part# 270-1801, to mount everything in. I don't have a part number for the float switch.. it's the ones on Ebay. Through the RC boards I saw a guy had bought a bunch and I got one off of him for 4 bucks. I already had some 18 guage wire (actually speaker wire) and I had some PVC tubing that I cut to length and used the heat gun on to bend into my mounting tube. Link to comment
glazer Posted January 27, 2003 Author Share Posted January 27, 2003 Here it is with the float switch mounted in the U-tube and wiring connections made. Float switch threaded into the tube end and I placed silicone around the threads...likewise where the wiring exits the tube I squirted some silicone in there and put a piece of shrink tube on it to make the whole thing water/moisture proof. Wiring was soldered onto DC power connectors and everything was shrink-tubed (hmm, is that a word?)...lol Note, I superglued a couple of magnets onto the inside of the lid for the junction box. My stand the minibow is on is metal so the junction box just "sticks" to the side of the stand..... Link to comment
glazer Posted January 27, 2003 Author Share Posted January 27, 2003 Well here's the bucket...woohoo, now this is where it gets exciting...lol It's a 4 dollar Rubbermaid bucket from the Container Store... holds approx 3 gallons. I drilled a hole in the top edge and siliconed a double-ended 1/2" hose barb into it. Half inch ID hose slips over the output nozzle on the AquaGlobe perfectly... wiring for the PH goes through a hole next to the barb and has a snap-in cord holder placed there.... Link to comment
glazer Posted January 27, 2003 Author Share Posted January 27, 2003 Float switch installed on the sump.... sticky faced zip-tie holders keep the tube in place. Hard to tell on the pic but the junction box is just stuck (via the magnets) to the bottom edge railing of shelf... Link to comment
glazer Posted January 27, 2003 Author Share Posted January 27, 2003 Last pic... that SEXY bucket again...lol The setup has been in place for day two now and it is working BEAUTIFULLY! The level in my sump has not varied more than a 1/16 of an inch.... which is slightly less than two cups of water. I have no worries about the wiring or operation of the top off at all... I think it will also be a good test for the AquaGlobe as well. Link to comment
adinsxq Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 hmmmm. nano-reef.com benefits greatly from your unemployment glazer. all your threads are informative, easy to follow, and way cool. thanks. Link to comment
Chamkeeper Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 I am hoping this thread is not sent spinning wildly out of control. Glazer, what kind of head pressure does the little aquaglobe deliver? I was going to do something similar Rubbermaid and PH)with a spare MJ 404 but specs say it would not lift water from floor to the edge of my tank. Link to comment
adinsxq Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 Originally posted by Chamkeeper what kind of head pressure does the little aquaglobe deliver? taken straight from the box: model AQ-100F input power 6.5W max head 35in max flow 100gph model AQ-200F input power 8.9W max head 35in max flow 200gph model AQ-300F << i believe this is the one you're interested in input power 8.9w max head 50in max flow 300gph (edit: for anyone who is STILL wondering wth this pump is, DO A SEARCH:D) Link to comment
glazer Posted January 27, 2003 Author Share Posted January 27, 2003 hmmmm. nano-reef.com benefits greatly from your unemployment glazer. all your threads are informative, easy to follow, and way cool. thanks. Thank you adin, my little friend Now if you could just talk to the wife? I keep trying to tell her a person's worth is not based on a paycheck.. *sigh* Cham, Hmmm, spinning wildly out of control? ??? Well I might have some older models of the AquaGlobes or sumpin... I have the AQ-225F and the specs on the box list it has having a cutoff/head of 50 inches.... in my setup the top-off resevior is sitting on the floor and from the floor to the top of my sump is 20 inches....and I'm using about about 3.5 feet of tubing. It's not blasting out the end of the tube by any means but WAY more than a trickle. Link to comment
Chamkeeper Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 I am hoping this thread is not sent spinning wildly out of control The first subjuct I typed in my reply was "What kind of head do you get from the aquaglobe PH?" I changed the subjuct of my reply but left in the out of control comment. It could have gone bad very quickly.... Link to comment
Cam barr Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 another sweet diy design by glazer good job bro cam Link to comment
stephen Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 I need to clarify exactly what's going on in your "project box." This is how I presume it works (tell me if I'm wrong): The wire from the float switch is coming into the left side of the box. This wire attaches to the coaxial power jack, along with the wire that is going out to the right. The power plug that you bought is attached to the end of the wire out of the right side of the box (and is plugged into the pump). The wire from an AC-DC adapter then plugs into the coaxial power jack. (whew...done) I am interested in setting something like this up, so I wanted to get the detailes straightened out before I shock the hell out of myself. Link to comment
glazer Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 whoa Stevo... yer getting ME confused now...lol All I did was splice the float switch into the power cord to put it simply. The power supply for the PH has a socket on it that the cord from the PH plugs into. The cord on the PH has the little plug on it like you have for the earphones for your Walkman. I cut a piece of wire.... installed this plug on it... this wire goes into the box. Now I need a socket for the cord for the PH to go into... bought the socket and put that into the box. (trying to keep this as simple as possible...hopefully I'm doing so) So basicall all I have done is made an extension cord.... plug at one end...socket at the other. NOW, the float switch gets spliced into this... one wire from the socket and one wire from the plug connected together... the other wire from the plug and socket connected to each lead respectively from the float switch. Oh and as far as shocking the hell out of yourself... mild tingle at best and wet salty hands needed...lol There is only 24 volts DC going through your wiring/switch... bet you could even put yer tongue on it...Hmmmmm, "honey? come here for a sec will ya" (oh and thanks Cam... bro, heheh) Link to comment
Chamkeeper Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 I am interested in setting something like this up, so I wanted to get the detailes straightened out before I shock the hell out of myself. Actually, that would be pretty difficult, and part of the point of Glazer's setup. Because your body has a natural resistance, less than 40V is considered low voltage, according to the National Electrical Code. These AquaGlobes use a 'Wall Wart' transformer to reduce the voltage, (probably to 12 or 24, but I am guessing), so even if you touched both wires the low voltage would not be enough to provide a decent shock. This same low voltage is what Glaz is switching, and keeping the high voltage out of his tank and safely only inches from the outlet. Another, not so obvious plus is the nature of the transformer. It can only move so much electricity, and if you were so some how get something across the wires, the output voltage would fall very quickly due to the limited output of the wart. Safe for you and safe for fishies... Link to comment
Cam barr Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 hey glazer what kind of heat gun works good cam b Link to comment
glazer Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 Um yeah! What Cham said!....lol Well cam, as far as heat guns... I have been using them for years in fiberglass work and finishing work and what seems to me to hold up the best is the Milwaukee guns... I have used several different brands in the past but the heating elements and/or fans seemed to burn out MUCH more often on them when subjected to heavy daily use... for somebody that needs one now and again prolly one of the little Wagners you can buy at the hardware store would work dandy. I do have a Milwaukee gun here at home that I use...nice thing about it, it has an adjustable heat range on it.... from mildly uncomfortable to melting flesh...lol Nice about the adjustment factor is you can set it at a lower heat point... this has worked great for bending and shaping acrylic without having to worry about burning/bubbling it. Link to comment
Cam barr Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 thanks how much did that lil guy run ya cam Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 you know, i hope nobody kills me for saying this, hey i think this is an awesome DIY, done by a pro, and I even thing it looks good, even though glazer should put a skirt around his tank stand to hide the guts. For the cost of all the electronic parts, wouldn't a sump floating valve like the one from petsolutions.com for $17 work perfect with a gravity feed jug into the sump? Link to comment
glazer Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 skirt around my tank? Why I oughta.... lol Wet, that's why I bought/made everything purty... to show it off! :woot: And yes... the float valve would work fine. But as you said it either needs to be gravity fed...so you would need to be able to have someplace overhead to set a container (I didn't by the way) or hook it up to a pressurized line. You would also have to drill your tank or sump as the valve you mentioned needs to be mounted in a bulkhead, either that or figure out some way to mount it inside the sump/tank. Actually this whole setup I think worked out pretty cheaply. The parts from Radio Shack, plugs,sockets and projet box were under 6 bucks, a 4 dollar float switch... prolly about 50 cents worth of wiring and another couple bucks for tubing and connectors. A four dollar, sexy I must say.. bucket and a 15 dollar powerhead. So basically under 30 bucks for the WHOLE thing. And to me the best part about this is the low voltage aspect. Besides if I had gone the route of hooking up an overhead sistern to a toilet flapper I wouldn't have gotten to solder wires and use shrink tube!! Yeah baby! Fire and water! Soooo, thank you very much for the compliment, and rest assured I by no means want to kill ya, however I will give ya the big wet raspberry *phhhhhhlllllllllllaaaaaaaat* for telling me my drop dead sexy stand needs a skirt!..... lololol (OH, and by the way Cam... the Milwaukee gun was around 50 or 60 bucks... sorry, had it for awhile and can't remember for sure) Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 lol glazer...LOL!! I was just kidding about the skirt glazer, I thought it would be a cool DIY...but from your reaction maybe YOU need a skirt. (he he he) Just kiddin glazer. $30, not bad all in all. Im surprised the float switch cost so little. I usually find them online for at least $50...where did you get yours? I was building one for the 10gallon that would just sit on the top of the sump...dosing kalk+RO water when the level gets low...but maybe I should do some cool wiring job, like you...if I could find a cheap float switch like glazer...then I could do the whole airpump/pressure feed airline dosing/topoff system. Link to comment
glazer Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 Here you go wet, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=20756 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=20758 I got mine from a guy that had bought a bunch of them... paypal'd him four bucks and he sent me one... however I should point out that if you buy the single 4 dollar float there is another 2 bucks for postage... sooooo, it's a SIX dollar float switch...lol Still WAAAAAAAAY less than FIFTY! :woot: And ya, the air pump method is another great/safe way to go about it... just a thought though. Make sure your topoff container is very rigid... don't use something like the thin plastic milk jugs. If the container is more rigid the air pressure works more directly on pushing the water out... a less sturdy container tends to "pressurize" more and after the float switch shuts off the air pump there is still some water flowing due to the fact the jug is trying to bleed off the excess air pressure inside it.... hope that made sense. I'm not an pneumatic or hydro' enginner by any means... but I have witnessed the flexible tank thing many times in RV's and boats. Maybe on small jugs it wouldn't be the same but it can be pretty easy to overflow a nano..hehehe Link to comment
Djm9288 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 looks really neat! I am still gonna stick with Camerons though! Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 thanks glazer, you prolly just saved a whole lot of money and stress by mentioning the "overpressurization" thing. I think I will try to find a glass jug or rigid rubbermaid if I go that route. Link to comment
stephen Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Sorry to confuse you glazer... I understand how it works now. Great idea... I've already ordered one of those pumps and a float switch. PS... www.floatswitches.net has the same floats as Ebay - and the same price too if you count shipping 4+2 = 5+1 Link to comment
salvatore Posted February 2, 2003 Share Posted February 2, 2003 PS... www.floatswitches.net has the same floats as Ebay - and the same price too if you count shipping 4+2 = 5+1 Has anyone ever ordered from these people? Good quality? Reliable? Link to comment
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