Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone has heard of this. I don't have an auto topup or the money to purchase one at this present moment. So need to make an alternative for the mean time, can anyone explain how to make one and how frequent the drops should be. Shot:yeahdude:
DIY RO drip system
- Thread starter Lowflyer
- Start date
lowflyer in the DIY thread i started a thread about how i used a Drip kit from the hospital.
first thing is to work out how much evaporation happens on your tank in a 24hr perioud then find a container to hold that water.
DIY Automatic fish acclimatiser - Anything DIY Related
its about acclimatising fish, but the theory is the same
first thing is to work out how much evaporation happens on your tank in a 24hr perioud then find a container to hold that water.
DIY Automatic fish acclimatiser - Anything DIY Related
its about acclimatising fish, but the theory is the same
What you could do is a mechanical ping pong ball top up. You need a small pump and basically cut one of the two wires and using a switch(cant remember the name) which closes when you need to top up its easy, so basically when the level goes down to what you want the ping pong ball will basically go down and lower a 'bar' to touch both ends of the one wire to complete the circuit. Thats a very blunt explanation but do you get what i'm talking about?
I used a float switch(From LFS), the smallest powerhead I could find and some airline hose. Cut one of the wires of the powerhead and connect the float switch. Make sure you seal it up again so you don't get any water in there. My unit pushes RO to the first chamber of my sump while the float switch is in the last chamber where the return pump is.
Hope this gives you some idea on how to do it. Otherwise just get a RO topup unit. They aren't that expensive.
Hope this gives you some idea on how to do it. Otherwise just get a RO topup unit. They aren't that expensive.
Shot JD, makes sense, RO topup about R750 here in EL, float switch I can get for R90 or so, and I already have a really small powerhead, 200lph, that I can use. But might go with shauns idea of airhose and clamp for now, and i'll use a 2 litre bottle of something.
IMO a 2L bottle might be too small. Depending on the size of your tank and evaporation rate, that 2L bottle will be dry in no time. A clamp and hose will work, but it's not controlled. It will constantly drip RO and empty that bottle. A controlled unit that takes the water from a 25L drum when it needs to will last you longer. I dumped the powerhead in a old 20L Saltmix drum. All I do is fill the drum.
Luke, where do u get float switches here in EL? i was going to build an auto top up myself, but eventually gave up because everywhere i went nobody knew what a float switch was.
I can evidence this. I bought 3 float switches from Electromechanica at R 60 each. Every single one has blown even under a 12v 4 amp load. In the end all the effort and expense I have applied to a DIY Auto Top up is coming very close to just buying the real thing.
Ironically thats what I am going to do this weekend.
Tobes
Retired Moderator
I have used a 220v float switch everytime with a auto top up which I connect into the small pumps wire. Did a few already and never blew one. It needs to be connected to the live wire only. Maybe some of you did something wrong or bought a dud?
I still feel it is the most effective route to go, whether you buy the complete top up system or make it.
Measuring water and drip it in manually is not accurate as the evaporation is not always the same. Same goes for the drip unit at the hospital.
A float switch only gets activated when the level drops and stops the pump when the correct level is reached again, thus only filling up what was missing.
I still feel it is the most effective route to go, whether you buy the complete top up system or make it.
Measuring water and drip it in manually is not accurate as the evaporation is not always the same. Same goes for the drip unit at the hospital.
A float switch only gets activated when the level drops and stops the pump when the correct level is reached again, thus only filling up what was missing.
Cool, I think I like what tobes just said, thanks man. I think I'm gonna save up for a float switch and sought myself out that way, I have noticed that the evaporation is not always the same.
Kunardt - My friend bought one online hey.
Kunardt - My friend bought one online hey.
Remember to use a relay on the float switch whether you go with 220v or 12v. I suspect thats what I have been doing wrong all along.
Tobes
Retired Moderator
I have never used a relay and never had problems - or are there problems still coming if I don't have one?
Use a float valve out of a toilet and gravity feed the ro through this into the tank. Cheap and easy. I know a lot of really cracking systems that use this method.
Essentially a relay takes all the load off your float switch so it kinda safe guards you from blowing anything with the direct load of the pump. I would'nt say that its a prerequisite just a much safer method.