So simple it's painful ATO (Or anything else) indicator

S

Serk

Today I switched my ATO off from a RIO 3100 pump which, when activated would dump 2-3 gallons of kalkwasser into my system in a few seconds, to an Aqua-Lifter powered system.

(I never had a pH meter until I picked one up at MACNA, so never saw first hand how much dumpinig kalk into the system all at once like that spikes my pH!)

Now that my topoff system will run for minutes, if not hours, instead of seconds, I wanted a way to be able to tell at a glance if the system was running at any time.

Went by the local Rat Shack and picked up some 120VAC colored lamps:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102794&cp

Drilled the proper size hole in my stand, ran mounted the light in the hole, wired it up to a plug from an old extension cord that'd had it's head cut off years ago, and plugged it into a multi-outlet socket that's energized by the electronic float switches.

So simple it's painful!

Now, whenever my electric float switches in my sump are activated, the AquaLifter pumps (I ended up needing two of them running in series to have enough pressure to move the water up, through the kalk reactor, and into the system) will be energized, as well as a nice pleasant green light in my stand...

Now, I've got extra lamps, and wondering what else I wanna indicator for... Considering hooking up 4 of 'em for my 4 randomized modified MJ1200's, it's be nice to have a quick visual indicator of what's on when...

Anyway, like I said this whole project was so simple and obvious it's not even funny, but I really like the results!
 
And, before anyone asks, it's really difficult getting pictures of an unlit light on a black stand, but here's a pic of it unlit:

(The little green spot in the upper left hand corner of the stand):

PICT6612.med.jpg
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And here it is with the light on:

PICT6618.med.jpg
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Kevin - I hope they do too! The Aqualifters are only touching pure RO/DI water, NOT Kalk, so I'm hoping they last for quite a while... (They put water into the Kalkreactor, and since it's a sealed unit, the incoming water displaces Kalkwasser from the unit, which is what goes to the system.)

Chuck - Thanks!

I'm having fun, already wired up two more, for the left 2 modified MJ's... This time, instead of wiring the lights into their own plug, I seperated the two wires for the MJ just before the plug, stripped the insulation off without cutting the wires, and spliced the power feed for the lights in that way...

Now at a glance, I can see if my ATO is running, and which of the 2 left hand circulation pumps are running too...

I'll do the right 2 later, gotta get to bed, early day tomorrow (To thank us for slowly killing ourselves with their product, Marlboro has invited the wife and I to come ride shotgun in 3 of their race cars at Texas Motor Speedway. I sure hope we FIT!)

Might also wire one up for the mixing pump on my KalkReactor...
 
cool idea brian...I was wondering if you could fill me in on how much "power" just the single aqualifter had. My topoff water is only about 8 feet from my sump and would only have to travel about 14 inches up in the journey..would a single pump work
 
Bobber -

Well, a single aqualifter was ALMOST able to push the water from my water reservoir, about 5 feet horizontally, 2 feet up, through the kalkreactor (Which I'd guess adds at least 12 inches of backpressure, but I'm just guessing) another foot horizontally and another foot up... As in I could watch the water, it got to within 1 inch of going over the lip of the tank and into my system...

Of course, this was a brand new one, and I don't know if they lose power as they age... but IMHO you'd most likely be okay with a single one for your purpose.

On my lights - I now have all 4 of my variable flow MJ's wired with indicator lights, as well as the topoff system. I need to find some different colored lights so I can put an indicator for the kalkreactor mixing pump. I also just ordered two of the Oceanflo.com MJ mods kits that I saw at MACNA, and will most likely put those on some sort of randomization, which will mean more lights.

Yes, I'm a geek. Yes, I'm trying to make my stand look like the deck of the USS Enterprise. Yes, I know Nathan and other people with formal design training would run away screaming at the very sight of it.
 
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