Apex low water detection hook up to shut return pump off?

[nbd13]

Hey everyone,

Can you hook up an optical sensor in the return section of my sump to shut my return pump off if the water level got too low?

If so how can I do this? I see programming/task in Apex fusion for ATO low water but nothing else?

My Automatic top off is already setup. This is to add another optical sensor in the return section to detect low water and shut return pump off.

Thanks

 

[Brad Miller]

My atk for auto top off uses those two sensors for ato operation.
I just programmed my apex to look for a low water condition (which would be for ato on mode) for 15 minutes that triggers the return pump to shut off along with the skimmer.
The atk will automatically track your filling times and alarm if those averages for the filling of the tank is longer than this, sensing a problem with your ato equipment not filling the tank.

If you don’t have the apex atk with sensors, you can just add a sensor by itself to shut the return pump and skimmer off on sump low water.

 

[nbd13]

My atk for auto top off uses those two sensors for ato operation.
I just programmed my apex to look for a low water condition (which would be for ato on mode) for 15 minutes that triggers the return pump to shut off along with the skimmer.
The atk will automatically track your filling times and alarm if those averages for the filling of the tank is longer than this, sensing a problem with your ato equipment not filling the tank.

If you don’t have the apex atk with sensors, you can just add a sensor by itself to shut the return pump and skimmer off on sump low water.

Thanks,

This is not related to ATK.

I have an additional optical sensor in me return section of my sump. I want it to detect low water condition and shut my return pump off in my sump.

 

[leepink23]

Thanks,

This is not related to ATK.

I have an additional optical sensor in me return section of my sump. I want it to detect low water condition and shut my return pump off in my sump.

Did you plug the optical sensor into the fmm? If so which port?

 

[Sod Buster]

If the sensor is under water, set it up closed. Then open when dry. Pelephry usually explains apex things pretty good. Let me look for a thread.

 

[nbd13]

If the sensor is under water, set it up closed. Then open when dry. Pelephry usually explains apex things pretty good. Let me look for a thread.

Correct. It’s under water now. When it becomes “dry” or water level falls below it I want it to shut off my return pump.

How do I set it up though?

 

[nbd13]

Did you plug the optical sensor into the fmm? If so which port?

Yes plugged it into port on FMM. I renamed the port RetLow

 

[Sod Buster]

If OS(whatever number it is) open, then off.

And like said before, depending on how the display drains to the sump, you need delays built in for pump startup. You should also keep that sensor clean.

 

[leepink23]

If OS(whatever number it is) open, then off.

And like said before, depending on how the display drains to the sump, you need delays built in for pump startup. You should also keep that sensor clean.

Yeap, If Retlow open then off
Program this to the return pump outlet

 

[Sod Buster]

Not saying it ever happened to me, the delays are very important if you are not home. Low return water off, drains from display back through the pump into the return chamber, boom!, pump back on to shut off in 30 seconds to repeat. Mine is set now with a dry sensor in the overflow to shut the pump off for 12 hours if it gets wet. So much safer. The only 2 reasons on my setup for the pump to cavitate is the ATO is empty, or 10 gallons of water is on my floor. Plug a couple leak detectors into that FFM.

 

[ca1ore]

I’d be reluctant to use one of those optical sensors for an application like that. I bought five of them and two have failed ‘closed’ after less than 18 months. Even if they don’t fail, you must keep them clean otherwise they misread ‘closed’. I prefer a good quality Reed float like the Madison for applications where the sensor is usually submerged. I also only use a low and high level sensor to alert me, not to control the main pump.

 

[nbd13]

I’d be reluctant to use one of those optical sensors for an application like that. I bought five of them and two have failed ‘closed’ after less than 18 months. Even if they don’t fail, you must keep them clean otherwise they misread ‘closed’. I prefer a good quality Reed float like the Madison for applications where the sensor is usually submerged. I also only use a low and high level sensor to alert me, not to control the main pump.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I’ll just use it as an alert function. Can always turn my pump off with the fusion app.

 

[nbd13]

I’d be reluctant to use one of those optical sensors for an application like that. I bought five of them and two have failed ‘closed’ after less than 18 months. Even if they don’t fail, you must keep them clean otherwise they misread ‘closed’. I prefer a good quality Reed float like the Madison for applications where the sensor is usually submerged. I also only use a low and high level sensor to alert me, not to control the main pump.

How can you setup an alert if that particular switch goes open signifying the low water level?

Thanks

 

[Sod Buster]

A reed switch you can take apart and flip the float over. If you program it wrong, take the bouy off the slide and invert it, fixed.

 

[ca1ore]

Precisely. Ideally you’d orient the float so that the normal condition is ‘open’. Should the water lever get too low, the switch moves to ‘closed’ and triggers the alert. The problem with using such to control the pump is that it’ll cycle as the water level goes up and down.

 

[nbd13]

A reed switch you can take apart and flip the float over. If you program it wrong, take the bouy off the slide and invert it, fixed.

I have an optical sensor from apex, not the reed switch?

 

[Sod Buster]

An optical sensor has been discussed already. Good luck with it.

 

[leepink23]

How can you setup an alert if that particular switch goes open signifying the low water level?

Thanks

Go to your email alarms and program if open then on

 

[nbd13]

Go to your email alarms and program if open then on

Thank you

 

[judgeerneal]

My atk for auto top off uses those two sensors for ato operation.
I just programmed my apex to look for a low water condition (which would be for ato on mode) for 15 minutes that triggers the return pump to shut off along with the skimmer.
The atk will automatically track your filling times and alarm if those averages for the filling of the tank is longer than this, sensing a problem with your ato equipment not filling the tank.

If you don’t have the apex atk with sensors, you can just add a sensor by itself to shut the return pump and skimmer off on sump low water.

How did you do this? I am a new apex owner and would like to do it but having difficulty figuring it out.