Blocked Weir Protection

[ingchr1]

Hi, I'm currently in the process of setting up a Waterbox Marine AIO 40.2 (Build Thread). The tank has a weir on each side with the return chamber in the middle. I was testing out what happens if one the weirs were to get blocked. With blockage, the main tank level increase so enough return water can flow trough the available weirs. The rise in main tank level has an accompanying reduction in return chamber level. The reduction in return chamber level results in a couple of issues. I have heaters and the ATO in the chamber. The heaters become partially uncovered and the ATO would run to make up.

I have converted the system to dual pumps. I tested one pump running with the blocked weir and level recovers in the chamber. It goes high, but that is much better than a low level.

My plan is to install a level sensor in the chamber and have the controller turn off one pump on a low level.

Does this sound like a good solution?

Thanks

 

[P-Dub]

Hi, I'm currently in the process of setting up a Waterbox Marine AIO 40.2 (Build Thread). The tank has a weir on each side with the return chamber in the middle. I was testing out what happens if one the weirs were to get blocked. With blockage, the main tank level increase so enough return water can flow trough the available weirs. The rise in main tank level has an accompanying reduction in return chamber level. The reduction in return chamber level results in a couple of issues. I have heaters and the ATO in the chamber. The heaters become partially uncovered and the ATO would run to make up.

I have converted the system to dual pumps. I tested one pump running with the blocked weir and level recovers in the chamber. It goes high, but that is much better than a low level.

My plan is to install a level sensor in the chamber and have the controller turn off one pump on a low level.

Does this sound like a good solution?

Thanks

That, in theory, should work. The only issue that you may have is the shutdown pump will possibly cycle on and off as the water level in the return chamber of the sump returns to normal. Easily dealt with if you are in town, but you know, the only time you will have a blocked weir is when you are out of town.

 

[ingchr1]

That, in theory, should work. The only issue that you may have is the shutdown pump will possibly cycle on and off as the water level in the return chamber of the sump returns to normal. Easily dealt with if you are in town, but you know, the only time you will have a blocked weir is when you are out of town.

Maybe I could program it to keep the pump off and require manual intervention to turn it back on or possibly set a time delay to turn the pump back on (hoping the issue corrects itself). I could also log on and turn the pump off if it were cycling. I have a Profilux P4 and haven't set it up yet, so I'm not sure of the programming possibilities.

 

[P-Dub]

Maybe I could program it to keep the pump off and require manual intervention to turn it back on or possibly set a time delay to turn the pump back on (hoping the issue corrects itself). I could also log on and turn the pump off if it were cycling. I have a Profilux P4 and haven't set it up yet, so I'm not sure of the programming possibilities.

I am unfamiliar with Profilux controllers. I hope that is a possibility. If it were a Neptune Apex you could certainly program a defer statement in your command lines. Let us all know how things pan out. I must say, in the many years that I have had my standard 125 with a corner overflow with two weirs up and running, I have never had a weir blockage. Now that we are discussing it though, as soon as I go on vacation it will happen. Murphy and his darn law...

 

[ingchr1]

As an update I did install a level sensor to protect from this and the controller can be set to require manual reset. Here is the post in my build thread: Level Sensor Post