Kind of a DIY - ATO question

PhelpsTanks · Jan 19, 2012

I was wondering if there is a way to reverse the signal for an ATO? The reason behind this is, if there is a power outage could you possibly have the ATO shut your return pump off to avoid a burn out? There would be a check valve on the return line to prevent back siphon, but also want to avoid an overflow of the DT. Has anyone else ever thought of this or attempted to do this?

Ok sat there and thought about what I just asked lol. Doesn't make sense, to explain I have a pump relient overflow, and if the overflow pump goes out I want the return pump to shut off. So I guess the ATO levels would be in the DT and the signal would be reversed from here. Instead of turning a pump on, they would shut it off.

swannyson7 · Jan 19, 2012

Still not understanding the application fully, but if you mount a float style ATO upside down, it will turn on when the water level is high and shut down when the water level is low.

Paul_N · Jan 19, 2012

If I understand correctly, you are looking to put a float sensor in the DT so that when it is triggered by the water level in the DT being too high it shuts off the return pump? If that is the case, you would need to find a sensor that is by default open or on and have the return pump connected to it. The return pump would then have power until the sensor in the DT was triggered by the water level rising.

One thing I am not clear on is "pump reliant overflow"?? Are you referring to the return pump in the sump?

swannyson7 · Jan 19, 2012

I think I get it now... one of the external overflows that requires an aqualifter to prevent the siphone from breaking?

PhelpsTanks · Jan 19, 2012

Paul_N said:
If I understand correctly, you are looking to put a float sensor in the DT so that when it is triggered by the water level in the DT being too high it shuts off the return pump? If that is the case, you would need to find a sensor that is by default open or on and have the return pump connected to it. The return pump would then have power until the sensor in the DT was triggered by the water level rising.

One thing I am not clear on is "pump reliant overflow"?? Are you referring to the return pump in the sump?

Yes! That is exactly right! Thanks for clearing it up! Kinda hard to think all technical after a night of work.