Motorised ballvalves

[FishOkay]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a couple of 50mm motorised ball valves for my two Overflows. So that when there is power they are open but incase of power outage they shut. Has anyone tried this? Currently using them?

 

[tedfisher496]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a couple of 50mm motorised ball valves for my two Overflows. So that when there is power they are open but incase of power outage they shut. Has anyone tried this? Currently using them?

I can see a good usage for this. My 1st thought is to use them with a relay and not a controller.

 

[The_Paradox]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a couple of 50mm motorised ball valves for my two Overflows. So that when there is power they are open but incase of power outage they shut. Has anyone tried this? Currently using them?

Just curious as to why you would want them to shut? If anything I would be worried they would stick shut and flood on power restoration. If you wanted to do it you just need a motorized ball valve that’s normally closed.

 

[FishOkay]

Just curious as to why you would want them to shut? If anything I would be worried they would stick shut and flood on power restoration. If you wanted to do it you just need a motorized ball valve that’s normally closed.

Just really to save Overflowing back to the sump. I'd like as little water as possible to flow back in case of power outage.
My sumps very much undersized I have a tmc reef sump xxl on a 3000L pond. I mean just my external skimmer when it shuts off drains enough back in to the sump to fill it most of the way! Lol.
But them sticking shut I don't think would be to much of an issue. My sump couldn't flood the pond its run dry and the vectra pump would shut off

 

[JayM]

It seems to me that a sprinkler valve would probably be less expensive than a motorized ball valve.

 

[FishOkay]

It seems to me that a sprinkler valve would probably be less expensive than a motorized ball valve.

Okay, would you be able to send me a link for one? Haven't heard of a sprinkler valve. Assuming it's used it sprinkler systems? Lol

 

[JayM]

Okay, would you be able to send me a link for one? Haven't heard of a sprinkler valve. Assuming it's used it sprinkler systems? Lol

I just saw you're in the UK, but yes. They're used in sprinkler systems and I'm going to guess that maybe sprinkler systems for your lawn aren't as common on your side of the pond as they are over here.

Sprinkler valve

They are about half the cost of a motorized ball valve in the US.

 

[DIYreefer]

I would use a simple check valve. Yes, they can fail, but I've never had it happen. You could run a couple of them in series for added peace of mind if you were worried about failure.

 

[TehBrainz]

I'm using a motorized ball valve for my CO2 scrubber. I imagine it would work well in your application as long as you could find the appropriate size.

Concern would be with the moving parts and gunk (snails, slime, etc) messing with the functionality. How often would they be triggered? Everyday during feedings?

 

[JayM]

I would use a simple check valve. Yes, they can fail, but I've never had it happen. You could run a couple of them in series for added peace of mind if you were worried about failure.

Check valves won't work for overflows as they are designed to stop the flow from reversing from the normal path. Op wants to prevent flow from the normal path.

 

[JayM]

I'm using a motorized ball valve for my CO2 scrubber. I imagine it would work well in your application as long as you could find the appropriate size.

Concern would be with the moving parts and gunk (snails, slime, etc) messing with the functionality. How often would they be triggered? Everyday during feedings?

Yep. Valves need to be exercised if you want them to be reliable.

 

[DIYreefer]

Check valves won't work for overflows as they are designed to stop the flow from reversing from the normal path. Op wants to prevent flow from the normal path.

Duh. Wow, I'm dumb! In my defense, I just woke up and am still a little groggy.

The only answer to this scenario is a larger sump that can handle the volume in a power outage. I wouldn't trust any sort of electronic device in this application. I'm far more comfortable with gravity and simple physics.

Edit: although there's a good chance that a check valve would be needed as well. Dependent on where the discharge of the return pump is.

 

[FishOkay]

I'm using a motorized ball valve for my CO2 scrubber. I imagine it would work well in your application as long as you could find the appropriate size.

Concern would be with the moving parts and gunk (snails, slime, etc) messing with the functionality. How often would they be triggered? Everyday during feedings?

That's a fair point! I suppose I could 'exercise' the valve whenever necessary really. I could probably even automate that depending on the valve type. I'm seeing wifi enabled ones. I think it'd be difficult to have 100% failsafe against failure when going the automation route suppose its the risk I'd need to take in to account.
Although I would say my pond is in a garage on concrete and water would end up going outside and wouldn't cause property damage so probably a risk I may feel more inclined to accept over another person

 

[TehBrainz]

That's a fair point! I suppose I could 'exercise' the valve whenever necessary really. I could probably even automate that depending on the valve type. I'm seeing wifi enabled ones. I think it'd be difficult to have 100% failsafe against failure when going the automation route suppose its the risk I'd need to take in to account.
Although I would say my pond is in a garage on concrete and water would end up going outside and wouldn't cause property damage so probably a risk I may feel more inclined to accept over another person

As others have stated, best option would be to make sure your sump can fully handle what is "relieved" when power is cut and then add complexity as needed from there.

I've got siphon breaks really high on my return lines for instance to minimize back flow, you could do this and include check values on the return lines. Electronic ball valves on the over flow lines that fail closed. You may then want to include an overflow emergency drain lines in the event the ball valves fail but your pump stays on. This is a good idea even without the ball valves. Essentially those lines will ALWAYS be dry unless a failure happens.

 

[FishOkay]

An update. After like 5 floods because of a faulty vectra L2 which likes to shut itself off for no apparent reason and loss of 200L of sea water which costs like 80 pound a time to have delivered. I decided to add a secondary sump to handle the excess water. I really should have done it to start with but I was stubborn lol

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I read the title as monstersized bivalves lol, may need to get my eyes checked haha. Can't help with this though

 

[dadnjesse]

Having a Sump to handle the water when the power shuts down I would think is the logical fix. Can't you lower the level in the sump to give you the extra room.

 

[SocalS14]

Be cool to have motorized valves setup manifold-style. You could control which apparatus get fed from the manifold.

 

[elysics]

An update. After like 5 floods because of a faulty vectra L2 which likes to shut itself off for no apparent reason and loss of 200L of sea water which costs like 80 pound a time to have delivered. I decided to add a secondary sump to handle the excess water. I really should have done it to start with but I was stubborn lol

Any particular reason why you get your water delivered like that? For that money you could have gotten a high quality high output rodi unit and plenty of salt

 

[FishOkay]

Any particular reason why you get your water delivered like that? For that money you could have gotten a high quality high output rodi unit and plenty of salt

I do have an Rodi unit for the top off water and did start out mixing my own but it became a bit of a hassle. I also like the idea of using natural sea water, I feel like nature's best. Whether that's true or not I don't know.