Aquazamp drainage switch

[Sticktongue]

http://www.aquazamp.com/store_front/index.php?route=product/product&path=69&product_id=76

Has anyone used this? How exactly does it work? I'm thinking about making a really nice drainage system that is nearly hands free. Still early in the thought process and came across this this morning.

 

[summoner12]

You mean like these?

I use them on my own drainage at home. The drainage bins are 100% automated. water goes in, switch turns on pump, pump moves water to a connection under the sink, once empty second switch turns off the pump.

Now your question about how they work. when you look at the first photo, the switches are in a 'normally open' position. When the float rises it 'closes' the switch, completing the circuit.

To make what I have in the photo, you'll need a relay, gardon pond pump, 1/2" tubing, rubbermaid or bucket and a power supply. The power supply should be either 12 or 24 volts, AC or DC and the relay coil should be the same as the power supply. You don't want a 120v AC relay, because you need to run the power through those float switches, and using high voltage won't be safe. The only high voltage part should be the gardon pond pump.

The basic principle is that the bottom switch is 'off' until water rises to make it float, then it is 'on'. Then when the water hits the top switch, it turns that switch 'on' as well, completing the electric circuit that controls the relay, which turns on the pump. Now the reason the relay stays on when the top switch lowers, is because the relay is keeping power to itself. but the lower switch is wired to 'open' that circuit. The bottom switch turns off the power to the relay when the water drops, and the relay turns off the power to the pump.

Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

 

[Sticktongue]

That is really cool. Thanks for all of that. really appreciate it!

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Is there a specific power supply you use?

 

[summoner12]

Is there a specific power supply you use?

not exactly. You just need to make sure that the relay's solenoid coil voltage is the same as the voltage your power supply is going to produce. So... if you buy a 12v DC power supply from your local electronics place, be sure you buy a relay that is 12v DC. AC transformers are pretty cheap and common at electronics stores and work great.

 

[coldbloodedAL]

not exactly. You just need to make sure that the relay's solenoid coil voltage is the same as the voltage your power supply is going to produce. So... if you buy a 12v DC power supply from your local electronics place, be sure you buy a relay that is 12v DC. AC transformers are pretty cheap and common at electronics stores and work great.

Okay, thanks a lot man.