Installing a Mechanical Float on a Tunze Osmolator Universal 3155 Auto Top Off

[Webbed Feet]

Hi there!

The Tunze 3155 comes with an electrical float and optical sensor eye.  I'd feel better also to have an additional mechanical float at the egress of the 1/4 inch top off tubing going into my sump.  So far I am not having much luck finding a 12v shut off solenoid that would work with the low pressure of the Pump for Tunze Osmolator 5000.02 to shut the pump down should the float be raised by high water.  Instead I keep only finding solenoids for direct connection to RODI filters (house water system pressure).   If someone knows of a solenoid perfect for this that would be great.  Or, I am wondering how the 3155 system might react to a mechanical float restricting/stopping flow without a solenoid to shut down the pump?

Edited October 21, 2023 by Webbed Feet

[Blue Z Reef]

If you end up adding a manual float valve, you should add a siphon break, similar to what Neptune ATK has. That way the pump has some pressure relief should the float be up but pump is still running.

 

https://shop.neptunesystems.com/products/siphon-break

 

not sure about other solenoids for shut down. For a sensor that interrupts the pump, you could use something like the autoaqua smart shutoff, the down side is they don’t reset themselves and alarm until you manually reset them. They are more of a skimmate safety than anything.

 

 

[Webbed Feet]

Thanks Blue.   I'll have to try a manual float and see what it does.  I'm thinking it won't hurt the pump and may end up interpreted as a "run dry" fault.  Even if it does hurt the pump, if set up as the "last resort" to stop an ATO overun... who cares?  I'm not going to sweat a $29 pump much when there is a 50 gallon fresh water tank sump flood potentially waiting for the front line shut down stuff to fail.