Inherited 90

[redfishbluefish]

We're did you get the 120volt switch?

Someone made the one I have…someone who knows electronics….way beyond me. The switch is a regular float switch that is attached to a couple resistors and other thingies that then hooks to a 120 outlet. If you know electronics, you’re more than welcome to take a look at the little board inside the outlet box. Because mine is homemade, and not knowing the details, that is why in the DIY I referenced a relay switch that works with a float switch. But again, if you want to see mine in detail, you’re welcome. I’ll see if I can easily open it and post pictures.

 

[govertical19]

I think I seen one for sale. I probably should be able to make one if need be. If not I am come over to copycat yours haha


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[redfishbluefish]

Float switch to 120 volt outlet

This is the best I could show on the setup I have of the float switch controlling a 110 V outlet. I don’t know electronics, so I’m not sure what the doohickeys are called. I’ll do the best I can.

Here is the outlet and the little “electronic piece” in the back of the box. The hot lead goes to the bottom prong, with the second one up (red) going to the hot side of the outlet. The white wire coming in is attached to the normal other side of the outlet. The float switch has one wire attached to the white side of the outlet as well and the other wire attached to the top prong of the electronic unit.

Here is a closeup of the electronic portion. It appears to be just five doohickeys….the black cube on the bottom with three prongs coming out….bottom to the hot line coming in (black wire), second (red wire) returning to the hot side of the outlet, top going to four resistors. The other side of the resistors is attached to the one lead of the float switch.

I hope the pictures and my uneducated explanation helps!


EDIT TO ADD

I searched “MAC228” on the little black cube and found out it’s a Silicon Bidirectional Triode Thyristors…..whatever that is. HERE is a link to a description.

 

[fatoldsun]

Paul. The resistors look a little dark like they are a little cooked. The box also looks a little brown where the board is attached and around the upper conduit opening - right side. Not sure any of that is a concern but home electrical is always worth extra caution. Thought I'd mention I saw it...

 

[redfishbluefish]

Dave, I have advanced degrees in ignorance, so I know nothing about electronics. Should I be worried? I will tell you I’ve had this for years, and the last time it switched off the skimmer was when I was running an MRC skimmer. Does it generate heat when it is “running” or only when the switch turns it off?

 

[Fish Brain]

Paul. The resistors look a little dark like they are a little cooked. The box also looks a little brown where the board is attached and around the upper conduit opening - right side. Not sure any of that is a concern but home electrical is always worth extra caution. Thought I'd mention I saw it...

+1 to that, looks like signs of overheating and risk of a melt down or worse...

 

[fatoldsun]

I think maybe we got our degrees from the same school. Anyway, we had an electrical fire at our last house so I'm a little paranoid. Add to that that I had countless warnings from people on RC when I started my light build. Electronics, amateur, and salt water go togeather like sand, cylinder rings and motor oil so I was nervous about my build. It helped that I saw a lot of similar warnings about many of the "off label", "imported" lights (not UL rated) so I figured if I made them I had some quality control. Anyway, back to yours, time is the great equalizer. If its been ok for a while its probably nothing and those boxes are designed to help with electrical heat issues so again, likely ok. Maybe if you still have contact with the electronics guru who made it for you, you could run it by them.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Again, questions with ignorance…..could this be past damage from the fact that the old MRC ran a MAG 24 that drew (I think) 265 watts through this switch? The new SWC only draws (I think), 27 watts….almost a 10 fold difference. Should I still be concerned?

 

[redfishbluefish]

First my rant on UL….it’s meaningless. Actually what it means is that a company PAID UL to have the UL seal of approval. Similar to ADA on dental stuff, etc….it’s a paid seal of approval….meaningless. I reference the Coralife/Zilla power strip that is UL approved. It’s a fire stick waiting to light up and burn down your house….and it has. Even after the company was aware of this torch, they continued making them….with UL approval. HERE is the link NJRC has on these fire sticks….and yes, I had one as well, back in the day.




Now back to replying to your post….I have no idea who made this thing. I received it third or fourth hand from when it was made. Tomorrow (actually later on today), I’ll unscrew the box and, while still energized, feel for heat at the rivet that is holding this little electronic thing in place. I’ll also lift the float switch and see if I can feel heat. Might be foolish, but might also tell me something.


Thanks for the heads up Dave and Brian.

 

[Fish Brain]

Paul, you might be right about the Mag24. All electrical devices have a load limit and that mag might have pushed the limit on that little DIY. For that kind of load, a relay type system would be a better choice, but would require a little more engineering and design than the current (no pun intended) system.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I worked on my tank today. For me, that’s a major accomplishment. Being retired is hard work. I’m serious! I had more time to play when I worked a 9 to 5…I just don’t know where my time goes!


So today I finally installed the bioreactor I picked up a month and a half ago. To do this I had to modify my sump by getting rid of the bubble trap and moving the return pump back..

First I got rid of the bubble trap. I have no bubble traps on my sump and I have no bubbles in the DT. To think my first sump had double, three wall bubble traps…..go figure.


Second, the ATO was mounted to the bubble trap baffle, so I had to fabricate a shorten piece of Plexi to hold the ATO:

Third was moving the MAG 9.5 back a couple inches so that I could fit the reactor in front of it. This simply required a little cutting of PVC pipe and re-gluing with a couple new fittings.


Next I had to build a little stand to hold the bioreactor…..light diffuser to the rescue.


So here’s the bioreactor starting out with half a cup a pellets.

(And Dan, that pellet I pinched from you at the swap looks EXACTLY like the pellets I have from the bulk supply company.)


I guess I should have mentioned that the reason I removed the bubble trap baffle was so that the exit port of the bioreactor would be right next to the skimmer uptake. You can make out the clear exit tube from the reactor on the right, with the skimmer uptake right there.

 

[Arce]

Looks good, glad to see you got it setup, I remember you were telling me about doing it when I came over to get the rodi.

 

[Zippy69]

Nice, lets see some full tank shots as well. Want to find out how you like it in the weeks to come.

 

[Hockeynut]

I wish I was retired so I wouldn't have any time, lol

 

[redfishbluefish]

I wish I was retired so I wouldn't have any time, lol

I’d trade my age (and pains….knees are shot!) for youth in a second. I can only say, wait until you hit that magic number. With me, it was around 58, where everything started to hurt.

 

[JRWOHLER]

What bioreactor did you get?

 

[redfishbluefish]

What bioreactor did you get?

A JNS Alpha 2 Biopellet Reactor that I picked up from Mike S.

 

[Mike S]

Hows it working out for you Paul? Im not sure if I mentioned it or not but I was able to slip a piece of schedule 80 pvc on the end of the outlet so that I could direct the flow to the skimmer inlet. I may have just needed to heat up the pvc a little to get it to fit.

 

[MatteZ]

I was about to ask you the other day how you liked it. I just started running the same one about a month ago. So far I like it. The other day I checked it and there were a ton of pellets stuck to the too of it. I think I had the flow too high. I turned it down do I will see if I happens again

 

[redfishbluefish]

Well I’ve only had it running for a day and my nitrates and phosphates haven’t dropped at all…..so I’m not liking it yet!



Otherwise, watching the pellets spinning round and round reminded me of lava lamps. I think back in the day (the 60’s), you could have sold these things as “stand alone” novelties, for those with altered minds to watch for hours and hours.


And Mike, thanks for the heads up about the pipe fittings. However, I think I’m OK in that the exit on the reactor is within inches of the skimmer uptake.


And Matte, I’m running the pump at the lowest setting right now….but I only have half a cup of pellets in there.


I’m using the BRS dosing instructions of one cup of pellets for every 50 gallons of water….so in the end I’ll have two cups of pellets in the reactor. I see you (Matt) also have a 90 DT....how much pellets are you targeting to have?