Electricity question

[Clown Monarch]

Is there a power strip or some kind of device that will, if the power in the house goes out, not regain power until it is reset?

The problem is if the power goes out, the pump stops and siphon stops. Once power returns, the pump will run with the siphon stopped and run dry. I want the pump to stay off until I can reset it.

Has anyone heard of such an animal?

 

[i have crabs]

i think some powerbars can do this probably just the good ones though check the electronic shops

 

[ellisz]

Ideally, you would want the level in the overflow to not drop far enough to lose the siphon. Maybe a longer U tube?

I had the same issue when I used a HOB overflow. I don't use it any more though.

 

[Clown Monarch]

actually, I don't have the pre-filter on the tank (I didn't leave room in back). I didn't really want the big nasty discolored yellow box in the tank anyway.

So now it's just a PVC pipe system running directly from the tank to the wet/dry (with the holes drilled for power loss).

 

[nyghtone]

I had this same problem with my tank, I fixed it by using a powerhead turned upside down pumping into my sump. This works great because if the water level goes down just a little bit the PH has no water to pump, but when the power comes back on and water is pumped out of your sump into your main tank and the water level goes back up past the intake of the PH all resumes. This also makes a makeshift surface skimmer for me. A powerhead will cost about the same as a powerstrip of that complexity I would guess, just a suggestion. Good luck.

 

[Clown Monarch]

I'd considered that too, nygh.

I decided against it because I didn't think I could match the flow between the powerhead and the pump, so I decided to just regulate the siphon flow with a valve (and save the $50 for the extra PH). Works well so far with this one minor problem.

 

[RocketSeason]

there is something available for that....I would say you will need to ask your home depot man. he can point you in the right direction. (although I bet its not to cheap.)

 

[fishfreek]

It would be far easier fixing your syphon problem. To be 100% honest having a setup how you describe would leave me very uncomfortable if I was you.

 

[nyghtone]

Just for the record, you don't have to "match" the PH's. The one pumping out can be as big as you want, cause if it gets to far ahead it cuts itself off ause the water line get's to low, works great. I am planning a HUGE upgrade in less than a month though that will be posted to my website, cause this setup isn't ideal, it just works "for now"

 

[RocketSeason]

will that work without burning out the motor?

 

[Clown Monarch]

cause if it gets to far ahead it cuts itself off cause the water line gets to low

This is the motor I need. What kind is it?


ff- actuall it's pretty failsafe. Both syphons (input/output) die if the motor stops before overflowing the wet/dry. The level in the wet/dry has been constant for 2 days. I'll feel pretty good when I have this magic pump.

 

[nyghtone]

This special motor is just a normal PH turned upside down, haha. I supose I could have explained that a bit better. It's just that if the input for the pump is facing up, the water has to go up and over it, so when the water level drops to far, no water "falls" into the input of the pump, Maybe this explains it better???

 

[RocketSeason]

that sounds like you could burn out that motor. Who manufacturs this? Most powerheads I know of need to be in water all the time or else...

 

[Clown Monarch]

Yes, but would the motor shut down or would it just "run dry" until it burned up?

 

[RocketSeason]

I think it will run dry. My water pump in my skimmer runs dry when the pre-skimmer goes empty accidently.

 

[bound_for_obx]

I'd bet it will run dry until it gets damaged and/or burns up.

 

[Clown Monarch]

I'm wondering if a ball float on a string attached to a toggle switch hanging above the box would work? When the water level got too low, the weight of the ball would pull the string down, thus pulling the toggle and shutting down the pump.

Geez - it's gonna look like a game of "Mousetrap" under there.

 

[fishfreek]

Really what you all describing is way more complex than a simple hang on overflow. While I dont like them much the CPR overflows have a very low intank profile.

To be fully honest I ordered one for a future tank im putting together. After a few months it would more than likly be covered in coraline so much you wouldnt notice it at first glance.

 

[nyghtone]

Yes, the PH I am using is always underwater, it never actually runs dry because the water isn't pumped out unless water is being pumped in. It only cost me 18 bucks anyways, so no big deal. And yes, it is MUCH more complicated than an actuall overflow, but I had the PH extra, and those OFB's cost like 75 bucks, which is more than it's going to cost me to put the internal boxes in in a few weeks, which I'm REALLY looking forward too!!!

Laters all...

 

[RocketSeason]

Dudes. I just got De ja vous from this thread....woaw...

has that happened to anyone before? It's a first for me.

and that whole string tied to the switch Idea really sounds a bit iffy.