[charlie]

Originally Posted by DonW

Opticals in general are more expensive than standard floats. Your taliking $40 for a optical sensor vs $10 for a float. Of course you start adding timers, bells and whistles the $$ are going to go up. A very basic optical system will only be $30 more than the same system with a float.

Don

Yeah, you are right, quality costs!!!!!! Can you integrate your sensor with the Tunze system?

[DonW]

Originally Posted by charlie

Yeah, you are right, quality costs!!!!!! Can you integrate your sensor with the Tunze system?

Dont need to the Tunze is already a great system as is.

Don

[charlie]

So................................ I take it the top sensor on the Tunze system has been pretty failsafe? That is what I am really worried about, I hate floods!!!!!

[DonW]

Originally Posted by charlie

So................................ I take it the top sensor on the Tunze system has been pretty failsafe? That is what I am really worried about, I hate floods!!!!!

Charlie the real key to the Tunze is the 100% low voltage. Switching a/c can cause problems and is not as reliable long term. Normally what you would see is a couple of floats switching a mechanical dc coil relay that in turn is turning on/off a AC pump. The weak link is the lower float and the relay.
There is NO such thing as a water proof float even if you buy the nice Madisons. So basily when you shut things down to do a water change or even splash water or allow salt creep your shortening the life of the float. The wire absorbs water and or the potting will leak. It may just be a tiny amount but you know how salt creep is. Once its in the switch its only a mater of time before it fails. The upper Tunze should be well above the water line and last a lifetime.
The relay issues can easily be overcome by just using a solid state relay. There are ones design to switch only ac and ones for only dc and they are not cheap and interchangable. The basic ato's you see with a universal mechanical relay will not have the components to absorb the voltage spike caused by switching on a solenoid or pump. The solid state sysems have this so less chance of that dc solenoid burning the relay.

Don

[charlie]

Don, if I am understanding you correctly, the pump that Tunze uses is not AC, it is run off DC????

[DonW]

Originally Posted by charlie

Don, if I am understanding you correctly, the pump that Tunze uses is not AC, it is run off DC????

Correct its a 9v regulated dc pump.

Don

[charlie]

As Gomer Pyle so aptly stated........................... Shazam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will look into that alot closer. Thanx for all your help there Don.

[Buckeye Field Supply]

DId you plumb those membranes in series - waste from the first to in port on the second? Or did you plumb the membranes in parallel?

Russ

[charlie]

Waste from the first goes to the in on the second.

[Buckeye Field Supply]

So you have them plumbed in series. In that configuration, the two membranes function as a single long membrane. Just like your original single membrane, you want a 4:1 (give or take) waste to permeate ratio. I assume you are still using the original flow restrictor that came with your single membrane, right?

What's your overall waste to permeate ratio? If its much less than a 3:1 you're risking premature scaling of the membrane.

Russ

[charlie]

According to the folks I spoke with, and you can take this up with them, I can run this thing at 2:1 or less, and that is what I am doing.
I am using the flow restrictor that came with their kit, I removed the old one.

[scooterman]

I've haven't been getting my e-mails because I should of gotten to this thread long ago! Charlie I will talk to Don when I do my ATO upgrade, I've had some set-backs (Like you know) but I want to change up the ATO I have & make it more reliable, I'm actually thinking of rebuilding the entire unit, not sure yet I will have to draw up the rest of the existing unit & then let Don see what we can do to make it better. I think I jumped the gun on this unit & should of waited a little while longer to get a better set-up, even though it is fairly nice. I'm with you, I don't want water on the floor, the extra cost is well worth it.
So still glad I talked you into the dual membrane? Thanks to Don, it is a big help!

[charlie]

Hey Scooter, I wondered where you took off to. Do you know anybody that is running the Tunze Osmolater? I think Nikki is, but I am not sure.:slap:

[DonW]

Originally Posted by charlie

Hey Scooter, I wondered where you took off to. Do you know anybody that is running the Tunze Osmolater? I think Nikki is, but I am not sure.:slap:

Nikki does use the Tunze.

Don