ATO Help and Info?

I am getting interested in purchasing an ATO for my system. I am not wanting to pay hundreds on something that seems as simple as a couple of float valves. I am wanting an ATO that will fill my sump to a specific level and will stop if the sump drops below a specific level. This to keep my display tank from overfilling in case of a siphon break from my overflow.

Does anyone know of a simple and yet cost efficient way to do this? Any and all advice is appreciated. Please if you have pictures to help me that would be great.

 

I purchase all my ATO stuff from autotop.com check em out.

 

JBJ ATO 80 bucks or so. This one seems better built for 20 dollars more and comes with the pump. No float valves is a plus.

 

Spectrapure UPLC-II. It gives you reliability since it uses the same bulletproof peristaltic pump as their LiterMeter, adjustability with its 1/10" to 4" touch of a button range adjustment andmany levels of safety with its variable fill rate adjustable in 10% step and its back up high high float. I have been using one for almost 7 years now and love it.

http://spectrapure.com/manuals/UPLC-II-PF-REV-A.pdf

 

What do you guys think of a DIY ATO? I found this DIY ATO on a website, that I think is very innovative and if I could figure how to put 2 switches in it to shut it off if the float gets to low I may try this out. What do you guys think?

 

I have a float valve version made by tmc. It is attached to the glass with a suction cup and then the pump goes to my topup tank. I find if the ball valve is perfectly vertical it works faultlessly however it has been knocked on occasion and if its a couple of degrees of right I have experienced the valve not perform right, either the float not dropping to turn water on or rising to shut the water off. As a safety measure now I obviously regularly check the float is positioned correctly but also I do not put the pump to the bottom of my topup tank like I was, instead I put it around a third of the way in and lower it as the water in the reservoir goes down., this way if the float fail to turn the water off I dont add potentially 5 gallon too much fresh RO.

Just thought I would put that, whether you buy one or make one yourself it is something worth keeping a check on in my opinion. Good luck whichever you choose.

 

If you do a DIY or even buy one ready made, make sure it is powered by low voltage DC versus 120v AC . Microswitches don't like house voltage.