JBJ ato?!

I need it because I will be going on vacation for 10 days in 4 weeks so it is a necessity
I am going to look for a weaker pump and Change frome mode a to mode b
I'll let you know what happens

 

When I initially purchased my JBJ ATO's, I read a lot of reviews, and talked to people I knew that had them. I saw that some had complaints, but for some, they worked perfectly fine. I figured that if the unit is installed and maintained properly, it should, and does, work. I've had mine for probably five years without issue. Now that one was sold to Zesty, he is having issues that I didn't, with a known working unit. There has to be a difference in the way the unit is installed, or the pump that is used in relation to the timeout. Are the floats installed with the shafts perpendicular? Is there a lot of turbulence in the chamber? Something doesn't work and then not without a reason.

Todd buddy, you're going to jinx yourself with your gravity ATO, lol.

 

I had emailed back and forth with jbj. They had me try a few different settings but it still is being temperamental. It very well could be how I have it setup too. norg has one and his works fine, he was the first to recommend it to me.
This is how it's currently setup. It can work for a couple days. The pump is new, I've tried another (aqualifter) as well. The setting on the ATO is set to B.
Is there anything wrong with this setup here? Is there something I could try different? I'll give it all a try. Haha.
This is in the return section of my pump. The water is usually pretty still in this section. The internal timer has been turned up. I however, am going to double check that, now that I am thinking about it.

 

Zesty, are your two sensors set at the same height? From the picture, it looks like they might be. Mode B is the max/min mode, so if your sensors are the same height, you're at the maximum and the minimum at the same time, so it's not doing anything. I have one sensor about 2 inches above the other...the instructions have sensor 1 at the max level and sensor 2 at the min level.

 

I had my sensors that close, but it was on a 100 gallon container. That could be an issue. Also, it could be the picture, but your sensors don't quite look straight up and down.

 

Oh duh! Wow, I hope it's that simple!

 

Me too!

 

Adjusted. Now sensor 2 is set for the minimum. I also made sure that they are vertical.
Thanks!

 

ok, since I successfully hijacked this thread. I want to update what has happened. This might help the OP.

Sunday, I tore down out the JBJ ATO and took it apart to make sure the timer was set properly. Then I started reading about using the JBJ in "one-sensor" mode. That led me to this PDF from a thread I found. I set up the ATO using the "Mode A both switches in Sump" option.
http://www.reeffanatic.com/products/float-switch-and-level-control/ct_rflc.pdf

I know I didn't check the way the floats were installed when I got them. Now that I took them out and put them in correctly (for my application) the ATO has worked perfectly for 2 days straight! :biggrinbo

I'm glad it's working and I feel bad, cause it is completely my fault. I did not know the floats were like that. I didn't see/know how barbianj had it setup, so it's not surprising that I set it up incorrectly. To no fault of barbianj either, the unit was practically new in box when I got the unit. I just didn't know what I was doing. haha :-[ oh well, I'm just glad it works and is working well!

 

Me too!