Mr. Saltwater Tank Friday AM Quick Tip: How To Make Your Float Valve Safer
Any piece of equipment can fail and if your automatic shut off valve on your RODI fails, you’ve got big issues. While this tip won’t prevent an all-out failure of your float switch, it can go a long way to help preventing one.
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Ah yes… that reminds me… need to replace mine and stop relying on dumb luck to get me to the barrel in time… (overnight spill anyone?) ..
Nifty idea as these things easily quit on you… There are much more expensive ones over here but I’m still waiting on the supplier to get new stock in! Might buy the cheapo and pull this trick for peace of mind 🙂
Another good idea is to replace the steel cotter pin with an stainless steel or aluminum cotter pin. I found out that eventually the steel pin rusts and your float valve sticks open.
Justin..I wonder if there is a titanium pin as well.
Sounds like someone needs to get in the business of titanium cotter pins
One would think that the manufactures would catch onto the idea and have a foam filled float as well as a nylon pins, wing nuts and bolts for the adjustable float valves.
Or, much like Kurt said, maybe someone needs to get in the business of making just such a float valve.
Hey Mark, Good Tip. I have the bulk reef supply unit which is great but recently noticed that the float valve stops my water to the barrel but the unit continues sending out waste water. Odd hah? seems like the valve is starting to fail.
Titanium cotter pins are available
what kind of holding barrel do you recommend
Another option is to drill a 1/8 in hole in the float and inject the expandable foam…. Be careful not to over file as it expands… Then just seal the hole with silicon… Works great
I have the exact same issue, “Dee from Brooklyn.” Probably been going on for a year or more.
Great tip Mark. I’m going to also purchase a big RO/DI holding unit. Tired of lugging those 5 gallon buckets up the steps to empty into my reservoir tank.
Gil…do you know where we can find a Titanium cotter pin? If you have a link that would be great!!
Thanks
Devin
Mark, even safer and much easier to do than styrofoam, is to use a swimming pool ‘noodle’. Get one, cut off a 3″ section and slide it over the float. It adds much more floating ability, won’t crumble like styrofoam, no rubber bands, etc to wear out and break over time. And it’s cheap, you can get them at any $ store in the spring/summer for a buck! And that is for a 6 footer that is big enough to supply your whole reef club too.
Mark-
I’f you don’t mind sharing, what size/gallons are the water storage tanks you have at your home? I’ll be placing mine in my garage, one for salt and the other for RO/DI so just curious if at least 100 gallon containers would work…obviously pending on space.
Thanks
Devin
With all the chatter about float valve failures, maybe one would want to consider a common float valve assy that has been reliably used for many years… That is a Fluidmaster brand toilet ball cock. It’s all plastic and reliable for many years
If I had the ability to have an ATO, I’d develop a method to DIY it, however my setup will not allow for such a feature.
Just an idea thrown out there for some other “outside the box” thinker to ponder
I watch that with the foam on the float valve as I said on other tip Mark had. Why I had the type Mark showed the stem cracked with foam and too much pressure pushing up and came off the main part of the valve so I also put a hose clamp on the stem. So if it will not shut off it better to replace it as the rubber seal gets hard. I got a shutoff alarm for the water supply that used for ice maker for refrigerator if float or any thing leaks it shuts off the water supply I got form BRS.
Where do you get a water storage take like you have? I am up in NW Montana and very hard to find items that I will need.
Personally, I am a newcomer. I have never used a float switch, but I understand how they work and fail. So good point.