ExiledInIllinois Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 Long post... Don't read if you're lazy.Or: Easily confused by my posts. Okay, now that 98% of TBD members have left this thread, let's get to business: Looking for any advice on how to design a PLC device to control two (float) sensor switches for one AC powered sump pump. Any help is greatly appreciated. Off the shelf products even better! My sump pit is rather shallow. So when it rains... The pump will go off every 30 seconds or so. That electronic controller is set at the water inlet level, about 9" up from bottom of sump pit. That's fine, I have been running that set-up for decades, but it tends to put stress on float switch which leads to premature switch failure. Even electronic switches & sensors last only about 7 years. Normal mechanical float switches, about 3 years. Pump will run about 10 seconds during a cycle to pump the water in the pit away. Pump won't fail, switch will fail which then could lead to pump failure (if I am not around to catch it). When rain/storm conditions stop, the pump will cycle only a few times a day... If that (see log). Again, I use an electronic pump controller switch(es). I have one controller to handle the dry periods... To pump all the water away. I have another controller set for "storm mode." Both controllers are piggy back type, meaning that pump simply plugs into controller. What is the simpliest way to create a custom PLC, even use off-shelf products to switch between those two pump controllers? When it does NOT rain... The lower controller can control pump... When it starts storming and the water in pit is making the pump turn on every 30 seconds to pump water away for 10 seconds, I want the PLC to switch to the higher sensor/controller. Then when storm abates, switch back to low controller to pump away water held in drain tile acting as a "reservoir" around the house. I have another AC pump as a back-up pump with separate discharge line in the sump pit, controlled by another electronic controller in case of main pump failure or to assist main pump during deluges. It's on an inverter to to run on 12volts during storms that lose AC power. I have a back up genset too. Here is my pump log (on WiFi, smart device) for last month... You can see how many times the main pump cycles during storms when drain tile is running and how many times pump cycles daily under dry conditions. You can see it poured, but not really that bad on 11/18. What I really want is the pump to NOT cycle on and off so quickly during storms. Of course, I can manually switch these plugs... But I have to be home. I am looking to automate the whole damn process. OR: Should I just continue to keep main pump short cycling during storms. I have been using this approach for decades, works well, but adds wear and tear to components as I previously stated. Suggestions, advice, mockery for living in such a clay based, high ground water, God awfully flat and foresaken land. But... I am tsunami, wildfire, & earthquake proof... And flood proof when everything freezes solid outside of the month of August or when deluge doesn't strike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 How much you paying for services? BTW. TLDR. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 23, 2017 Author Share Posted December 23, 2017 I have Christmas cookies and homemade hummus. Can we work out a barter plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 I’d like to help but I wouldn’t be much help. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 Ok, ok...you’re trolling us. Nice try EII. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 23, 2017 Author Share Posted December 23, 2017 Oh... Here is the (Flotec) pump controller I use. It has sensor probes to detect water (no mechanical float). The other (storm mode) controller would be normally plugged into that green duplex outlet (separate circuit). Again, I have to be around to pull that plug and insert in into the other controller while also killing power to unused controller (water will be sensed if kept live... Wear and tear on components). I need some sort of PLC to switch between the two controllers and shut power off to not in use controller. Any suggestions? 15 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said: I’d like to help but I wouldn’t be much help. Sorry. No prob... No worries. I know there are some tech wiz kids here. I am mechanically gifted, but this is my first foray into PLC, electronic controls. At work... We are using tech still from the Cold War... Nothing is solid state... Every thing is mechanical, not electronic. YET, will be when Army finally decides to drop $$$ into infrastructure. 15 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said: Ok, ok...you’re trolling us. Nice try EII. Takes a troll to know a troll... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaoulDuke79 Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 (edited) When in doubt post an emoji. Edited December 23, 2017 by RaoulDuke79 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinceThe70s Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 Maybe Santa will leave something under the tree that will help you out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 23, 2017 Author Share Posted December 23, 2017 Just now, SinceThe70s said: Maybe Santa will leave something under the tree that will help you out. There is no product on market... Elves have to make it I suppose. I do welcome all the wisecracks, but serious advice will sure help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinceThe70s Posted December 23, 2017 Share Posted December 23, 2017 Just now, ExiledInIllinois said: There is no product on market... Elves have to make it I suppose. I do welcome all the wisecracks, but serious advice will sure help. Maybe the elves will draw up some schematics for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 Goddammit, I'm neither lazy nor confused by your posts. I don't care, but you didn't list that as one of the criteria. So I guess I have to read this ****... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 Use pvc piping is my recommendation. 7/8” to be specific. And any conduits must be connected to the ground fault. 121 Gigawatts. Let me know how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 40 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said: Use pvc piping is my recommendation. 7/8” to be specific. And any conduits must be connected to the ground fault. 121 Gigawatts. Let me know how it turns out. 1.21 gigawatts??!! 1.21 Gigawatts!!??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 2 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said: 1.21 gigawatts??!! 1.21 Gigawatts!!??? Where we’re going...we won’t need roads 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 10 hours ago, DC Tom said: Goddammit, I'm neither lazy nor confused by your posts. This leads some to believe that you are fascinated by them..... sexually. .... now you’re the idiot..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 I don't know anything about this but...will any of these do? Don't worry it's not Peter Pan. http://cougarcontrols.com/products/sump-pump-control-panels/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 (edited) How about expanding the hole. Bigger hole , diameter, and deeper. 2 feet of stone on bottom 12 inch pipe with holes (3 ft of pipe) on top of stone. pack 1 ft of stone around pipe. Will hold more water pump go on less. Number 2 stone Edited December 24, 2017 by mead107 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 24, 2017 Author Share Posted December 24, 2017 50 minutes ago, Nervous Guy said: I don't know anything about this but...will any of these do? Don't worry it's not Peter Pan. http://cougarcontrols.com/products/sump-pump-control-panels/ Awesome! Thanks... Looking into that now. It says: "1 float, 2 float, and 3 float" setups... I wonder if that works with "electronic floats". I don't utilize a float, but they are high-low electronic probes that senses the height of the water to turn pump on/off. It says "simple plug-in," that's what I am looking for. Again, thanks NG! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 57 minutes ago, Nervous Guy said: I don't know anything about this but...will any of these do? Don't worry it's not Peter Pan. http://cougarcontrols.com/products/sump-pump-control-panels/ When I saw "cougar," in the URL, I have to admit ... I was a little hopeful it was something better. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 24, 2017 Author Share Posted December 24, 2017 (edited) 42 minutes ago, mead107 said: How about expanding the hole. Bigger hole , diameter, and deeper. 2 feet of stone on bottom 12 inch pipe with holes (3 ft of pipe) on top of stone. pack 1 ft of stone around pipe. Will hold more water pump go on less. Number 2 stone I was actually thinking of adding another pit or making pit deeper & bigger... But major work tearing into basement floor. With a bigger sump... The water collects there not in drain tile. Hence, pump won't "short cycle" (run so often for very short spells). Nice thing about not storing in drain tile, you have more reserve capability to collect more water during a power outage before the whole damn thing backs up to top of pit and starts rising to basement floor (ie: flood). 4 minutes ago, Gugny said: When I saw "cougar," in the URL, I have to admit ... I was a little hopeful it was something better. Like a hot momma parked in your basement plugging in and out your pump? Now that is cougar control!!! Edited December 24, 2017 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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