Reef Octopus VarioS float switch orientation?

kinetic

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I noticed my VarioS-2 hasn't been running. I'm not sure for how long, but I know yesterday it was. This pump feeds my chiller/reactors.

I saw that the FS status LED on the controller is orange/red solid. Really weird! My VarioS-4 return literally just turned to red as well, but the FS on the VarioS-4 was set to off (I don't remember doing that).

Long story short, I think my float switches both went bad at the same time. Or maybe I just never installed them correctly and was lucky that the FS was off this whole time.

What orientation are the float switches supposed to be?
 

Chris Wells

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This is how I mounted my float. Tested and working correctly for Varios-6.
20171014_203735.jpg
 
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kinetic

kinetic

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The FS had to have been turned off. I know I messed with it a lot and was upside down at first.

For sure my return was turned off! Otherwise it would have been extremely noticeable. I wonder how long my reactor/chiller has NOT been running with the other pump. It's so silent and the outlet is way down inside the sump, so it's impossible to tell. Thanks for the help!
 

Bos

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The logic of the float switch is correct in general use but for a Return pump, it should have been reversed hence why Chris has installed it underside down with the wire permanently in the water.

Basically if installed with the wire above the moveable 'float' and the switch in the water, the pump turns off....because its designed to think its flooding (eg Octo skimmers with float switch) so it switches it off and your Return VarioS pump will never turn on.

Maybe @coralvue can give some feedback to Octo and have them reverse the logic on the VarioS pump designed for Return pump purposes.
 

Awesome Dennis

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I think to flip operation, you pull the clip and take the float off and rotate it and reinstall.
 

enlighten

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This should be more widely known, maybe it is, but yes it works. pop the bottom one off, flip the float, and works as a way to prevent pump running dry. now if i could a second one, like an optical sensor for the display so i can check fpr overflow. that would be perfect.
 

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