Is the RainControl only for use with rainwater?

Simply, no. The RainControl can be used with other fluids. As long as the pressure sensor being used is tolerant of the fluid (viscosity, temperature, pH etc.) the RainControl can be used.

Do I need to build a panel around the RainControl?

Not at all. The RainControl functions as a level controller on its own. However, you can use the output from the RainControl to operate other components of a larger controller.

I’m trying to maintain a minimum tank level, from either mains water or a holding tank. Is the RainControl suitable for this?

Absolutely! The RainControl is totally suitable for maintaining a minimum tank level from either mains water or a holding tank. It can activate/deactivate a pump, solenoid, or simple mechanical valve using its onboard relay. The only thing you need to do is define the activation range, which includes the levels for activation and deactivation.

I need to set a high-level alarm on a holding or process tank. Should I consider using the RainControl, or do I need to create something from scratch?

This is a slightly trickier scenario. Yes, the RainControl can be used as a high-level system by triggering a beacon or sounder, depending on the location and ambient noise. However, if you need to activate a local beacon, or a remote beacon, and open a spillway or overflow solenoid, this would require a more complex controller. You would need to use the output from the RainControl to drive either a secondary controller or relays for this purpose.

I want to keep a tank at a minimum level, as in I want to hold water in a tank and release it over time, along the lines of a retention tank. Would the RainControl work in this situation?

I particularly liked this question. The answer is yes! With a little planning, a throttled outlet with a motorised valve can be activated by the RainControl. It really is only a matter of calculating the required flow rate and minimum tank level. Of course, if we wanted to get a little clever, the designer could add other functions like a high-level alarm or discharge notification by using the RainControl output to drive multiple relays. A setup like this can be as simple or complicated as the designer (or user) wants, and all centralised around a simple little box.

I have another potential use for the RainControl Tank Level Controller who can I contact for more information?

As always, with any of the Mac3 products, we are always happy to discuss them in greater detail and how they can be deployed in your designs or installations. Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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RainControl rom Mac3 – Tank-level Control

Any Rainwater Tank level control system consists of four elements:

• A tank
• Rainwater harvesting
• Mains-water
• Controller

The key objective is to maximize the storage and use of harvested rainwater while minimizing the use of mains water. This requires a delicate balance as we experience fluctuating periods of wet weather and droughts with little warning. During wet periods the water tanks are full, but in the increasingly common dry summers, the tanks run low. Depending on usage, this can lead to various problems, from sanitation issues (such as yard washdown and toilet flushing) to maintenance issues (such as pump damage due to running dry). Not to mention the alarmed calls from sites/users when things don’t run exactly as expected. this is the point where an end user will ask ‘What’s the point of this system if it doesn’t work without rain?’ followed shortly by ‘To hell with it, I’ll just use the mains instead’.

RainControl for tank level control

At this point, we can pull a RainControl from our sleeve, either in the design stage or retrofitting to a pre-existing tank installation to add both level monitoring and top-up functionality.

The RainControl is designed to be DIN-rail mounted, allowing for installation in both panel mount systems or as a standalone unit in a windowed project box. The RainControl panel displays the live level inside the tank along with top-up status. It uses a pressure transducer, which eliminates the need for moving parts inside the tank, simplifying installation and use as only one input has to be configured.

Overview of the settings on the Mac3 RainContro

Now, unlike the majority of ‘simple’ or ‘basic’ top-up systems, the RainControl doesn’t add water to the tank for a specific amount of time, rather the RainControl can be configured to add a measured amount of water. This allows the installer (or end user) to set or adjust the minimum and maximum intervention levels inside the tank. When properly configured, this ensures that there is always a minimum level of water in the tank. When the RainControl detects that the water level has dropped below the minimum set level, it opens a solenoid or motorized valve to top up the tank until it reaches a specified maximum level. Once the tank is filled to this level, the RainControl closes the valve or solenoid until the water level drops again to the initial minimum point.

RainControl for Tank Emptying

We could use the same simple system to drain a tank. Turning this on its head, rather than filling a water tank, the relay inside the RainControl could be connected to a pump rather than a valve. So using the same setup (and just a touch of cunning) we can set the operational levels for draining a tank once it reaches level ‘x’ turning off the pump at level ‘y’.

This is an interesting idea for SuDS systems if we use an attenuated outflow on a motorised valve rather than a pump. The RainControl is a robust reliable system at a very competitive price point.

RainControl for Tank Level Alarm

The use of pumps/valves (and solenoids) is certainly one avenue. The RainControl could also easily be adapted into a high/low-level alarm using the relay to activate an alarm rather than a pump or valve. Again, it’s robust, simple to configure and install and competitively priced.

RainControl from Mac3

As with much of the Mac3 line, there are multiple uses for any given piece of equipment given a little design thought. The RainControl is a flexible addition for any parts list if building a controller from scratch, adapting an existing installation to a new purpose (always good fun) or simply replacing a failed system, there will always be a use for the RainControl.

Why not contact us if you have a thought about how you could use one of these anew, or to repair a failed system. We particularly love fixing redundant Rainwater Harvesting systems and bringing Rainwater Harvesting tanks back into use.

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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Quadri Pump Controller, highly configurable and easy to use.

As with all the Mac3 equipment I’ve come across, the quality and attention to detail always shine through. The Quadri is no exception to this, housed in a smart ABS housing – the Quadri not only looks good (I mean, who doesn’t appreciate a well-made casing?) but it is also going to last.

As a general-purpose pump controller, the Quadri can be deployed in several ways:

Boosting

Creates a pressure booster type system, using pressure switches and level probes to monitor an installation for pressure drop, then activating a pump as required to restore pressure to the user-set value.

Storage

For liquid storage, the Quadri is used to monitor the level in two tanks and maintain levels that are set on the Quadri itself.

Sewage

Similar to the storage setting but optimised for a single tank. Use a suitable dirty water float switch to control the level inside a septic tank, holding sump or similar.

Effortless versatility. Control one or two pumps. It’s just so easy.

All versions of the Quadri can determine tank level using float switches, pressure sensors, or level probes. This allows for greater flexibility when retrofitting to an existing installation and potentially reusing existing hardware inside the tank.

On top of this, the dual pump models are capable of duty balancing, alternating usage of each pump or, if configured to do so, activating both pumps together at times of increased demand.

Cos-phi Monitoring

Quadri Pump Controller with CosPhi Dry-Run Protection

The Quadri is also available with cos-phi (cosφ) monitoring in all variants (single / three-phase, single or dual pump). These versions are particularly well suited to installations where conventional level monitoring simply isn’t practical – think boreholes, wells, and remote tanks (the kind that made sense at the time of installation but, were never intended to be improved or modified (nobody stops to think of the tech that has to work on it afterwards!)). Installation or retrofit becomes considerably easier as we don’t need to run extra cables for conventional float switches, pressure transducers, or the like. Remember, less cabling generally leads to a happier life!

As the Quadri cosφ is constantly monitoring the power factor of the pump motor, the Quadri can shut down the system when it detects a potential blockage or dry-run situation. Protecting the installation, allowing the user (or their tame maintenance engineers) to investigate and resolve the issue.

The Quadri family of pump controllers is a simple and effective tool to consider when designing or upgrading a system, with the functionality and ease of use that we have come to expect from the Mac3 line.

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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Advanced Flood Alarm – RKIT Level Alarm

At this time of year, we often hear of and see footage of rivers bursting their banks – and the damage this causes to homes and businesses around the country. Now, while prevention is always better than a cure, we can try to lessen the impact of these events with warning systems. To this end, we have created the RKIT – a family of Level Alarms that give the homeowner (or work site) advanced warning of rising water levels. When sited and installed correctly, they potentially give enough time to get vulnerable persons and items out of harm’s way or to move vehicles and prepare for the incoming water.

The most suitable kits for permanent advanced flood warning installations are the RKIT 1 and 2. These are mains (230vAC) powered devices with a 10m (RKIT 1) or 40cm (RKIT 2) cable attached to the capacitive level sensor. The cable can be lengthened via request or with a suitable IP68 cable joint to better fit site requirements.

If the Reka level capacitive level sensor is mounted at the lowest point of the property at risk of flooding (on a post or wall facing the water source) as the level rises, the legs of the Reka become submerged – triggering the alarm. By default, the RKIT comes with an 80dB sounder and beacon – which is generally loud enough for a domestic dwelling (and to annoy everyone around me in the office when I am testing the kits!).

As the Reka sensor requires immersion to activate and has no moving parts, there is little risk of a false alarm caused by splashing or rainfall.

Deployment of an RKIT unit can also form part of a flood action plan – not only to start breaking out the sandbags – but also to prepare other measures – such as the use of sumps to draw water away from important areas, moving critical or precious items to higher levels in a building and of course, isolating electrical circuits that are at risk.

While we cannot stop the waters (Canute tried that one, and we all know how that turned out) – we can at least prepare for them. As they say – Forewarned is forearmed.

Level Alarm – other uses

Aside from flood protection, the RKIT can be deployed in other situations that require a high-level / overflow alarm – protection for plant rooms, lift shafts, and even for when filling the coolant bath for machine shops (nothing is as slippery as ‘suds’ in a workshop ((some bruises don’t go away)). The RKIT is a remarkably versatile piece of kit. It is also available in 110v (RKIT 3 and 4) and 24vDC (RKIT 5 and 6) for worksite and marine / off-grid use.

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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Electronic water pump pressure switch – SuperSimplex E

This is a simple inline installation onto 25mm (1”) pipework, either vertically or horizontally – making retrofitting a water pump pressure switch to an existing system that much simpler. Aside from wiring power and the pump, that’s it! The SuperSimplex E restart pressure is preset to 1.5 Bar – but this restart pressure can be raised or lowered with the dial and mechanical gauge on the front of the unit.

The SuperSimplex E will also help to diagnose issues (should they develop) as the pressure gauge in the SuperSimplex E will show whether there is a leak or an issue before the internal non-return valve of the unit. Immediately narrowing the location of the issue down and making resolution on-site much quicker.

SuperSimplex E with close-up of LED display

In the spirit of keeping things nice and simple (you may have noticed a theme here) the SuperSimplex E has one (just one) button – to manually restart the pump. Aside from that, the unit displays run status/error – with 3 LEDs, telling the installer, facilities manager or service engineer everything they need to know at a glance. Dry run protection is built-in, with automated pump restarts set at 15-minute intervals.

The SuperSimplex E is ideal for installations that do not require extensive setup, rather the installation just needs to work with minimal supervision or calibration. The SuperSimplex E is definitely a water pump pressure switch to keep in the box of tricks, especially where the site doesn’t have extensive requirements and a manual pump would suit the task better than an automatic version.

(see, I told you it’d take you longer to read this than it would to install one!)

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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Water pump pressure switch – SuperSimplex M (Mechanical)

Installed with a 25mm (1”) BSP fitting top and bottom, the SuperSimplex M will fit just about anywhere – horizontally or vertically – so long as you are comfortable reading the integrated pressure gauge and can reach the pressure adjustment dial – this will do the job.

This water pump pressure switch is pretty much plug-and-play. Wire in your mains connection and pump, close the case, and the electrical installation is complete! No 5-minute job can be this simple, can it? Well yes! It really can.

Being a solely mechanical device, there are no menus or settings to run through or electronic gremlins (oh, how we love hunting the gremlins down), just set the restart pressure, and that’s it – you can now find somewhere quiet to catch up on paperwork (or the rugby scores).

SuperSimplex M mechanical water pump pressure switch with float switch

If, later, the installation requires dry run protection, you can add a single action float switch to the SuperSimplex M. Therefore, enabling a function that wouldn’t typically be associated with a mechanical-only unit. The installation would function very much like a float switch protected pump and would require access to the tank (or at least running a cable from the tank to the controller).

Simple mechanical water pump pressure switch

A SuperSimplex M would definitely be my go-to water pump pressure controller if the installation required a simple pressure-controlled setup, without the complexity or setup required from a computerised controller (not to mention going backwards and forward through the manual). Barn or garage type installations would benefit from the added control of an external unit connected to a manual pump.

SuperSimplex M – simplicity itself, there truly is a finesse from a simple (and well-executed) solution to a problem.

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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If you closed your eyes and pictured a float switch – I’d wager you imagine the Key from Mac3.

The Key is a solid and straightforward float switch, with the expected attention to detail you would expect from Mac3. Simply put, they work! There isn’t much I can say about these other than these blue and yellow float switches are a familiar fixture on OEM float-switched pumps worldwide.

The Key is available in PVC and H07RN-F cable types, in 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20m lengths. The Key is installed with a counterweight on the cable or with the cable restrained to a pump or internal fixture of a tank installation.

Where the Key Clean Water Float Switch can be Installed

The Key is suitable for use with a tank level controller, pump float switch modification or a complete tank and pump control system.

The Key is particularly suitable as a hardware dry-run protection measure. The Key, wired directly into the mains feed to a pump (with an IP68-rated connector) or using a junction box outside the tank, will isolate the pump when the water level drops below the level set at installation. Using the Key for dry-run protection is particularly useful with centrifugal pumps (as they will require re-priming if they run dry) or when using a submerged pump that requires immersion for cooling.

Conversely, the Key can be employed as part of a top-up system for filling the tank or simply as tethered float switch – positioned at the maximum required level of the tank itself. It can then either be wired into a controller for a manual pump or wired into an automatic pump.

The Key is a nigh-on universal float switch for clean water applications and certainly worth keeping in mind when replacing a failed float switch in situ.

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

The post Key Clean Water Float Switch appeared first on Mac 3 UK.

Mac3 Float Switch – Original

The original Mac3 is a simple but well-designed float switch for use primarily in clean water – but with its streamlined shape, is also suitable in water containing small amounts of suspended solids.

The flagship of the Mac3 float switch line, simply put – it just works! The Mac3 takes a float switch and refines the concept. There are no corners or sharp edges that can get caught on obstructions inside a tank or ragging points that cause irregular movement through a liquid. The polypropylene construction is both hardwearing and resistant to most fluids it is likely to encounter. Available in both the standard PVC and H07RN-F (rubber) cable types, the Mac 3 can be installed in almost any environment.

Mac3 Float Switch – the “go-to” for clean water pump protection

If I’m designing a pump setup, my first instinct is to reach for the Mac3! Then the only decision to make is the cable length and material (the go-to on my list would be the 2 meter, H07RN-F with a counterweight – MGM0206GB0C). With one of these, I can be sure that it will work in just about any situation that doesn’t require something a little more specialised.

The Mac3 can be installed as part of a controller installation (level or process control) or for dry-run protection on a pump. When wiring the Mac3 directly into a pump, I’d recommend using an IP68-rated T-joint connector (always in stock) to be sure there are no problems with the integrity of the connection. Though, there is no reason (if a suitable cable length is used) that the connection cannot be outside of the tank- with the Mac3 then being run into the tank itself.

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

The post Mac3 Float Switch – The Original appeared first on Mac 3 UK.

Compact Float Switch – Reka

The Reka can replace a traditional float switch in most clear water situations, with the benefit of not needing any extra space outside of its own footprint. I find this unit works particularly well when using either a small tank or a tank with filters and pipework in the tank itself. Using a Reka in these tanks means that I don’t need to worry about a conventional float switch getting caught up (I think we have all seen what happens next!).

Pump control is only the start for these Reka units. Rather than simply turning a pump on or off, we can use a Reka to control virtually anything that requires the presence or absence of water.

Early Flood Warning Alert

At this time of year when flooding begins to make headlines, it is worth considering Reka units and the potential role they can play in both flood alerts, and even flood defence. Combined with an Alarm box the Reka is a powerful and useful tool in flood zones.

The Reka can be installed at a low point, between a property and a potential ingress point for flood water. Once the water level has risen sufficiently to activate the Reka, the alarm will sound – potentially giving the occupant enough time to move valuables to higher ground, or even leave the property entirely. This would be a very simple version, but there is nothing to stop you from using the Reka, combined with a suitable high-flow pump, to actively protect important areas. Contact us for compatible Alarm and Pump Control Units.

Compact Float Switch for Off-grid Water Level Control or Alarm

At the other end of the spectrum, the 12/24V Reka Compact Float Switch can be used in vehicle or trailer-mounted installations. Two examples are:

1. A submerged Reka unit is mounted at the lowest level of the tank, this can then be connected to an alert (light or alarm) in the cab. Once the level has dropped past the Reka, the alarm is triggered. Particularly useful in watering or dust suppression roles – preventing the operator from continuing operations without sufficient water being available.
2. A Reka unit is mounted to the fill level of a tank or bowser – when the tank has been filled to this point an alarm can be triggered, or (depending on the site setup) the feeding valve can be closed. Saving the operator from having to stand on a ladder – or hang around the tank during filling.

Reka Compact Float Switch Alternative for different liquids.

Fluid Level Sensor

In fact, the Reka can be deployed with other liquids such as: Liquid Soap, Milk, Fruit Juices and Wines. Though it is worth remembering that the conductivity of these liquids differs, which is reflected in the size of the effective working sensing areas on the Reka unit. This can be easily accommodated for at the design stage.

The only area that this unit isn’t suitable for is sludge – or water with large amounts of suspended solids; this would require a dedicated float switch (e-Fly or Mac 5).

For more information

Contact Jim, our Mac3 Technical lead. Jim and Tom have over 25 years of experience in Water Control Systems.

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