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Frequently Asked Questions
How do
float switches work?
What will cause float switches to fail?
Are the float switches you sell reliable?
If a float switch fails, will if fail in the
“on” or “closed” position?
Can the float be reversed to change the switch
function?
Do float switches require maintenance?
How would I use the switch in an auto top off
application in an aquarium?
How much of the switch will be below the
liquid level?
Can a float switch be completely submerged?
Why do you sell the Maxijet 600 over the
Maxijet 400, 900 or 1200?
What are your shipping procedures and charges?
How do float switches work?
See
How Float Switches Work
What will cause
float switches to fail?
Overloading float switches is the
usual reason for failure.
Wiring a 15 watt pump or other
device through a 50 watt float switch can still lead to
overloading. See
Curing Spiking Voltage with a Relay for
crucial information about safeguarding your float switches from
failure.
Are the float
switches you sell reliable?
Yes. Float switches use
tried-and-true reed switch technology which has been in use for
decades. The switches we sell should be good for many thousands of
on/off cycles if used properly.
If a float switch fails, will if fail in the “on” or “closed”
position?
If you overload a float switch, it
can fail and this would normally happen in the on position. The
internal reed gets very hot, melts and fuses together, disabling the
switch’s ability to break a circuit. No device is 100% fool proof.
If a failure in the on position would be disastrous in your
application, we suggest using two switches in series, so that one
acts as a back-up.
Can the float be reversed to change the switch function?
Our switches come normally closed
- i.e. the wires complete a circuit when the float is at rest and
break it when the float rises. To change them to a normally open
state (so that the wires will break a circuit when the float is at
rest and complete it when the float rises), simply remove the
retaining clip, remove the float, flip it upside down and replace
the float and retaining clip. Note that you cannot do this with the
Madison M8700 horizontal mount switch that we sell.
Switches should never be inverted
(the Madison M8700 horizontal mount switch is an exception and can
be inverted). The threading should always be up and out of the
water.
For quantities of 25 or more, we
can special order the switches so that they are delivered to you
normally open.
Contact us for more information.
Do float switches
require maintenance?
Doesn’t everything? Used properly,
float switches can last for years. Just make sure the stem is clean
and does not have any residue or build-up. Check your switches
often (at least once a month) and clean them with a soft cloth. In
necessary, remove the bottom clip and the float. Just remember not
to invert the float or it will change the way the switch works.
How would I use the switch in an auto top off application in an
aquarium?
See our top-off project
suggested set-up page for some great advice on this application.
How
much of the switch will be below the liquid level?
Liquid will rise to be level with
the top of the float and then raise it about 3/16" before opening
the circuit (i.e. shutting off a pump if that is your application).
At that point, about 1" of the complete switch assembly is under
water.
Can a float
switch be completely submerged?
You should not submerge float
switches without sealing the top. The epoxy that holds the wires in
the stem is watertight, but it is not designed for long-term
submersion. Our
i-float tubing adapter and our
M8000 tubing adapter offer
basic protection.
Why do you sell the Maxijet 600 over the Maxijet 400, 900 or 1200?
No particular reason other than
that it is versatile and has a head of 53", which will work for many
applications. If you follow our recommendations and use a relay
(see
Curing Spiking Voltage with a Relay), the relay we sell
has contacts rated for 15 Amps, which will handle a fairly
substantial pump.
What are
your shipping procedures and charges?
See
Shipping & Returns
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