Float alarm system for mixing tanks
Float alarm system for mixing tanks
(OP)
Hello all, I am the maintenance man for a pickle manufacturing company. We have 6 large brine mixing tanks and everything is manual. They have manual ball valves and flow meters with nothing to prevent the tanks from overflowing if the brine maker is not paying attention. We had an estimate done for automatic valves with a controller and it was too much right now. My much more inexpensive idea is as follows:
Each of the six tanks will have its own float and I would like just one 120volt power supply for all six floats. The 120volt supply will go to an e-stop and then to a selector switch (tanks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) then depending on the position of the selector switch it will send the voltage to one of the float switches. Once the level in the tank raises the float, it will send the 120volts through the float to an alarm which will be turned off by the e-stop. What I cant seem to figure out is how to use only one alarm for all six tanks. I cant run all six wires to the alarm because obviously the power will backfeed back through the system. I have done very little work with relays which I am assuming I will need to incorporate. If anybody can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate.
Each of the six tanks will have its own float and I would like just one 120volt power supply for all six floats. The 120volt supply will go to an e-stop and then to a selector switch (tanks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) then depending on the position of the selector switch it will send the voltage to one of the float switches. Once the level in the tank raises the float, it will send the 120volts through the float to an alarm which will be turned off by the e-stop. What I cant seem to figure out is how to use only one alarm for all six tanks. I cant run all six wires to the alarm because obviously the power will backfeed back through the system. I have done very little work with relays which I am assuming I will need to incorporate. If anybody can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate.






RE: Float alarm system for mixing tanks
Assuming only one filling at a time..
Personally I would just use 6 floats (12VDC or similar low voltage DC for increased safety). When the float is at the max level the float energizes a single 12VDC relay "coil" (all floats are attached to this relay). One pair of the relay "contacts" can be used to stop your filling machine. The other set turns on an audible alarm. The contacts of the relay must be rated for your filling machine voltage/current level.
RE: Float alarm system for mixing tanks
RE: Float alarm system for mixing tanks
RE: Float alarm system for mixing tanks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching
RE: Float alarm system for mixing tanks
Bill
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