HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO REPLACE A POOL PUMP?
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How to Level An Above Ground Pool With Water In It

When you notice the water level is greater on one side of your pool than the other, your pool is not perfectly level. Read on to learn more.

An Inch?

Level ground is a must for all above ground pools. If it is not level, water will splash out. This will require the addition of water and impact the sidewall.

Two Or More Inches?

If the two sides are off by more than a couple of inches, it becomes a serious problem. The walls are made to support the weight of the water evenly. When one side is holding more than the other, Ii left that way, the wall will collapse.

Fixing The Issue

Fixing a pool with water in it is not easy. But we will show you how it can be done. You will need a shovel, filler, hose, and work gloves.

  • You are going to be lifting the lower side of the pool, so you need to get rid of some of the weight. We recommend that you drain the pool until it’s only half full.
  • When you installed the pool, you put leveling blocks under the slab. You’ll want to remove them from the lower side.
  • Once you have removed the blocks, you will need to use your shovel to pry. Place the tip under the lip of the slab and push the handle down to lift it.
  • While you are holding the slab up, have someone replace the leveling blocks underneath. They will be challenging to get in, so you’ll need a hammer to help.
  • You will need to repeat this process for every set of leveling blocks on the lower side of the foundation.
  • You should have a hole left where you lifted it. Fill it with soil. Water it down with a hose to make sure that it’s packed in there good. If it’s not packed tightly, the pool will shift, and you’ll have to do it all over again.
  • Refill the pool to your desired level.

Source: https://pooljudge.com/how-to-level-an-above-ground-pool-with-water-in-it/

 

Never Replace Liquid Level Sensors Again with Waterline Controls™

Our level sensors and controls aren’t just for use in residential potable water holding tanks; some of the other applications include cooling towers, sump pumps, wastewater, boilers, water storage tanks, and building fire protection water tanks.

Water Level Controls
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Sump Pump Float Work
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How Does a Sump Pump Float Work?

Sump Pump Float Work

Sump pumps are set off automatically once the water level in the sump pit gets to a predetermined height. A homeowner can calibrate the pump to start at any depth they wish by adjusting the float device of the sump pump.

Water runoff and/ or seeping water is collected inside the sum pit. As the water gathers, a float rises as the water level rises. The float has control of an on/ off switch for the pump. Once the float rises to a predetermined height, the pump turns on. The pump continues to function until the float falls low enough to disconnect the switch. The pump is inactive once more until the water level increases again.

Types of Sump Pump Floats

Different types of floats are used by different types of sump pumps. Pedestal pumps will typically have a bulb type float connected to a metal rod that turns on the pump motor’s switch. Other types of pumps utilize floats attached to arms that will raise and lower as the water level rises and lowers. A tethered float is a float that is attached to the pump utilizing a tethering mechanism.

Old Sump Pump Float Working Principle

When the water level rises, the float will rise too. As the float rises the tether steadily releases. The tether is predetermined to start the pump when a specific amount of tether gets released. When the water levels lower, the tether becomes loose and the float falls back to its starting position.

New Sump Pump Float Working Principle

Float switches and water level controls typically start out open, meaning there are no alarms that are required to be activated since the water level is at its lowest.

  1. When the cooling tower stops using the water for its industrial operations, the water level starts to rise. No alarms have been activated up to this point.
  2. When the water level reaches the probes, a signal is transferred between the probes informing the high alarm to activate.
  3. When the high alarm is activated it can be programmed to tell the fill to stop filling up the water.
  4. Finally, when the water reached the predetermined limit, the fill stop kicks in and the process starts all over again.

With correct maintenance, your cooling tower float switches could last for years of operating. A lot of float switch failures typically occur due to degrading, wearing out, or fouling. Cooling tower coatings can safeguard the storage tanks, but what is safeguarding the float switches? Our water level controls can replace your old float switches once and for all and won’t degrade, wear out, or foul, because of any water quality.

Why Choose Water Line Controls

All of our water level controls and water level control systems are assembled right here in the U.S.A. where we monitor every step of the process. The are many reasons to choose Waterline Controls™ for all of your float switch and water level controller needs include:

SIMPLE DESIGN

No moving parts or mechanical floats to break or rust!

BEST TECH SUPPORT

No runaround, no guessing, no stupid answers. You’ll talk to the guy who’s been designing and installing these units for over 20 years.

BUILT TO LAST

Makes it easy to integrate with existing Building Management Systems and has an expected useful life of 15 years.

TOUCH TO TEST

One push of the button starts a complete validation cycle to ensure all systems are working properly.

RELIABLE & ACCURATE

Will not foul, plate, or deteriorate regardless of water quality.

Sump Pump Float
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How Does a Float Switch Work?

How Does a Float Switch Work?

A float switch works to detect the level of liquid in a tank by using a float, magnet, and reed switch system that automatically opens and closes when water levels rise and fall inside the tank.

According to WikiPedia, “A float switch is a type of level sensor, a device used to detect the level of liquid within a tank… One pattern uses a reed switch mounted in a tube; a float, containing a magnet, surrounds the tube and is guided by it. When the float raises the magnet to the reed switch, it closes”.

Basically, float switch systems work by opening and closing dry contacts. Once the dry contacts are opened or closed, they will send an electrical signal to set off a water level alarm. The water level alarm is used to tell the control panel whether the water level is too low or high. If you have an automatic water level control system, the control panel will tell the pump to turn on or off automatically to begin refilling or emptying the water.

How New Float Switches Work

Never replace another float switch or water level controller again with 99% uptime over 15 years. Water Line Controls is the leader in float switch and water level control technology.

Water Line Control’s revolutionary Float switches work by using stainless steel probes (instead of float switches) to detect and sense water levels in a tank (water, oil, gas, etc).

The sensor probes act as their own sensors and do not pass electricity through the stainless-steel probes which keeps them from fouling, degrading, and deteriorating.

All the electronics for the controller are built into the head of the unit so you can connect directly to your control panel. Once the water level is detected by one of the sensors, this causes one of six alarms to be triggered (Low Alarm, High Alarm, Fill Start, Fill Stop, etc.). Depending on the type of water level control system you have, it can be set up to trigger a single point alarm or multi-point alarm.

Different alarms control the different start and stop mechanisms. For example, if a low alarm was triggered in a water tank, that alarm could do one of 2 things (or both in some setups).

  • In a single point float switch, a low alarm will trigger an LED light on your control board
  • In a multi-point float switch, a low alarm will trigger the LED light to turn on, and also send a signal to automatically turn on or off a water pump to refill or empty the water back to the preprogrammed water level.

Float switches and water level controls usually start out closed, meaning there are no alarms that need to be triggered because the water level is at the predetermined height.

New Float Switch Working Principle

  1. The water level starts to drop. No alarms are triggered at this point.
  2. Once the water level drops below the sensor probes, a conductive signal is passed between the probes telling the low alarm to trigger.
  3. Once the low alarm is triggered, it can be programmed to tell the “fill start” to begin filling the water.
  4. Finally, once the water reaches the predetermined height, the “fill stop” kicks in, and the process starts all over again.

With proper maintenance, your float switches/water level controls can last for years of operation. Most float switch failures usually happen due to fouling, degrading, or deteriorating in poor water conditions. Our water level controls can replace your float switches for good and will never foul, deteriorate or degrade due to any water quality.

Why Choose Water Line Controls

All of our water level controls and water level control systems are assembled right here in the U.S.A. where we monitor every step of the process. The are many reasons to choose Waterline Controls™ for all of your float switch and water level controller needs include:

SIMPLE DESIGN

No moving parts or mechanical floats to break or rust!

BEST TECH SUPPORT

No runaround, no guessing, no stupid answers. You’ll talk to the guy who’s been designing and installing these units for over 20 years.

BUILT TO LAST

Makes it easy to integrate with existing Building Management Systems and has an expected useful life of 15 years.

TOUCH TO TEST

One push of the button starts a complete validation cycle to ensure all systems are working properly.

RELIABLE & ACCURATE

Will not foul, plate, or deteriorate regardless of water quality.

Water Level Controls
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New Tech: Water Reuse at Power Plants through Vapor Catching

At Waterline Controls, we understand the challenges faced in industry when it comes to the responsible use of water, especially when there are millions or billions of gallons involved. That’s why we were happy to see the innovative solution created by MIT researchers that deals with the problems of water reuse involving thermoelectric plants.

The Problem

Fossil fuel thermoelectric plants, which produce about 90% of our power here in the US, consume billions gallons of water per day. These plants depend on water to provide the steam to drive the electricity-generating turbines and to keep the plant cool. According to USGS, 99% of that water is surface water and most of that is freshwater extracted from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Reuse of that water is vital, but can be very difficult.

An Innovative Approach to Water Reuse

MIT researchers Dr. Maher Damak and Dr. Kripa Varanasi have developed an innovative way to use the water consumed by thermoelectric power plants more responsibly, as published in Science Advances. Their focus is on the water that escapes through the cooling towers. Keep in mind that the cooling towers are an integral part of keeping plant temperatures under control.

How it Works

As water vapor leaves the massive cooling towers, a beam of ions (electronically charged particles) passes through the vapor cloud. These ions cause the water droplets within the vapor to become charged. Those droplets are then attracted to a metal mesh placed over the top of the cooling tower. The mesh traps the droplets. After the trapped droplets are collected, the water can be reused. The power plant can reuse the reclaimed water, or it can be a source of potable fresh water for coastal cities (many of which use seawater to cool their thermoelectric power plants).

How it is Different

This isn’t the first time that an attempt has been made to use a mesh to capture water exiting as vapor from the cooling towers. However, previous designs have been incredibly inefficient, capturing maybe 3% of the potential water vapor escaping. Strange as it may seem, the problem with these previous mesh designs was an aerodynamic one. The mesh acts as a flow barrier, and the water vapor flows around it. Damak and Varanasi’s solution, however, attracts the flow of vapor to the mesh by electrically charging the droplets, so they are drawn to the mesh, which has a small voltage applied to it. Also, the droplets are attracted to the wire itself, and not the holes.

Testing

A full-scale test version of the device will be installed on the cooling tower of MIT’s Central Utility Plant before fall of this year. It is easy to integrate into existing equipment and does not require any significant modifications. The purpose of this test is to “de-risk” the technology so that power companies, which tend to be quite conservative when it comes to new technology, will be more comfortable considering it.

Working With Water Responsibly

Here at Waterline Controls, we are committed to the responsible use of water, one of our most precious natural resources. Because of that, we remain committed to providing technology that supports water conservation. For example, our cooling tower water level sensors and controls prevent the loss of water by providing reliable solutions to the failure/overflowing of the float valves. Our controllers are designed for 99% reliability at a 15-year life cycle. They are modularly designed so that if one component fails, only that module needs to be replaced — not the entire unit. And our electronic sensor design uses just a small amount of power, is far more dependable than float switches, and will not degrade, foul, or plate. The characteristics make our controllers an environmentally friendly, reliable solution to water conservation problems.

Cooling Towers
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Custom Applicaiton Controller: Landfills and Extreme Heat

Not all of our customers are able to use an off-the-shelf solution. Three years ago, a landfill company came to us at Waterline Controls. They needed help in developing a control system that would be effective in the hostile environment of a landfill, and we were able to meet the challenge with the design of a custom control system.
Groundwater Pollution Issues Faced by Landfills
One of the major challenges faced by landfills is protecting the groundwater from pollution. The primary way that groundwater is polluted by landfills is through leachate, the liquid that drains from the landfill. Landfills have a plastic liner that protects the soil and groundwater from leachate. However, something has to be done with the leachate that percolates through the garbage.

Leachate Collection System

A leachate collection system is one of the main ways of dealing with leachate. Perforated pipes collect the leachate that collects in the landfill. These perforated pipes then drain into a leachate pipe that transfers the leachate to a collection pond. Some landfills ship the contents of the leachate pond off to be processed, while others process it themselves.
Typically, landfills use pumps with float switches to pump transfer the leachate to the collection pond. Depending on the size of the landfill, there may be hundreds of pumps deployed. These pumps are often solar powered and monitored remotely. Because of conditions in the landfill, the float switches typically used require removal and cleaning every few days. That makes the system difficult to maintain and expensive.

Sensor Issues Caused by Leachate

The leachate that percolates through the solid garbage is usually acidic. And the gases involved as the waste decomposes result in chemical reactions and high temperatures. These kinds of operating conditions are extremely hard on sensors, which is the main reason they have to be removed and cleaned so often. The liquids involved also tend to foam, which can seriously affect the accuracy of some types of sensors. The sensors used to control the pumps perform hundreds of thousands of cycles in just a few months, so accuracy and reliability are vital.

Waterline Controls Custom Solution

At Waterline Controls, we were able to develop a customized solution to meet this landfill’s leachate pumping needs. Our first area of focus was on the sensors. Our sensor probes are made of chemically-resistant stainless steel. That means the acidic content of the leachate won’t impair their performance. Also, the sensor design that we use is not sensitive to the effects of high temperatures. Our sensors work regardless of water quality. They will not plate, foul, or degrade, which eliminates the need for sensor maintenance and the expense associated with it. Foaming does not affect the accuracy, either. The Waterline Controls line of sensors are accurate to within ⅛”, have a 15-year life cycle, and operate at 99% reliability. This alone resulted in a significant improvement over their current solution. Once the sensors had been configured, we were able to customize one of our existing control systems to meet their needs. Our controllers have a modular design so that if a component should fail the entire unit does not need to be replaced. They are easy to install and integrate with existing systems and components.

Contact Us Today!

Whether you are looking for an off-the-shelf water level sensor or a complex water level control system, Waterline Controls is here to help you. We have over 20 years experience in the control systems industry and have designed custom solutions for many different applications. Contact us today!

Custom Use Cases
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Cooling Towers & Water Conservation

At Waterline Controls we are always pleased to hear about progress being made in green technology and environmental conservation. That’s why we wanted to share the great news about Infinite Cooling’s first-place win at the Houston-based Rice Business Plan Competition. Their victory is a major win in one of our nation’s largest startup competitions. Infinite Cooling’s eco-friendly design was voted number one out of a total of 42 very competitive entries. Their innovative design would enable power plants to capture and reuse water that is usually lost through their cooling towers.

Combining Water Conservation and Power Generation

Infinite Cooling is an alum of MIT’s delta ν startup accelerator and was co-founded by Karim Khalil, Kripa Varanasi, and Maher Damak. Their mission, according to the Infinite Cooling website, is to “provide novel technology to enable water-sustainable thermoelectric power.” In layman’s language, they want to help power companies use less water while still producing the same amount of power. Their recent win at the Rice Business Plan Competition was based on the presentation of an innovative solution to water consumption at power plants: a way to capture the enormous water vapor plumes as they exit power plant cooling towers.
As the name implies, the purpose of a cooling tower is to provide evaporative cooling. Part of the water is evaporated to cool the rest of the water. As a result of the evaporation, water vapor escapes the towers in a massive plume, and the cooling water must be replenished to make up for this loss. That’s where Infinite Cooling and their state-of-the-art solution comes in.
Their dome-shaped device made out of what looks like a mesh material and is retrofitted onto existing cooling towers. The device uses electric fields to charge water and then use that charge to redirect the exiting water to a collector rather than allowing it to escape into the atmosphere. This allows a significant amount of water to be captured for reuse, thereby reducing the water consumption requirements of the power plant by 20% to 30% and can capture 100% of the vapor plume. The water savings from implementing this technology could prove crucial in areas prone to drought and water shortages, such as certain parts of California.

Conclusion

We know that our environmental resources are critical. Because of that we aim to provide technology that supports water conservation and greener alternatives to traditional water level control technology. For example, our cooling tower water level sensors and controls prevent the loss of water by providing reliable solutions to the failure/overflowing of the float valves. The electronic sensor design is far more dependable than the traditional mechanical float switches and will not plate, degrade, or foul. Our controllers have a modular design, so that if a component should fail the entire unit does not need to be replaced. In addition, WLC controllers are designed for a 15-year life cycle at 99% reliability. All of these features combined provide a green solution to your water level control needs.

Cooling Towers
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Water Level Controller Failure at Swan Lake

Water controller failures are all too common. Consider the incident in Dunbar Cave’s Swan Lake in Tennessee last December. The lake had just undergone a restoration project only three months before. Included in that project were repairs to the lake’s dam and spillway to allow the water levels to be raised. The pipe that controls those water levels failed, and the lake then drained itself. The incident at Swan Lake which was disappointing but not critical. However, many water controller failures result in serious problems. That’s why it is so important to invest in water controllers that are reliable.

Reliability is Key

If your application is critical to you, then you need the most reliable water controllers that you can find. Waterline Controls water level controls offer the kind of reliability that many of our customers have learned to depend on. In fact, our controllers are so well designed that they have a mere 1% failure rate even after 15 years.

What Makes Our Controllers Different

Waterline Controls designs water controllers to last. As part of our commitment to this goal, we developed a completely new electronic switch sensor with an emphasis on simplicity and reliability. Unlike other water controllers on the market today, our controllers have stainless steel sensor probes will not plate, foul, or deteriorate, regardless of water quality.That means no more sensor cleaning, no more replacing sensors, and no more worries about how water quality will impact your control system.
In addition, our controllers use solid-state electronics because of their durability and dependability. Another benefit of solid-state electronics lies in the extremely low voltages involved, which minimizes or eliminates the rusting, mineral fouling and deterioration of sensor probes. The water controllers also have an easy-to-use troubleshooting switch should any problems be encountered. Finally, we also aim to minimize the number of moving parts that are involved. The only moving parts in our water controllers are relays which can easily be tested and replaced.

How Our Controllers Work

Waterline Controls uses electronic sensors with an array of stainless steel probes that are able to simultaneously monitor multiple water levels at extremely high levels of accuracy. This array of sensors is connected to a controller that uses the sensor data to measure water levels and activate relays accordingly via integrated firmware. As mentioned earlier, the voltages used are extremely small because of the solid-state electronics. This not only aids in preventing fouling of the water but reduces power requirements. In addition, the water controllers are easy to connect to existing building automation systems.

Check Out Waterline Controls

If you are tired of replacing your water controllers, take a look at Waterline Controls. Our completely modular control sensors have an average life of 15 years and come with a 5-year limited warranty. Our customers have been using our controllers for water holding tanks, sumps, lift stations, cooling towers, and many other applications. It’s time to say goodbye to legacy controllers that use mechanical floats, conductive sensors, or ultrasound sensors and start saving time and money with a reliable design from Waterline Controls.

Water Level Controls
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FPT50 Controller
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FPT 50T – Fire Service Water Tank Level Control w/ High & Low Alarms, 40F Temperature

FPT50T – Fire Service Water Tank Level Control w/ High & Low Alarm, 40F Temperature

Complete Kit Includes:

NEMA4x Control Panel
Sensor w/ 50 ft. Cable
Sensor Mounting Assembly

Submittal Package PDFs


Controller Submittal
Sensor Submittal
Flow Diagram

Warranty

Features

  • Dry contacts to BMS for measuring Fill “ON” time
  • Low Water Alarm
  • High Water Alarm
  • Temperature 40F Indication (per NFPA requirements)
  • Fault conditions
  • Operates 110VAC Solenoid Valve
  • 110VAC 95db Audible Alarm w/ Silencer Switch Installed in the Panel

Description

The system is automatically controlled within an operating range (this range can be set by custom ordered probes or cutting the current probes to length in the field). The system also monitors for a high water level condition and a low water level condition.
These conditions have three outputs each which are:

  1. Close a set of dry contacts for the BMS
  2. Operate a relay rated at 30AMPS / 250VAC
  3. Turn on an LED to indicate the sensor has tripped

The Fill dry contacts can be used as a comparative to develop a baseline benchmark of water usage for the system.

Custom Sensors lengths available upon request.

*If you are a Reseller, Sales Organization, Distributor, Contractor or an OEM we want to talk with you to determine an SPA price program for your organization so please call us at 480-905-1892 or contact us now.

Fire Protection
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Commercial Cooling Tower Water Level Control
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Additional Measure Continue to be Looked at to Combat Legionnaires’ Disease

Additional Measure Continue to be Looked at to Combat Legionnaires’ Disease

Under typical operating conditions, cooling towers can propagate Legionella. Combining chillers and plastic surface cooling towers with added anti-microbial options can significantly reduce the infection risk.

NSF P453: Cooling Towers – Treatment, Operation, and Maintenance to Prevent Legionellosis

This protocol outlines proper maintenance and safety practices associated with evaporative cooling systems. It’s a simple plan with specific means and procedures to manage risks of Legionnaires’ disease. Also addressed are several health concerns associated with commercial buildings and health care facilities. NSF P453 gives the rest of the U.S. rules similar to the New York City and state regulations for cooling towers.

Disneyland, the ‘happiest place on earth’ was required to shut down two water-cooling towers after some visitors to the Anaheim, Calif., theme park contracted Legionnaires’ disease.

12 cases were discovered ‘about’ three weeks ago by the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Disneyland was informed of the cases Oct. 27. After testing found two cooling towers had high levels of Legionella bacteria, the towers were taken out of service and disinfected. They were put back in operation Nov. 5 but, but were shut down again 2 days later. At this point, tests will be required to confirm they are free from contamination, according to the park and the county health agency, before they will be put back in service.

The New York City Department of Health, while investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the middle of October that infected 15 people, took samples from 55 cooling towers in the area of the reported outbreak. Preliminary results determined that 10 cooling towers contained Legionella DNA. The Department has issued orders to increase or change the biocide used to the kill bacteria.

Cooling Towers
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Austin, Texas Cooling Tower Registration and Update Deadline Nearing

Austin, Texas Cooling Tower Registration and Update Deadline Nearing

The 2015 Uniform Mechanical Code and 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) for the city of Austin, Texas includes a deadline of December 31, 2017 for registration of all Cooling Towers in the city. There are several specific rules that require upgrades to most older towers.

Section 1126.0 of the city’s UPC requires all properties with cooling towers to register them with Austin Water.

The City ordinance requirements include:

  1. Make-up and Blow-Down meters.
  2. Conductivity Controller.
  3. Drift Eliminators with a drift rate of not more than 0.005% of the tower circulating rate.
  4. Cold water basin high level alarm.
  5. Must operate at a minimum of 5 cycles of concentration.

The City ordinance requires that cooling towers must have a cold water basin high level/overflow alarm. For cooling towers of 100 tons or more, the make-up and overflow meters, and the over flow alarm shall be connected to the building’s Central energy Management System or Utility Monitoring Dashboard.

WLC 6000 SeriesWhat this means is that all towers need a modern system with alarms and sensors that can connect to a BMS. Waterline Controls model WLC-6000 Cooling Tower Water Level Controller is our most popular model for providing a high level alarm, make-up water control, low alarm and a low water level cutout.

Waterline Controls has the system to retrofit and get you compliant fast. Our Stainless Steel Electronic sensors and solid state software driven controllers offer the connectivity, accuracy and reliability you need. With a multi-wire connection for you BMS or Building Automation, we have you covered.

Cooling Towers
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