Float Switch Information

Why our float switch level control systems are reliable.

The essential component in a float switch level control system is the reed switch which makes electrical contact.These switches are typically rated in the billions of cycles if used in a properly designed circuit. This is possible because rhodium contacts are vacuum sealed in a glass ampoule. Further, this ampoule is then sealed in epoxy resin, and encased in a plastic or stainless steel stem.  Finally, in our products, the reed switch has at least one further process seal of epoxy resin encased in plastic.

What about the possibility of mechanical damage? To address this, we have extended our drum level technologies to include float guards on all level control systems if at all possible. We are the only company we know of that takes this extra step. This measure guarantees that the float switches cannot get physically damaged, or jammed against a tank wall.  Both of these measures taken together results in an extremely reliable float switch level control system that is immune to all the problems that plague conductivity controls.

OTHER RELIABILITY MEASURES

As reliable as our float switches are, we include emergency alarms for high or low level on every level control system anyway.  This is just in case some other component in our customer’s installation fails.  (like a solenoid valve, burst pipe, tank leak).

In addition, we don’t sell float switches as and end product. Instead, we use them in our own float switch level control systems so we can be sure they always operate with optimum electrical conditions that we control. This, combined with our float guards, eliminate the main causes of float switch failure. 

The third consideration is chemical resistance, which is why we provide the best chemical resistance charts available.

And finally, the float must be buoyant in the liquid your are controlling.  Here is a handy specific gravity chart to check.