One of my covid projects was to install a relay to save high current going through the tap microswitches. It all works well including an isolating switch with an illuminated led mounted in the toilet compartment. This led provides useful illumination for a night time wee!

However, a problem has arisen in that the microswitch in the kitchen tap seems to be very sensitive and switches the circuit with the tap barely off its stop with no water running. Several times I have heard the pump running in the aquaroll with no water running out of the tap, the tap lever being just a couple of millimetres short of fully closed.

I've had the tap apart to see if I could adjust the microswitch position but that doesn't seem possible.

Anybody else come across this problem? The tap in the toilet is a different make and seems to be ok.

Edit. I don't think the kitchen tap is original for my 2007 Triton 430 as it is a mixer tap with only the cold connected. I don't have hot water.

Assuming you’ve wired the relay in as a slave to the micro switch the pump running will be a function of the micro switch not your relay modification.

If you can’t adjust the micro switch itself then it sounds as if somethings worn like a cam? New tap needed maybe?

A bit ironic really seeing that the original mod was to prolong the life of the tap in the first place:(

Yes, I get the irony of this situation Just_Chillin. There is nothing to wear in the tap. the micro switch is operated by downward contact with a semi circular plate, it is this shape so that the tap operating lever can swing round to adjust the flow of hot and cold water. A redundant function for me.

Point is that the tap has never given me a problem in 6 years of ownership, only since I carried out the relay modification. Maybe it's because there is a much lower current running across the switch contacts that makes contact earlier than before and releases later on closure.

My fear is that I will not always hear the pump running continuously and it will damage the pump. New pump probably more than new tap, cheapest option is maybe to remove the relay!

Hi Ray

I very much doubt its anything to do with your modification or the current flow through the microswitch unless the tap contains some sort of magentic field or MosFET transistor in which case its not a microswitch:) - I'll do some research to see if I can shed any light on it:)

Seeing that you seem to be adept at electrics you could always do a variation of what I've done which is to rig up a non-contact level sensor on the outboard tank and to wire that into an arduino transistor driven relay that is connected in series with the pump so if no water is detected in the outside tank then the pump doesnt operate irrespective of tap position:) - I've done this on my inboard tank to auto fill it from an outboard tank if I'm on a serviced pitch

Dont let the problem beat you and undo all your good work!

Hey Just_Chillin, you'll have me sticking in level transducers and a plc to run it all soon

I've gone back to basics and got my heat gun out. Bent that semi circular plastic piece that pushes on the microswitch by a couple of millimetres so that it stops the pump just before the valve closes. Thus if the tap is not pushed fully closed then there will be small dribble of water coming out. We will always give a tap an extra twist or push if it appears to be leaking.

I'll be trying it out next week, fingers crossed. Thanks for your thoughts

Ha, cut my teeth on PLC's:)