Self-Filling Humidifiers

[Ray]

I realized way too late I had mentally combined two different projects, so this was bad info.

[Clawhammer]

This is my biggest problem when I travel. I only need someone to water my plants every 3-4 days, but I need the humidifiers filled daily.

I am going to use this idea but skip the float valve and hose because I'm growing indoors and I don't want to leave a pressurized hose on while I travel either. I am going to use a 60 gal irrigation barrel I have but am not using right now. Taking my reservoir from 3 to 60 gallons is going to be quite the time saver.

Any advice on keeping the water in the barrel free from bacteria/mold buildup?

Thanks Ray!

[Ray]

I had the setup I described in my basement, using a mini pvc float valve from US Plastic, connected to the pipe via 1/4" polyethylene tubing. the saddle valve was only open a crack, so the pressure in the line is insignificant. I used the same float valve in my greenhouse RO tank. Never had a leak from either.

Keep the reservoir covered and seal the lines through the top and it'll not grow anything. The only inlet to the system is the water, while everything else is a closed loop.

[DirtyCoconuts]

VERY cool and clever idea. great solution to a very common problem

[SouthPark]

Nice solution! Very much like the historical system ----- click here

[Clawhammer]

Well I built it and big problems on my first test run. Seems the humidifier needs the tank to be sealed in order to activate its shutoff. When I start the pump the first tank starts to fill then it starts dumping water from where the tank nests in the humidifier. I pulled the tubes and did a test where I plugged the drilled holes in the tank with my fingers and no overflow. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

Edit: I did some additional testing. I was originally daisy-chaining two humidifiers. While testing with one humidifier the humidifier's shutoff valve only engaged when the water wasn't flowing and the outlet was plugged. If the water is running or if the outlet is open the humidifier's shutoff valve will not engage and water overflows from the nesting seem.

[Clawhammer]

Ray, was this tested because I can't get it to not overflow? My humidifiers have the same mechanisms as all the others I've owned. After testing, I believe the vacuum created in the humidifier tank is essential to the operation of the shutoff valve and there is no way to keep the water for pouring out while the pump is operating.

[SouthPark]

CH ----- are there two separate issues here?

Does this mean that it looks like the humidifier (just by itself) requires its own water reservoir to be sealed in order for some sensor device to allow the humidifier to operate?

And for the other issue, the water pump that pumps the water from a bucket or water container is not pumping water through the tube at a fast enough flow rate to fill the humidiifier's reservoir?

[Clawhammer]

SP. Its just the first one. The pump is working nicely. Its just that the humidifier requires a vacuum in it's water tank to trigger the mechanism that stops the water flowing from the humidifier tank once the base is full. If water is flowing at all it breaks the vacuum and water flows out of the gap between the humidifier base and the humidifier tank.

[SouthPark]

CH ...... oh geez. I see. Thanks for explaining that. It sounds like the vacuum is critical or crucial for stopping water from leaking out of the humidifier and out onto the floor, right?

hmmm ...... Ray has probably got a different kind of unit that has a different structure. Just guessing only. Will see what Ray is going to mention once he gets back to this thread.

I'm currently just watching a video to see how these things are filled etc.

Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier Unboxing & Review - YouTube