Selecting the Correct Control Panel

Purchasing and replacing a control panel can be a daunting task for most homeowners, but it is a challenge that is not as complex as one might think. In this article I will discuss the basic types of control panels that Septic Solutions carries and how to decide which panel will work best for your application.

Our control panels are broken down into four groups: Aerobic Control Panels, Simplex Control Panels, Duplex Control Panels, and Time Dosing Control Panels. I will discuss each group in further detail below, but here is what you need to know about each group. The Aerobic Control Panels are for Aerobic Treatment Systems or in simpler terms, septic systems with an air pump. Simplex Control Panels are used with a single submersible pump, usually in a lift or pump station. Duplex Control Panels are designed for use with two submersible pumps, also usually in a lift or pump station. Time Dosing control panels use a timer to control when the submersible pump can run in order to dose the secondary treatment system.

AEROBIC CONTROL PANELS

The control panels in our Aerobic Control Panels group are designed for use with an Aerobic Treatment system. Aerobic Treatment systems can vary in their design, depending on the system and even on the area in which you live. For this reason, we have a fairly large selection of panels in this category. However we can split these further into two more categories: Air Pump with Submersible Pump Systems and Air Pump Only Systems.

To make a decision on which panel will work best for your particular system, you need to figure out what the components are of your system. Every aerobic system will have an air pump, that is a given. Some systems but not all will have a submersible pump to remove the water from the system sending it either to a secondary treatment system, or commonly a drip irrigation or spray irrigation system. The type of system you have will determine which control panel functions you will need. See these options discussed futher below.

AEROBIC SYSTEMS WITH AN AIR PUMP AND A SUBMERSIBLE PUMP

If you have an aerobic system with both an air pump and a submersible pump, one of the four panels described below will work for you.

BIO-A-AV Double Light Control Panel

The BIO-A-AV double light control panel works best on aerobic systems that include a submersible pump and a spray irrigation or sprinkler system. This panel includes three breakers for the alarm circuit, air pump circuit, and submersible pump circuit. It includes separate alarms for both high water and air pump failure. The high water alarm operates from a float switch in the tank, while the air pump failure alarm uses a pressure switch connected to the pump via a 1/8’’ airline. This panel also includes a timer which allows you to control what segments of the day you wish to have the submersible pump come on (as little as 15 minute intervals).

BIO-B Double Light Control Panel

The BIO-B double light control panel is identical to the BIO-A-AV panel listed above, with one exception. The BIO-B does not have a timer to operate the submersible pump. This means the pump will come on when the tank is full, or on demand as some will call it. All of the other functions remain the same.

BIO-C Single Light Control Panel

The BIO-C single light control panel is also very similar to the BIO-A-AV. However, the BIO-C panel does not have a pressure switch, which means it will not give you an alarm for air pump failure. The BIO-C has a high water alarm only, however it will still supply power to an air pump. This panel includes a timer for the submersible pump.

BIO-D Single Light Control Panel

The BIO-D single light control panel is a hybrid of the BIO-B and the BIO-C. The BIO-D panel does not have a pressure switch to signal air pump failure, and it also does not have a timer for the submersible pump. This panel will power both the air pump and submersible pump, and give you an audible and visual alarm for high water.

To purchase or see further details on our Aerobic Control Panels, click here!

AEROBIC SYSTEMS WITH ONLY AN AIR PUMP

For the systems that only have an air pump we have three panels.

The first is our RAB-Basic panel, which includes a control box that will power both the air pump and the alarm and an outdoor rated alarm box which gives an audible and visual alarm for both air pump failure and high water level in the tank. This system works great with our Air Pump Housing and Platform. Both the high water and air pump failure alarms will activate via a pressure switch which monitors the air pump pressure via a 1/8’’ air tube running from the pump to the panel.

The second is our RDPA panel, which includes a control box that will power both the air pump and the alarm and an indoor alarm box which gives an audible and visual alarm for both air pump failure and high water level in the tank. The control box will mount next to the air pump outside, but requires a wire ran back to the alarm box which must be mounted indoors. Both the high water and air pump failure alarms will activate via a pressure switch which monitors the air pump pressure via a 1/8’’ air tube running from the pump to the panel.

The third is our BIO-HWAP panel, which is a simple control box with two breakers. This box will power the air pump and also give an alarm for high water. The BIO-HWAP panel’s high water alarm operates with a float switch in the tank and has no alarm to signal air pump failure.

To purchase or see further details on our Aerobic Control Panels, click here!

SIMPLEX CONTROL PANELS

The Simplex Control Panels group consists of two panels, each designed to control a single submersible pump application. These panels work great with most any effluent or sewage pumping station. Some always ask, well what is the real purpose of using a simplex control panel instead of simply powering my pump station direct and putting in a high water alarm? There are many advantages, and I will explain.

A Simplex Control Panel gives you many options that you cannot achieve on a direct wire installation. The first and probably most important is it puts your high water alarm and submersible pump on separate circuits. This means if the submersible pump fails and blows the breaker, your high water alarm is still functional. Secondly, our simplex panels allow you to use multiple floats to operate the submersible pump. The panel is designed to have an “OFF” float and an “ON” float for the pump. This gives you a lot more flexibility in setting your pumping range. The next big advantage of a simplex panel is it gives you the option to manually bypass the floats and test the pump. This makes for easy troubleshooting, and also the ability to manually kick the pump on if ever necessary.

Our Simplex panels provide all of the options above in one easy to install package. The only thing you need to know before buying a Simplex panel from us, are you using 120V or 230V? We have a panel for either voltage installation.

To purchase or see further details on our Simplex Control Panels, click here!

DUPLEX CONTROL PANELS

Duplex control panels give you all of the great advantages as described in the Simplex panel section above, with a big added bonus. These panels can run two pumps. The most common application for this is a system that needs a backup pump in place in case the original pump fails. Our Duplex panel will alternate cycles between the two pumps, making sure both are in working order throughout the lives of the pumps. If one of the pumps fails, the panel will give the high water alarm, and automatically kick on the other pump.

This type of set up ensures that you will always have at least one pump in working order. Our duplex panel can accept either 120V or 230V. The floats are included with the panel, and one set of floats will run both pumps, keeping the wiring in the tank much less tangled.

To purchase or see further details on our Duplex Control Panels, click here!

TIME DOSING CONTROL PANELS

Time Dosing control panels are used to control the amount of water a submersible pump can push to the secondary system over a period of time. The Simplex and Duplex control panels listed above are considered On Demand or Demand Dose systems. This means the pump will run when it needs to based upon the float switch in the tank. Time Dosing or Timed Dose panels use a Repeat Cycle timer in which an ON cycle and an OFF cycle is set for the pump and the timer follows that cycle repeatedly.

The reason for time dosing is to equalize the flow of water to the secondary system. In certain applications large amounts of water can be used in a short period of time. This is very hard on a septic system. With a Time Dosing control panel, you can equalize that flow by spreading it out throughout a longer period of time. The Repeat Cycle Timer will dose the system by running the pump short periods of time throughout the day versus an On Demand system (like the Simplex and Duplex Panels Above) that will pump a large amount of water all at once.

Our Time Dosing Control Panels are available in 120V and 230V. We have them for both Simplex and Duplex applications.

To purchase or see further details on our Time Dosing Control Panels, click here!

As you can see, we have quite the selection of control panels that cover almost any application in the septic industry. We can also design custom panels if you have an application that does not fit any of the categories above. Many of the panels listed above are available with options as well. For customization of a control panel or any other questions feel free to contact us at sales@septicsolutions.com or call us toll free at 1-877-925-5132.