Pond Water Loss Fail-Safe?

[Timothy]

We live out in the country and our water comes from a well. The well is sufficient for our needs, but it isn't enough if we had to fill the pond should we develop a leak outside of the pond. Lines to the filter, waterfall, and bog being external could allow the in-pond pumps to pump the pond down in a relatively short period of time.
It occurred to me a way to prevent this would be to use a basement type sump pump switch only in reverse. I was looking at a switch that was available at Lowe's and Home Depot. All it is is a remote float switch that mounts to a piece of PVC with a hose clamp. (This could be easily adapted to the side of a pond with a little tinkering. ) It's rated for a 1/2 HP motor at 115V or 1 HP at 220V.
Someone has probably already done this, but it's a new concept for me. My thought is this. If I mount this inconspicuously on the side of the pond in the range I want to maintain the water level,and plug the pump into it, as long as the water level is high, the pump will run because the float has closed the contacts. If the water level goes down, (a leak somewhere,) the float will drop and the contacts open, stopping the pump from losing any more water. Obviously this won't do anything for an internal leak, but could save a lot of headaches if the leak was external.
Has anyone done this or heard of an alternative method to do this?

 

[Big Lou]

Have consider water loss due to evaporation? In extremely hot and windy weather water loss will occur. Obviously, I do not know the switches sensitivity.

 

[Timothy]

That's a viable consideration Lou. If that wouldn't work, there's the sealed switch within a plastic "can" at the end of a cord that would accommodate several inches of drop. This would allow me to lose as much or as little water depending on the depth of the switch. This would probably be the better method anyway as all of the moving parts are within the "can" and pond debris wouldn't impact it's operation. Of course I'm out there dubbing around with something every day so would notice a level drop, but the overnight hours, and day trips in the summer are the times I think this might have a pay-off.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

We live out in the country and our water comes from a well. The well is sufficient for our needs, but it isn't enough if we had to fill the pond should we develop a leak outside of the pond. Lines to the filter, waterfall, and bog being external could allow the in-pond pumps to pump the pond down in a relatively short period of time.
It occurred to me a way to prevent this would be to use a basement type sump pump switch only in reverse. I was looking at a switch that was available at Lowe's and Home Depot. All it is is a remote float switch that mounts to a piece of PVC with a hose clamp. (This could be easily adapted to the side of a pond with a little tinkering. ) It's rated for a 1/2 HP motor at 115V or 1 HP at 220V.
Someone has probably already done this, but it's a new concept for me. My thought is this. If I mount this inconspicuously on the side of the pond in the range I want to maintain the water level,and plug the pump into it, as long as the water level is high, the pump will run because the float has closed the contacts. If the water level goes down, (a leak somewhere,) the float will drop and the contacts open, stopping the pump from losing any more water. Obviously this won't do anything for an internal leak, but could save a lot of headaches if the leak was external.
Has anyone done this or heard of an alternative method to do this?

Many submersible pumps are available with a float cut-off switch. Separate float cut-off switches are also readily available.

 

[Timothy]

That's what I'm eluding too. A remote switch that would open the circuit and shut off an in-pond pump before the water level got too low. I'm just curious if anyone has ever installed something like this, and if so, how did it work. I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't, under normal mild weather operating conditions.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

That's what I'm eluding too. A remote switch that would open the circuit and shut off an in-pond pump before the water level got too low. I'm just curious if anyone has ever installed something like this, and if so, how did it work. I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't, under normal mild weather operating conditions.

Cut-off switches have been successfully used in ponds for years, both the remote and pump mounted style. There was an electronic version on the market for a while that got rave reviews, but it was pulled for no apparent reason.

 

[RobAmy]

I have the pump mounted style in my skimmer and it works as it should.

 

[Timothy]

I guess this old man should get into this century! Thank you all.