Automatic Pool Water Leveler, Anyone Built One?

I made mine with a garden variety Flow Master toilet valve, hooked to the overflow pipe. The only trick is getting it set to the right level when you design it.

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You might try looking for water tank float switches. They'd probably do much of what you're after.

There is something called google, go and type in Float Valve, you will be lucky.

I think your going to need something to average out the result.. unless you don't mind the valve turning on and off with every wave..

They must make a garden hose variety which turns on and off an external source of water.

I looked for these myself. One problem is how to mount them in the pool, the waves being one problem, and just kids kicking it and breaking it another problem.

About the only place it can fit is in one of the four corners of the pool, bolted to the gunnite.

If you feed the water to an auxiliary sump via a small hose, the average water height will be correct, the hose will filter out the wave variations.

Float valve adapted from a swamp cooler worked for me. I used a steel 2 X 4 stud bend 90 degrees as the bracket. Not the best looking thing but it only used when I'm on vacation.

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In addition to the other suggestions...

Visit the local ag supply store (Tractor Supply Store, Grange, etc) Get a 'stock tank float'. Purpose built to do exactly what you want. How to mount it will be up to you. It just needs to be clamped to something (comes with the clamp).

Harry K

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Scavage a level control valve from a washing machine someone throws out. Attach a plastic tube to it and run the tube into the pool. Adjust the level of the bottom of the tube until it switches at the desired water level. Attach the water control valve to its power source through the switch on the level switch. Use a double throw relay to reverse the switching if the level switch doesn't have double throw connections.

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A friend of mine has a spendy one that's all plastic, and a real POS. It is forever falling over, and then the water runs continuously. It is fed by a simple garden hose. A McGyver type guy could make one simple enough. The problem is finding a place in the pool where it is protected from rowdy kids, and having it weighted so that it won't fall over and free flow. I don't think either problem is insurmountable. As for a way to open the drain diverter, that would take more machinery, and that could be prone to failure or mistake, in which case you might just lose several thousand gallons of water. I'd consider a sensor just like the one that senses low level, but have that sensor activate a pump to drain the water, and kick off once the water level is down. If one is an electric type person, a low voltage sensor should not be difficult, and that can run to either an actuator to fill, or to a pump to drain.

Steve

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Precisely the problem my friend has who owns one.

Steve

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My first thought when I read the headline. Doesn't water seek its own level already? You gonna get out into the pool with your zamboni, and level it off just to be sure?

Yeah, I'm only looking for something for when I'm on vacation, though still I'd like it to be not a total kludge. A float valve is a good idea. Not as elegant as the probes and relay, but a lot cheaper.

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I saw those for sale, and I thought that it would not work well. the worst thing would be if it failed in a way that the water ran continuously.

In the winter I use the Zamboni on the pool to level the ice, but I have to be sure that the pool is frozen solid.

Why so much effort? Why couldn't simply use a stock tank level float or similar either directly in the level or make a small float basin for it if needed?

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I am using a toilet tank valve and it has been working fine for years.

My daughter has a Flowmaster toilet valve mounted in the well for the skimmer, not in the pool itself and completely out of the way. Easily adjusted by sliding the small float up an adjustment rod. Elgy