Round water tank level sensor
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@Boots33 These photos are fantastic!
It looks like you have the same stepped drill bit as me!! :)
This is really helpful. Now i can start tracking down the bits i need, although i already have a couple of those exact sensors, some flexi conduit, and 240v by the tanks for my pump, which is good (although I'm off grid so the 240v is really just a BIG battery with inverter!).
Im thinking of running two sensors (one for each tank side by side) off the same node - what would be the pros and cons of that do you think?
Thanks again for the great pics. It seems much more doable now and i know what i need.
@breimann said in Round water tank level sensor:
It looks like you have the same stepped drill bit as me!! :)
I just love those stepped drill bits. makes it so easy to drill large holes in boxes etc.
Im thinking of running two sensors (one for each tank side by side) off the same node - what would be the pros and cons of that do you think?
I think that would be a good idea as long as the transducer leads are long enough to reach your node from both tanks. If you are not using the node as a repeater like I am you could also sleep the node between readings as well perhaps. The newping library can handle multiple transducers without any problems.
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@Boots33 These photos are fantastic!
It looks like you have the same stepped drill bit as me!! :)
This is really helpful. Now i can start tracking down the bits i need, although i already have a couple of those exact sensors, some flexi conduit, and 240v by the tanks for my pump, which is good (although I'm off grid so the 240v is really just a BIG battery with inverter!).
Im thinking of running two sensors (one for each tank side by side) off the same node - what would be the pros and cons of that do you think?
Thanks again for the great pics. It seems much more doable now and i know what i need.
@breimann said in Round water tank level sensor:
(although I'm off grid so the 240v is really just a BIG battery with inverter!).
Wow, are you in a remote area or just off grid by choice?
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@breimann said in Round water tank level sensor:
(although I'm off grid so the 240v is really just a BIG battery with inverter!).
Wow, are you in a remote area or just off grid by choice?
@Boots33 Off grid by choice... in country South Australia.
Yeah, i thought of the lead issue, but the tanks are fairly close together (less than a metre apart) so i might be able to pull it off... anyway, i want to finish a few nodes off for inside our "shouse" (we live in a shed), and i'm still trying to complete my Pump Controller node so we'll see how we go slowly collecting the parts.
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@Boots33 Off grid by choice... in country South Australia.
Yeah, i thought of the lead issue, but the tanks are fairly close together (less than a metre apart) so i might be able to pull it off... anyway, i want to finish a few nodes off for inside our "shouse" (we live in a shed), and i'm still trying to complete my Pump Controller node so we'll see how we go slowly collecting the parts.
I am in South East Qld so in the same country at least :)
I remember the controller, that is the one you were going to use a ACS712 I think.
I did build a controller for my tank pump but it is just a simple on off node.
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Awesome... i had a feeling you weren't too far away!
Nice to connect with someone in the same country. Yes, i still haven't gotten the ACS712 operational but have temporarily put the switch node in for the pump to turn it on and off.
I'm slowly creeping up on the ACS712 code. The latest i've gotten on that is going back over some of PeteB's projects in particular his Whole House Fan. -
I am in South East Qld so in the same country at least :)
I remember the controller, that is the one you were going to use a ACS712 I think.
I did build a controller for my tank pump but it is just a simple on off node.
@Boots33 I've been collecting some of the parts for this project. Just wanted to check something. I have a similar poly tank like yours, but is there an issue with mounting the transducer so it's not completely level as the roof slopes up?? Do you get what i mean?
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@Boots33 I've been collecting some of the parts for this project. Just wanted to check something. I have a similar poly tank like yours, but is there an issue with mounting the transducer so it's not completely level as the roof slopes up?? Do you get what i mean?
@breimann My sensor is on a slight angle as well but in use so far it has not caused any problems. I still have not had the tank below 80% so it may still be an issue when the tank is near to empty. Originally I was just going to make a wedge out of a plastic door stop to level it up but will wait and see as it may just work ok as it is.
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@breimann My sensor is on a slight angle as well but in use so far it has not caused any problems. I still have not had the tank below 80% so it may still be an issue when the tank is near to empty. Originally I was just going to make a wedge out of a plastic door stop to level it up but will wait and see as it may just work ok as it is.
@Boots33 Nice. Good thinking re the wedge. I was thinking some sort of angle type thingy to level it.
Just a question re your power supply. Once you got the node onto the 9v plug pack, did you find the sensor was ok being supplied with 5v from your Nano?
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@Boots33 Nice. Good thinking re the wedge. I was thinking some sort of angle type thingy to level it.
Just a question re your power supply. Once you got the node onto the 9v plug pack, did you find the sensor was ok being supplied with 5v from your Nano?
@breimann yes the sensor has been very stable with 5v coming from the nano. I only experienced issues in the initial testing when I was powering the nano from my laptop usb. With the 9v supply to the nano V IN it is very good. I also use an minimum of 47uf for the nrf cap now as well.
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@breimann yes the sensor has been very stable with 5v coming from the nano. I only experienced issues in the initial testing when I was powering the nano from my laptop usb. With the 9v supply to the nano V IN it is very good. I also use an minimum of 47uf for the nrf cap now as well.
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very interesting and another Aussie, QLDer here
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Hi there. I am currently making the exact same project using a RPi3 and a JSN-SR04T ultrasonic sensor. My tank is 2 meters tall and are currently having issues with the sensor giving echos off the side of the tank. Did you have any issues like this? Im a SE Qlder as well.
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Hi there. I am currently making the exact same project using a RPi3 and a JSN-SR04T ultrasonic sensor. My tank is 2 meters tall and are currently having issues with the sensor giving echos off the side of the tank. Did you have any issues like this? Im a SE Qlder as well.
Hi @Denverado
It seems water tank projects are popular down under.
As to echo issues I have had no problems to date. I still have not had the tank bellow 80% though so can't yet tell if there may be issues. Ultrasonic sensors have been used commercially for tank level indicators so I think we should be ok.
As I noted in the first post a good 5v supply is essential for stable results. You could also have a look at this post it would seem that others have had some trouble with the JSN version as well.
Are you certain it is echo problems, what sort of readings are you getting? I know you can get sensors with a narrower beam but they usually cost a lot more too.
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Hi @Denverado
It seems water tank projects are popular down under.
As to echo issues I have had no problems to date. I still have not had the tank bellow 80% though so can't yet tell if there may be issues. Ultrasonic sensors have been used commercially for tank level indicators so I think we should be ok.
As I noted in the first post a good 5v supply is essential for stable results. You could also have a look at this post it would seem that others have had some trouble with the JSN version as well.
Are you certain it is echo problems, what sort of readings are you getting? I know you can get sensors with a narrower beam but they usually cost a lot more too.
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@Boots33, the readings I am getting are consistent..... they are just consistently wrong. :( I am going to try and install the sensor in a tube and see if that helps.
Fingers crossed!@Denverado If this is a JSN-SR04T-2.0, as @Boots33 has already alluded to, now is a good time to take up religion. Spent a further 5 hours this afternoon trying all manner of variations of pullup resistor and sketch configurations per only available info and came up nada... Good luck... It is a veritable Chinese puzzle....
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@Denverado If this is a JSN-SR04T-2.0, as @Boots33 has already alluded to, now is a good time to take up religion. Spent a further 5 hours this afternoon trying all manner of variations of pullup resistor and sketch configurations per only available info and came up nada... Good luck... It is a veritable Chinese puzzle....
@zboblamont I don't have a problem with my sensor. It works perfectly. It just casts a really wide beam. I'm estimating around 60 degrees!!! Has anyone tried changing the variable inductor on the unit to see if the beam can be narrowed?? Or does anyone have a schematic of the unit, as I have a friend who is an electrical engineer and might be able to help?
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@Denverado If this is a JSN-SR04T-2.0, as @Boots33 has already alluded to, now is a good time to take up religion. Spent a further 5 hours this afternoon trying all manner of variations of pullup resistor and sketch configurations per only available info and came up nada... Good luck... It is a veritable Chinese puzzle....
@zboblamont I got mine to work by following the instructions from this guy. I also found the following drawing.
. So my therory is if you change the variable inductor. You should be able to narrow the beam..... just a therory. If someone wants to try it... im happy to hear the results.
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@zboblamont I got mine to work by following the instructions from this guy. I also found the following drawing.
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@Boots33 Sorry mate I have kind of taken over your thread! The project looks great. I might have to try the same sensor as you.
@Denverado Not to worry, I like the use of the voltage divider in the article you linked to. Always room for more ideas.
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@zboblamont I don't have a problem with my sensor. It works perfectly. It just casts a really wide beam. I'm estimating around 60 degrees!!! Has anyone tried changing the variable inductor on the unit to see if the beam can be narrowed?? Or does anyone have a schematic of the unit, as I have a friend who is an electrical engineer and might be able to help?
@Denverado For clarity, you mentioned previously your sensor was the JSN-SR04T, I was referring to it's modern incarnation the JSN-SR04T-2.0. Although advertised as the former, it was the latter which was delivered. Another guy found no problem with the original either, until he got the 2.0, which seems to be a bit of an enigma.
