HA: Water tank level sensor options

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Hotfuzz

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Would be really cool to get volume % etc but honestly triggering my well pump to switch on when the tank hits a certain level is really all I need.

I have used an IR sensor in the past but found it to be unreliable with condensation build up. I see a few people online use Ultrasonic sensors but also seems to be a bit hit and miss

Can anyone vouch for using these?
www.dfrobot.com

Revolutionary Non-contact Liquid Level Sensor for Arduino

Explore the innovative non-contact liquid level sensor for Arduino with cutting-edge XKC-Y25-T12V chip. Perfect for hazardous environments.
www.dfrobot.com www.dfrobot.com
 
Was only looking at a way to automate/ have more control over this but couldnt find anything that seemed rock solid. Ended up sticking with a float in the tank that keeps it topped up nicely. Just liked the idea of knowing the level in case the float moved or something
 
Hotfuzz said:
Would be really cool to get volume % etc but honestly triggering my well pump to switch on when the tank hits a certain level is really all I need.

I have used an IR sensor in the past but found it to be unreliable with condensation build up. I see a few people online use Ultrasonic sensors but also seems to be a bit hit and miss

Can anyone vouch for using these?
www.dfrobot.com

Revolutionary Non-contact Liquid Level Sensor for Arduino

Explore the innovative non-contact liquid level sensor for Arduino with cutting-edge XKC-Y25-T12V chip. Perfect for hazardous environments.
www.dfrobot.com www.dfrobot.com
Click to expand...
DIYElectronics are great fans of DFRobots and have the unit in stock. Why not chat to them ?
 
AmazeBalls said:
Was only looking at a way to automate/ have more control over this but couldnt find anything that seemed rock solid. Ended up sticking with a float in the tank that keeps it topped up nicely. Just liked the idea of knowing the level in case the float moved or something
Click to expand...
I think this will probably be what I end up doing since its easy and effective. Just thought I would put the feelers out there and find out what everyone else has come up with.
spiff said:
try the same air pressure sensor in your washing machine
Click to expand...
Pressure sensor would be a good choice I think but the installation would be a bit more challenging since it would need to be installed at the bottom of the tank.
rrh said:
DIYElectronics are great fans of DFRobots and have the unit in stock. Why not chat to them ?
Click to expand...
Was hoping someone here would already have one installed for a while to gauge reliability.
 
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Here's three options using sonar that I've bookmarked. I bought the sonar unit last week and will be implementing this for our central heating oil tank level (Ireland).

www.rogerfrost.com

oil tank level sensor - Roger Frost's home automation projects

In homes using heating oil, a sonar distance sensor shows how much oil to order. ESPHome enables oil use graphs and notifications...
www.rogerfrost.com www.rogerfrost.com

community.home-assistant.io

Oil Tank Level Sensor

Recent project that a combination of HA and ESPHome made much easier than I expected. Central heating is oil fired - and our tank has no sight tube. When installed it did have a remote level sensor, but the batteries in the sender died a while back and I hadn’t got round to replacing them - and...
community.home-assistant.io community.home-assistant.io

community.home-assistant.io

OilPal / Watchman Ultrasonic Oil Tank level reading for Home Assistant

This is my first “project” that I’m happy enough with to share with the HA community. For years I used the Fibaro Home Center 2 with various ZWave devices from Aeotec, Greenwave and Fibaro. Recently I decided to move away from the HC2 and look at other home automation systems. I landed with...
community.home-assistant.io community.home-assistant.io
 
Some nice ideas here.
I like simple things, and keeping the electronics away from the fluids.
Why not simply attach a length of clear 20mm hose to the bottom of the tank, run it up the side, and float a small polystyrene ball in it. Attach a small rare earth magnet to the polystyrene ball and mount magnetic reed switches at critical intervals (like 25%, 50%, 75% and Full)? That way you can get full visual confirmation of the levels, and use the reed switches' output to a controller.

Tank meter.PNG
 
RonSwanson said:
Some nice ideas here.
I like simple things, and keeping the electronics away from the fluids.
Why not simply attach a length of clear 20mm hose to the bottom of the tank, run it up the side, and float a small polystyrene ball in it. Attach a small rare earth magnet to the polystyrene ball and mount magnetic reed switches at critical intervals (like 25%, 50%, 75% and Full)? That way you can get full visual confirmation of the levels, and use the reed switches' output to a controller.

View attachment 1237162
Click to expand...
This is an awesome idea.... I personally used the Ultrasonic Distance sensor in my tanks with little to no issues for over 2 years (I have since moved and have not installed a Jojo tank again). I may just try this out when I install new tanks.
 
I use an ultrasonic sensor to measure the level of my tank
 
RonSwanson said:
Some nice ideas here.
I like simple things, and keeping the electronics away from the fluids.
Why not simply attach a length of clear 20mm hose to the bottom of the tank, run it up the side, and float a small polystyrene ball in it. Attach a small rare earth magnet to the polystyrene ball and mount magnetic reed switches at critical intervals (like 25%, 50%, 75% and Full)? That way you can get full visual confirmation of the levels, and use the reed switches' output to a controller.

View attachment 1237162
Click to expand...

That's clever AF.
 
RonSwanson said:
Some nice ideas here.
I like simple things, and keeping the electronics away from the fluids.
Why not simply attach a length of clear 20mm hose to the bottom of the tank, run it up the side, and float a small polystyrene ball in it. Attach a small rare earth magnet to the polystyrene ball and mount magnetic reed switches at critical intervals (like 25%, 50%, 75% and Full)? That way you can get full visual confirmation of the levels, and use the reed switches' output to a controller.

View attachment 1237162
Click to expand...
This is brilliant. I already have a clear pipe like this on the outside of my water tank for visual checks if the water level. The float switch however only allows the tank to drop to 75% before going up the tank. Only time is ever gone lower was when my pump in the well was off and I ended up running the water tank empty.

This would allow me to stop this before it happens.
 
RonSwanson said:
Some nice ideas here.
I like simple things, and keeping the electronics away from the fluids.
Why not simply attach a length of clear 20mm hose to the bottom of the tank, run it up the side, and float a small polystyrene ball in it. Attach a small rare earth magnet to the polystyrene ball and mount magnetic reed switches at critical intervals (like 25%, 50%, 75% and Full)? That way you can get full visual confirmation of the levels, and use the reed switches' output to a controller.

Good plan, does the magnet auto-orient itself to activate the reed switch?
Click to expand...
 
@riscbroker Activation would depend on the strength of the magnet, I would use rare-earth / neodymium, so orientation should not matter too much. The magnet could be attached to the bottom, or placed in the middle of the ball. They can usually activate a reed switch from about 40mm tops, and this would be closer, around 15mm or so.

Edit: looking at this, and this, actuation may happen a number of times when the ball moves past the switch, but that's OK, as long as there is activity on the switch. A degree of experimentation would be necessary.
 
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Hotfuzz said:
I think this will probably be what I end up doing since its easy and effective. Just thought I would put the feelers out there and find out what everyone else has come up with.

Pressure sensor would be a good choice I think but the installation would be a bit more challenging since it would need to be installed at the bottom of the tank.

Was hoping someone here would already have one installed for a while to gauge reliability.
Click to expand...

washing machine water level sensor is a mechanical air pressure sensor. You just need a long tube in the tank with the sensor sealed on the tube at the top.

The big end of the hose connects to the bottom of the tub, while the small end connects to the switch. As the water level in the tub rises, water rises in the hose also; but the air in the hose is trapped, so as the water rises, the air is compressed.
Click to expand...
 
spiff said:
washing machine water level sensor is a mechanical air pressure sensor. You just need a long tube in the tank with the sensor sealed on the tube at the top.
Click to expand...
Would be my choice as well - only using the pressure transducer type that gives an analogue output (rather than an on/off switch). Can be easily installed and won't suffer possible algae growth or particulate buildup interfering with it's operation over time.

Hook up to your preferred microcontroller, calibrate by measuring empty and full conditions. Then get accurate % measurements including overfull.
 
Some advice needed please.

I have one of those float switches, as per youtube video further up.

It switches pump on fine, but when the tank fills up and reaches the cut off point it trips the circuit breaker.

Any ideas?
 
Hotfuzz said:
Would be really cool to get volume % etc but honestly triggering my well pump to switch on when the tank hits a certain level is really all I need.

I have used an IR sensor in the past but found it to be unreliable with condensation build up. I see a few people online use Ultrasonic sensors but also seems to be a bit hit and miss

Can anyone vouch for using these?
www.dfrobot.com

Revolutionary Non-contact Liquid Level Sensor for Arduino

Explore the innovative non-contact liquid level sensor for Arduino with cutting-edge XKC-Y25-T12V chip. Perfect for hazardous environments.
www.dfrobot.com www.dfrobot.com
Click to expand...
This is a crazy necro but what did you end up going with and does it work nicely with HA?

Looking to do the exact same WellPoint to JoJo tank automation.
 
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