Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

KalebTheMaker — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 15:27:55 GMT

Hi all, I am still here, and still at it. This project is finally coming up and I have done some testing. I've got this update and some questions about LoRa if anyone has experience with it.

First off, I think I was trying to be too precise with the original measurements, and realized that the only data that is truly meaningful to me is data that lets me know when I need to pump. Other than that, how long until I have to pump is a luxury and can probably be extrapolated over time.

For my testing, I bought an analog water pressure sensor and put it on a hose bib at the house. With about 25% tanks full, I was reading 30psi. So I just went for a 100 psi transducer. I connected that to an esp32 and started reading data.

The esp32 is 3.3v, and the transducer is 5v. But since I do not need an absolute reading, it's fine. Whatever the MCU outputs between 0-4095 I can interpolate to a percentage when I get a reading at full and a reading at empty. I am collecting that data through a cycle of pumping to try to find those values. And once I get a *full* reading, I can make the decision to get a lower pressure transducer if needed.

Currently it is connected to the water main, and the MCU is being powered by a cheap PWM solar charger, 20w panel and a 5Ah SLA battery. So far so good!

The plan will be to make at least three of these with the solar setup so they can be at the tanks.The upper tanks (seasonal well tanks) is where my house water is stored, and I can measure that at the house. The middle tank has a pretty good LOS shot from the shop, and the three spring tanks are *almost* visible from the shop. I think LoRa might be the right solution here? I have very little experience with it, but I would like to learn. I picked up a couple of the heltec "wireless stick" V3's and that is what I am testing on, but for now just using the WiFi module to collect the data.

The main thing I feel like I am having a hard time figuring out is if I *need* to have a LoRa concentrator/gateway to collect data in a multipoint-to-point layout. Or if I can just use one of these modules to collect data from the rest of the modules? Or, maybe I should be using a mesh system like meshtastic. I will have to play with that to see if I can add to the firmware somehow to collect data from GPIO and send it along. So far a lot of the examples are just examples of passing canned data.

Those would be my questions about LoRa. Would a gateway required? Is a mesh system going to be the best?

Ill get some pictures of the shop up soon!

-KalebTheMaker

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 22:00:07 GMT

Perhaps another water level sensor to look at ?

Gravity: Industrial Stainless Steel Submersible Pressure Level Sensor(0~5m)
https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1863.html

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

DAB — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 19:22:46 GMT

Nice update.

It will be interesting to see if you get good water flow.

It looks like you have enough height differential to make it work, but we shall see.

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

KalebTheMaker — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 17:24:57 GMT

Hi all, I have posted updated elevation data in the blog. See the table at the bottom of the post.

Thanks again!

-Kaleb

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 21:26:12 GMT

"...I drove all over and took measurements at each location with a Garmin GPS, got back imported and its clearly all wrong, like the house being 35m higher than the upper tanks... Ill go back out and get new data with the GPS on my phone the next time the dog needs a run. Hopefully it will be accurate..."

This surveying lark is fun isn't it ? [emoticon:c4563cd7d5574777a71c318021cbbcc8]

Does your Garmin GPS have a barometric altimeter built-in or were you relying on trilateration for elevation ?

You can get elevation data from some mapping software but its probably only as accurate as the map contours.

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 21:12:24 GMT

Looking at the water tank photos, don't you have issues with some of those water pipes freezing in winter time ?

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 21:38:38 GMT

Possible ultrasonic option

https://wiki.dfrobot.com/Weather-proof_Ultrasonic_Sensor_SKU___SEN0207

Operating Range: 21cm ~ 6m
Resolution: 3mm

Minimum range is not ideal but you might be able to fit it into a short length of plastic pipe that sticks up from the top of the tank to reduce it.

You could also have a backup float switch at the top that gives a 'full to the brim' signal for filling / fail safe purposes.

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

bidrohini — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 15:06:52 GMT

Is there any video of this water tank monitoring system?

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

dougw — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 02:29:34 GMT

What water pressure do you want at the point of use?

Typical city water might be 40-60 psi which is an elevation of 90-140 feet.

Do you need the tanks to be pressurized to provide the desired pressure?

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 21:48:11 GMT

Is the middle tank a sealed unit or do you have to pump in two stages ?

Also how are the three tanks connected up at each end to the supply lines ? Perhaps going to need some motorised valves at some point for automation.

What dimensions are the tanks and what sort of fixings / openings do they already have ?

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 20:48:20 GMT

Submersible Pressure Transducers - Tank Level Installation
https://www.te.com/usa-en/products/sensors/pressure-sensors/pressure-transducers/submersible-pressure-transducers-for-tank-installation.html

RS have some 0.25Bar industrial sensors which I think are in the right ballpark pressure wise for the resolution you are after but not exactly cheap.
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/pressure-sensors/8285726

At the other end of the scale, NXP do some that are designed for the likes of washing machine water level sensing but you might have to ruggedize them.
https://www.nxp.com/products/sensors/pressure-sensors/differential-gauge-up-to-10-kpa/differential-and-gauge-integrated-pressure-sensor-0-to-10-kpa:MPXx5010

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:36:28 GMT

Have you looked into using a ram pump at all ?

If there is enough overflow at the spring then you might be able to lift water to the middle tank.

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:29:25 GMT

If you stick a pressure gauge onto the water supply at the house, then that should be able to tell you what head of water you have above you at any given time.

If you know the difference in height between the gauge and the water tank then you can work out the height of water in the tank. If you know the diameter of the tank then you can work out the volume of water left in the tank.

RE: Project - Water Tank Monitoring System

beacon_dave — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:52:13 GMT