Water level sensor using load cell - Page 2
 

Water level sensor using load cell

Started by mqbus767, September 27, 2022, 05:53:06 AM

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windtrader

KISS where you can. My tank sensors were on the fritz day one and now done. I could troubleshoot it but it won't do want I want. That is to have all sensors integrate into a digital dashboard. So the arduino or better the raspberry pi would be an excellent board to have sensors connect to, log, analyze, compute the numbers, and most importantly connect to the display panel showing pages made with python. this is done all over the place, so nothing novel here and plenty of places to get up and running.
So, any standalone system is not the route I'd take but fits the bill for many others wanting the KISS solution
Don F
1976 MCI/TMC MC-8 #1286
Fully converted
Bought 2017

thomasinnv

Mopeka also has water tank sensors now in addition to the LP tank sensors. Very affordable.
Some are called, some are sent, some just got up and went.

1998 MCI 102-DL3
Series 60 12.7/Alison B500
95% converted (they're never really done, are they?)

windtrader

Quote from: thomasinnv on September 29, 2022, 09:20:20 AM
Mopeka also has water tank sensors now in addition to the LP tank sensors. Very affordable.
Awesome find. Exactly along the lines I am talking about. Even the company name has IOT in it.
What do you know about this and similar products?
Don F
1976 MCI/TMC MC-8 #1286
Fully converted
Bought 2017

freds

I like the idea of not measuring the black tank and just tracking water usage. When you are refilling the water tank simply dump the black tank.

For tracking water usage I am going to go with a ESPHome/ESP32 IOT water totalizer with a flow sensor.

Another idea would be a ultrasonic sensor to measure level.

mqbus767

Quote from: RJ on September 28, 2022, 02:21:32 AM
Four tanks? Fresh water, Grey water, Black water, what am I missing?


2x100 gallon fresh
1x100 gallon grey
1X45 gallon black

The fresh are connected via a ball valve.

luvrbus

Aren't the bays on a Dl3 rated for 1250 lbs except for the rear bay ?
Life is short drink the good wine first

RJ

Quote from: mqbus767 on September 30, 2022, 04:25:40 AM
2x100 gallon fresh
1x100 gallon grey
1X45 gallon black

OK, gotcha.  FYI, my coach has three tanks: 150 fresh, 90 grey, 60 black. Never had a problem with this arrangement, and with visual monitoring, no overflows, either - especially since the electronics have failed.

Previous coach had 100 fresh and 100 grey/black, was prone to odors once it got over 1/2 full. Never had that issue with the current system.

FWIW & HTH. . .  ;)

RJ
1992 Prevost XL Vantaré Conversion M1001907 8V92T/HT-755 (DDEC/ATEC)
2003 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagon "Towed"
Cheney WA (when home)

windtrader

Quote from: freds on September 29, 2022, 11:09:39 PM
I like the idea of not measuring the black tank and just tracking water usage. When you are refilling the water tank simply dump the black tank.

For tracking water usage I am going to go with a ESPHome/ESP32 IOT water totalizer with a flow sensor.

Another idea would be a ultrasonic sensor to measure level.
Awesome. Now wer're homing in on the new age solutions. Mopeka is listed as an integration with ESPHome.
Don F
1976 MCI/TMC MC-8 #1286
Fully converted
Bought 2017

Iceni John

Like RJ, I agree that TomC's idea of shining light through the tank(s) is brilliant:  I did exactly this for my 115-gal grey tank, using a Malibu halogen 12V garden light that shines through the tank's translucent walls.   The two 110-gal fresh tanks are interconnected, and one of them has a simple sight glass (a vertical piece of clear tube) to tell me how much is in both of them.   The 65-gal poo tank is under the loo so I can easily see its level from the outside.   I did it this way to specifically avoid needing over-complicated systems that inevitably always fail.   KISS!

John
1990 Crown 2R-40N-552 (the Super II):  6V92TAC / DDEC II / Jake,  HT740.     Hecho en Chino.
2kW of tiltable solar.
Behind the Orange Curtain, SoCal.

mqbus767

Quote from: luvrbus on September 30, 2022, 06:44:06 AM
Aren't the bays on a Dl3 rated for 1250 lbs except for the rear bay ?

Uhhh...What is the rear rated for?

850lbsx2...Hoping it can handle 1700+lbs? I will have some vertical bracing that will tie the bay floor and the bus floor together, but now you have me a bit worried.

luvrbus

The DL3 is heavy on the front to begin with,I sure the bays will carry more than 1250 but 45 ft buses are easy to overload the front axle with that come tire troubles ,speaking from experience owning a 45 ft coach 130 psi in the 315/80 front axle tires does not make for a good ride on a rough hiway   
Life is short drink the good wine first