I need to place 3 hall effect sensors outside and a considerable distance from the arduino. I'm somewhat new to arduino but now that I'm moving projects outside I'm realizing I don't know very much about electronics in general. I know the standard approach is to search vigorously for the answer before posting, so I've done that and hopefully you won't think my question is too ridiculous.
The 3 hall sensors will be right next to each other. It's a standard water level sensor so I'm just reading for full, half-full, and empty. I don't want to run 6 power and ground lines to the arduino, so I need something that will allow me to connect power and ground pins together and then route those to the arduino as 2 cables. I'd like for whatever connection I use to be somewhat weather proof, but since I'm still testing for now it would be fine to learn how people regularly connect these sorts of projects.
My options so far appear to be a terminal block, cat5 cable, JST connectors and jumper wires. What's the best way to do it? What am I missing?
you could do 1 +Volts 1 -Volts and 3 Data lines fora total of 5 - cat5 has 8 and use a sealed container at the end for weather
and even use RJ45 end for ease of connections.
right, but how do I wire the hall sensors together? They have to be outside in the elements and each one has 3 connections where the wires have to go. I tried soldering some jumper wires from the + and - pins on each sensor and then soldering one additional wire on the last pin in each series, then running that wire to my arduino. I suck at soldering and it didn't look like something that would last outside anyway.
So, how do normal people solve this problem? Even if you give me terms to search google with, I'd be appreciative. Thanks.
Yes. 3 sensors are on outside of plastic tote. Floating material with magnets embedded inside sits on top of water. I know there are other ways to do it.
How about set your flotting sensor inside a plastic tube attach the sensors to that tube , then you can set another tube around then to seal them from the elements like 1 PVC tube inside another like 3/4 inside 1" . Sealable , adjustable, and able to have maintance.
That's a good idea, thanks. However, I still want to get from 9 wires (3 +, 3 -, 3 signal) from sensor to arduino to 5 (+, -, and 3 signal). So how do I connect them together?
you'll only have 5 Postive + , Negative - , and 3 signal wires. At the sensors have the power leads paralleled, and then you will only have the 3 individual signal wires coming back. easy So a cat5 (8 wire) will be more than enough
bobhawkens:
I need to place 3 hall effect sensors outside and a considerable distance from the arduino.
Which "hall effect sensors" and what is "a considerable distance"?
For instance, if the distance was 1000 feet, and those "sensors" are just the bare packages, without any amplification or anything (ie - non-"active" sensors), you might end up finding nothing more than "noise" on the other end of that 1000 feet.
But all of that is speculation; a link to a datasheet for the sensor in question, and a general distance would be better.
woody_unreal:
you'll only have 5 Postive + , Negative - , and 3 signal wires. At the sensors have the power leads paralleled, and then you will only have the 3 individual signal wires coming back. easy So a cat5 (8 wire) will be more than enough
Sure, but then I still have a bundle of wires. How to connect them without wrapping in electrical tape?
bobhawkens:
I need to place 3 hall effect sensors outside and a considerable distance from the arduino.
Which "hall effect sensors" and what is "a considerable distance"?
For instance, if the distance was 1000 feet, and those "sensors" are just the bare packages, without any amplification or anything (ie - non-"active" sensors), you might end up finding nothing more than "noise" on the other end of that 1000 feet.
But all of that is speculation; a link to a datasheet for the sensor in question, and a general distance would be better.
It's the standard hall sensor from adafruit. I'm going something like 5 feet from inside through a window and onto a balcony. I'm more interested in how people do these sorts of projects. What kind of connectors do they use? Is there something obvious I'm missing here? I made a sort of ribbon with electrical tape. I isolated the gnd pins and put a stripped wire over them, then put another piece of electrical tape over all of that. I repeated for the + and signal pins, so I had a ribbon with 3 layers on top of each other. It works but it's really ugly. There has to be a better way, right?
Ya use somethign to the effect of a cicuit board RadioShack.com Official Site - America's Technology Store run your ribbon to it ,, then a few wires to the Sensors. you may even put that part in a project box of some sort. the possablities are endless. its only up to your imagination
So a circuit board? Thanks, I'd never heard of that before.
More seriously, I take your answer to mean that most people would just make a breakout board and that people don't really use connectors for my purposes. That's helpful, thanks again.
woody_unreal:
weather proof connections are possable , but the 3 sensors part makes it difficult. since your reducing your wire count run.
I agree.
OP, you ever consider a different sensor type?
How about an automotive fuel tank sending unit?
Fairly inexpensive, reliable, built to take the elements, don't need floating balls in your tank and you'd get a more acurate reading due to it being variable not stepped.
agree roncoop , even just 3 wires danging in the water at hight, but i think he said something about already having them- (didnt feel like rereading) so i went with that possable solution - Even just a POT connected to a flowing arm would have worked
I use these on farms for measuring dam and tank levels:
The good thing is they only need three wires, they provide infinite measurement (not just three levels) and they have no moving parts and are not in contact with the water. i.e. no wear and tear, no corrosion or fouling of terminals.
For $26 they are simple to use and save you time and money over cheaper but less reliable systems.
and use a sealed container at the end for weather