Arduino Water Cooling Temperature Sensor

[phinsil6]

Hello

I am trying to find a way to measure the water temperature of my computer water cooling loop.  I currently have built a fan controller that is controlled from the arduino to keep fan speed down to a minimum and yet cpu/gpu temps to a reasonable level.  However, I would like a method to sense the temperature of the water via hardware.  The only kind of thing I have found is this:
http://koolance.com/sen-tpl010k-coolant-temperature-sensor-10k-ohm
But I am not sure on how I could connect that to the arduino.

Thank you for ALL responses!!

[robtillaart]

the waterproof ds18B20 - https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11050 - ?
libs available,

[phinsil6]

Yeah I saw that but how would I go about putting it into the loop?

[robtillaart]

as the outside is metal you can connect it to some metal part with heat conductive glue (or HC pasta and some duct tape)

[phinsil6]

That wouldn't work as I am trying to get the temperature of the water in the loop.

[justinhalek]

http://koolance.com/sen-tpl010k-coolant-temperature-sensor-10k-ohm
But I am not sure on how I could connect that to the arduino.

seeing as this is a 10k thermistor.. this tutorial directly applies here.

http://playground.arduino.cc/ComponentLib/Thermistor

I think the part linked to above will be your best bet... as it has all the seals and everything built it

[phinsil6]

okay thanks!
and you are one hundred percent sure that it is simply a thermistor?
Will the arduino have good enough ADC resolution to pick up minor changes in water temperature? i.e +/- 0.5 degree Celsisus

[robtillaart]

That wouldn't work as I am trying to get the temperature of the water in the loop.

Metal housing will follow the temperature of the water quite fast as metal is a conductor.
If you do not have any metal parts you have to drill a hole in some pipe, insert the sensor and kit it watertight.

[phinsil6]

thanks but no thanks! 
that is way too risky for me and waaay beyond my ability and comfort zone.

[justinhalek]

im 100% positive that is IS a thermistor. 10k ohm is a measure of resistance. Its also typical of a average thermistor.


The arduino will return values of 0-1023... its up to you to determine what the actual temp is. google "Arduino thermistor" there is a great tutorial with code that does a good enough job  of turning the analog values in to an actual temp.

[wildbill]

thanks but no thanks! 
that is way too risky for me and waaay beyond my ability and comfort zone.

You could be a bit more ghetto and use an ordinary DS18B20 and tape it to the inlet hose on the reservoir. Duct tape if you want extra ghetto-ness. It won't give you the actual temperature, but you should be able to calibrate it and adjust in software so that you have what you need to control your fans.