I am hoping this is the right forum to post my topic.
I live in Kenya and where I am, water supply comes for a few hours, usually in the morning around 6-8:30 am when we are required to switch on an electric pump to push water into storage tanks for domestic usage.
However, supply has been dwindling meaning water is only available in the wee hours of the morning and I have trouble waking up because I cannot go back to sleep afterwards.
I want to build an Arduino system that will in intervals check water availability from main reservoir and turn on the pump automatically into tank. Then I will add a sensor in the tank to detect when is full and turn off pump.
Since I am a newbie, can anyone advice on what hardware I'll need for this project besides the Arduino?
How do you currently "check water availability from main reservoir"?
What type of pump? Electric/petrol/diesel and for electric do you need to fire up a generator first?
For the tank full detector, something like this might do the trick.
We turn on the electric pump via a switch and if you see water coming from the direct line taps e.g. kitchen then you know there's water. Problem usually is if there's no water and you leave the pump running for long then it sucks in air creating an airlock.
I am guessing the system should more or less 'ping' for water availability but turning on pump for say 10 seconds and turn it off if there's no incoming water
Riva:
How do you currently "check water availability from main reservoir"?
What type of pump? Electric/petrol/diesel and for electric do you need to fire up a generator first?
For the tank full detector, something like this might do the trick.
oedgar:
We turn on the electric pump via a switch and if you see water coming from the direct line taps e.g. kitchen then you know there's water. Problem usually is if there's no water and you leave the pump running for long then it sucks in air creating an airlock.
I am guessing the system should more or less 'ping' for water availability but turning on pump for say 10 seconds and turn it off if there's no incoming water
Is there any pressure in the system when there is water compared to when there is no water? I wonder if you could use a pressure switch (something like this) that will let the arduino know if there is enough pressure. You could also use a flow sensor like this to know the pump is pumping something.
Don't rush out and buy these items as they are just examples I have found and maybe different designs will suit better.
I think the best would be determining pressure levels using the pressure sensor when water is coming through and when it's not. That way I can then turn off the pump if there's none?
oedgar:
I think the best would be determining pressure levels using the pressure sensor when water is coming through and when it's not. That way I can then turn off the pump if there's none?
I was thinking of putting the sensor on the feed into the pump so you could detect if the water is on without having to start the pump. You would maybe also need the flow sensor (or another pressure sensor on the pump output side) as the input pressure will drop when the pump starts.
I am doubtful since i dont know the situation very well, but if you can put a float sensor which is a dry contact into the main reservoir, you can run your pump when water level goes high.By this way you do not even need a arduino. Simple solution, if you can put it. This is exactly like automated bilge pumps.
Or, if you can not put it into main reservoir, make your own reservoir in a suitable place, put the float sensor in it. (Float switch specs are important and should be suitable for pump etc)