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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Flow Sensor from Wiltronics

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Chopperp

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Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1097
Posted: 07:43am 26 Mar 2018
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FYI.
I got a couple of Hall effect flow meters from Wiltronics. Hooked one up to my CMM. Seems to work well measuring it's O/P frequency. Connected in line with the grey water outlet pipe. Reliability yet to be determined.

https://www.wiltronics.com.au/product/18937/flowmeter-1-2inch-hall-effect-controlled-water-flow-sensor/

ChopperP
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LouisG
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Joined: 19/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 129
Posted: 10:20am 26 Mar 2018
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Hi ChopperP,

They are good little units. I have been running a couple of these exact 1/2" flow meters in an experimental pilot plant on and off for a couple of years. Liquid is strong NaOH solution at 60 deg C. Never had any problems. But then I never had any of the crud that you might find in wastewater.

They work well at 3.3V DC supply too.

Mine measures pulsating flow from a pneumatic diaphragm pump so I have to average the pulses counted over 10 seconds - easily done.

Wouldn't mind knowing where I could get a matching connector to suit the one supplied.

Louis

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Chopperp

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Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1097
Posted: 10:55am 26 Mar 2018
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Hi Louis
Good to hear that yours is running well with the hot NaOH going through it. Mine is still in a temporary setup to see how it goes. Will have to keep an eye on it.
I soldered a 3 pin male header block on some strip board along with a 3 way 0.1" terminal block & some old phone cable for a temporary connection. Will also need to find a proper connector for it; one that is water tight as well.
Interesting to know that they work on 3.3V.
I only have a rose sprinkler with a smallish hole for the output on the end of the hose & that does get blocked or partially blocked occasionally so that needs regular checking.
Thanks for the reply.

ChopperP
ChopperP
 
TassyJim

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Joined: 07/08/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 6283
Posted: 08:43pm 26 Mar 2018
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They look to be similar to some 60L/M 3/4 inch ones I have been using for a few years.
They last much longer than the ones I from Jaycar that I started with.

The only problem I had was when the sensors got zapped by lightning. They are replaceable.

I have 4 in daily use for the house and garden/farm water monitoring. For my purposes, I have them connected to counting inputs and read every 30 seconds.

Jim

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Chopperp

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Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1097
Posted: 09:12pm 26 Mar 2018
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Hi Jim
Can you advise as to where you got the 3/4" ones from?
I'm only using the Freq method cos that's what was used in the sample code.
Still experimenting.

Thanks

ChoperP
ChopperP
 
TassyJim

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Joined: 07/08/2011
Location: Australia
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Posted: 10:05pm 26 Mar 2018
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Ebay
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-60L-Min-DC-5-24V-Hall-Effect-Water-Flow-Sensor-Counter-Meter-HY/191877865762?epid=18593266 29&hash=item2caccfe122:g:ouUAAOSwU1FXQDPd

It's 2 years since I purchased but this link looks like the same unit.

When I bought some replacements, the pinout was in a different order just to make life interesting.

Using count instead of frequency means you are measuring in the background and don't miss any pulses.

Jim

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Phil23
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Joined: 27/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1667
Posted: 01:23am 27 Mar 2018
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I've been using these ones for the past couple of years in the Spa & Heat Pump Controllers.

Seem to be remaining stable with no issues yet.

Did notice though that they are available in Stainless now.

Phil.



 
Chopperp

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Posts: 1097
Posted: 06:51am 27 Mar 2018
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@TassyJim
Thanks for that. Bigger would be better for me. Will look at using the count input.

@Phil25.
Thanks as well. I assume yours has the standard 3/4" fitting? Blurb says 20mm. Do you measure frequency, counts or both?

ChopperP
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Chopperp

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Posted: 07:30am 10 Apr 2018
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  TassyJim said  Using count instead of frequency means you are measuring in the background and don't miss any pulses.

Still playing with my flow meter on my CMM for my grey water.

The water from the pump usually starts with spits & farts so to speak & gives high frequency / flow rate readings for over 15 secs then it settles down.
So initial readings either with pulse count or flow rate are not accurate anyway. However, this is only a small portion of the normal 5-10 min run & does not really matter. If it does happen to start with full flow (pipes full), the readings are OK almost immediately.
ChopperP
 
LouisG
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Joined: 19/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 129
Posted: 08:32am 10 Apr 2018
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That's why the preferred direction of flow through the flowmeter is vertically upwards. The idea is to keep the pipe full (assuming the flowmeter is in the pump discharge line) even when the pump is stopped.

 
Chopperp

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Posted: 10:47am 10 Apr 2018
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Hi LouisG
Yeh, unfortunately a sullage pump does not hold/retain it's water, so it doesn't really matter where you put it. The idea here is to get a rough idea of how much water is used in this area.
ChopperP
 
Andrew_G
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Joined: 18/10/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 871
Posted: 09:58pm 26 Nov 2018
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Hi,
Sorry to re-open an "old" thread but it seems a good way to keep track of the topic.
I'm looking at these 1/2" flow meters which I think are the same as Phil23's above.
1) The description is "flow meter and switch" - is that what they are or is it only "flow meter" (ie no "switch"). Whilst I'm primarily interested in flow a unit that switched would be useful (I can always add one if not).
2) As Chopperp asks above "do you measure frequency, counts or both"?
3) Are there any code examples?

Cheers,

Andrew
 
Chopperp

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Posts: 1097
Posted: 07:52am 27 Nov 2018
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Hi Andrew.

I don't know about the switched business.
TassyJim says he measure counts which means no loss of input readings as counting is done in the background.
I haven't tried that method. I just wanted rough idea of the times my grey water was on & if it was pumping OK. I was thinking that the frequency method was better for my purposes.

On my CMM, I just measure the frequency input every 5 secs.
I check for "over-speed" & also "Under-speed".
If above the lower limit, flow rate is calculated as is time on. These are displayed to the screen; graphed as either ON or off to the screen & also saved to SD card.
A few other things are done as well such as max flow rate while on.

Code snippet (CMM) shown below. Hope it helps.

Note, I load this sub as a Library file & unload it when another part of the program runs to free up memory. The file is then reloaded.


setpin 11, fin 'Flowmeter

sub Grey_UD 'run from Dostuff_2 every 5 seconds
local Grey_Freq, Grey_flow$
Grey_freq = pin(11) 'flow meter
if Grey_Freq > 120 then Grey_Freq = 120 'limit extroneous readings
Grey_flow$ = format$(Grey_freq/8.2,"% 5.1f") '82Hz = 10 l/m
print @(380, 180) CLR$(cyan) "GREY l/m " Grey_flow$ " "
if Grey_freq > 15 then 'normally ~ 75Hz when running
settick 20000, Grey_Check, 3 '20 sec time out set.
StatVal(5) = 40 'Stat Graph line high (ON)
STAT$(5) = " ON " 'set stat value. Reset after Data Save
print
Grey_on_Ctr = Grey_on_Ctr + 5 'counter time in seconds
if z1 mod 12 = 0 then 'check for multiples of 12 inc 0
Rate$ = "b:\GREYRATE\" + date1$ + ".csv" 'create a file save string with folder = current date
if (flags and 32)= 0 then 'check SD card is still inserted
open Rate$ for append as #5 'open the file for appending
print #5:print #5,time$; ", "; ' print time to SD card file
close #5
endif
endif
z1 = z1 + 1
if (flags and 32)= 0 then 'check SD card is still inserted.
open Rate$ for append as #5 'open the file for appending Defined above
print #5, grey_flow$; ", "; 'save data to SD card
close #5
endif
if z1 = 5 then Grey_Mem$ = " 0.0" 'reset prior to update
if z1 => 6 then 'wait for pump to settle down
if val(Grey_flow$) > val(Grey_Mem$) then Grey_Mem$ = Grey_Flow$ '82Hz = 10 l/m
print @(380, 192) CLR$(cyan) "GREY MEM " format$(val(Grey_Mem$),"% 5.1f") " " 'permanently Display value
endif
gosub Grey_save
else
StatVal(5) = 2 'Stat Graph line low (OFF) STAT(5)reset after Data Save
z1 = 0
endif
end sub

ChopperP
 
Phil23
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Joined: 27/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1667
Posted: 09:32pm 27 Nov 2018
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  Andrew_G said  I'm looking at these 1/2" flow meters which I think are the same as Phil23's above.


They look absolutely identical to mine.

Dunno how long they have been installed now, but it's been a few years with no issues. Bromine & now lithium chlorinated water running thru them.

My code is totally primitive, just reading frequency periodically.
Flow rate is my requirement, not an actual volume measurement.

[code]Sub ReadFlow

FlowRate=Pin(FlowSen1)/424*60

End Sub
[/code]

The easiest lines were added to get things going, so might be a good time to pinch Choppers's superior code.....

Cheers.

Edit: Choppers code.....Edited by Phil23 2018-11-29
 
Andrew_G
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Joined: 18/10/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 871
Posted: 08:47pm 28 Nov 2018
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Many thanks Chopper and Phil. I'll place an order!

As with most www gear I cannot see any "datasheet" - how did you know that 82Hz = 10 l/m and what is 424 per ??

Cheers,

Andrew
 
Phil23
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Joined: 27/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1667
Posted: 09:14pm 28 Nov 2018
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I hot mine from Aliexpress & as mentioned they were also available in stainless.

The 424 is corrected l/h; 8.1x60=486; but when I ran measurement tests it was a bit off.

This is the only data I had.

[Code]3/4" DN20 flow rate2-45L/min water Brass Hall Turbine flow sensor meter switch control water liquid rate

Product item no. : Ada-B0.75-5
Material : Brass
Brand : Ada

Specification :
Function : Sensor , flow rate control
Thread size : Male 3/4”
Size:L
Color : Golden color
Flow rate : 2~45L/min
Flow Pulse: F(Hz)=(8.1Q)-3 +/-10% Q=L/min
Max. Working Current : 10mA (DC5 V)
Min. Working Voltage: DC 4.5V
Working Voltage:DC 5V~24V
Load Capacity: =10 mA (DC 5 V)
Operating Working Temperature :
-25 Degree centigrade to +8 Degree centigrade
Liquid Temperature: +80
Accuracy : + - 10%

Wire : Black : "-"
Red: "+"
Yellow : "pulse output signal"
[/code]

Flow sensor


Phil.

Edit:- Weird formula; 8.1x flow rate MINUS 3?

Edited by Phil23 2018-11-30
 
Hatrick
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Joined: 16/11/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 6
Posted: 07:00am 09 Jan 2019
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I'm using these in my 19yo 4WD 4.2L diesel Nissan Patrol as a trip computer to measure fuel consumption, etc:
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/aichi-flow-meter-with-pulser-out_60676340080.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.6. 5a03633eqWb1FA

These appear to be a Chinese made meter, but stamped Made in Japan. The Japan specs indicate 2000ppl, but in fact these only do 200ppl. Caused a re-write of the first software!
Apart from that, they do the job and are suitable for oil, diesel, etc. The guts use two elliptical gears, so there is very little leakage of fuel past the gears. The low pulse rate makes them less suitable for low flow rates, such as fuel, but in my case the software does a sliding average to sort this out.
I've been running this for about 2 1/2 years now with no problems. Accuracy quite good once I worked out its correct calibration.

Gerry
 
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