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Geoff Schultz Geoff Schultz is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Oct 2006
Posts: 454
Default Water Usage Meter

Richard Edwards wrote in
:

On Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:01:37 -0800 (PST), foggywaters
wrote:

Hi

I would like to install / build a meter that would display the amount
of water I have taken from my water tank(s). There is no access to the
tank(s), installing level senders would be difficult.

I am aware of the WaterWatch. It would suffice but the literature says
the minimum water flow required is ~ 1.6 Gallons Per Minute. I don't
think it would record small demands i.e. brushing one's teeth.
Although it would be good for measuring the amount of water added to
the tanks.

I would prefer a system with a small in-line sensor sending pulses? to
a meter (LED ? LCD?) 10' away.

Any suggestions

foggywaters


This sounds like it will not work but it does!
Monitor your pump runtime from a full tank to an empty tank.
I have installed a relay that energises when the pump is running, use
that to run an hrs:min:secs counter. my tank gave 1hr 45min. Just
reset the counter when you fill the tank to full. Look at the counter
and a bit of arithmetic in your head will tell you your tank state.

Simple way to control the counter is to wrap say 20 turns of the pump
live feed around a reed switch use the reed to switch the hrs counter.
This allows the switch and relay to be remote from the pump.

Do not be concerned if you have an accumulator in the system, it all
averages out nicely.

Richard


Why don't you simply install guages on the tank(s)?

-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org