Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Do It Yourself
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 01/17/2018, 03:10 PM   #1
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Optical Liquid Level Switch to Apex Breakout Box Help

Hey team,

I am trying to make a DIY thing where I connect a float and optical switch both to a breakout box. I have seen some drawings online as to the wiring the optical switch, but I would like to get some help from someone who has done something similar or who knows more about wiring these and can offer some visual aides.

I appreciate your help.








__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/17/2018, 08:59 PM   #2
djmx2002
Premium Member
 
djmx2002's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 355
You won’t be able to connect it to the breakout box like this. I believe that the breakout box will take either high or low signal and I believe these sensor will have a value somewhere in between


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


djmx2002 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/17/2018, 11:38 PM   #3
emilese
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Taiwan (formerly, Atlanta area)
Posts: 199
I think the optical level sensors require a low power source. I think you can connect it to the breakout box but, I think it also needs to be connected to power source.

I'm by no means an authority on this. I'm curious about this as well as I have a breakout box and would like to connect a optical liquid level sensor to it.


emilese is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/18/2018, 07:07 AM   #4
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Understood. I do know that these sensors require a 5V power source, which I intend to supply. I know there has to be a way to turn this signal into something that the BOB can understand.

I hope someone here has done this before and can provide some feedback.

Don't get me wrong, I am not cheap. I just got the FMK kit and will be using that, but I also ordered some sensors on ebay and would like to try this.


__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/18/2018, 10:41 PM   #5
aaronpentz
Registered Member
 
aaronpentz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Pingree Grove, IL
Posts: 952
Do you have the wire diagram for the switch.

They need to be powered so you'll need a power supply. Assuming the red is positive and the white is negative the other two are more then likely normally open and normally closed for the switch not sensing liquid. We need to know if they source or sink voltage.

Then you'll need a "Dry Contact relay" the switch will get wired to the coil side of the relay and the BoB will be connected to the contact side of the relay. This will get to you the desired effect you want and still protect your apex.

This is exactly what I'm doing with my apex but I'm using a capacitive proximity sensor that reads the water level through the sump wall

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


__________________
"Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling it brings"

Current Tank Info: 67 Long
aaronpentz is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/19/2018, 08:01 AM   #6
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
I knew we had to have a genius among us. Thank you sir. I believe the picture below is the wiring diagram for this switch and I have a basic understanding of the logic, but if you could dumb it down a bit for me, that would be fantastic.

I really appreciate the help, I really like DIY projects and this one seems like a good one to expand my skills.




__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/19/2018, 08:06 AM   #7
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Just to throw this one out there. Do you think something like this relay would make sense for this application?

http://www.pic-control.com/mini-relay/5v-mini-relay/


__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/19/2018, 12:53 PM   #8
jewlz
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: North America
Posts: 116
I was trying this out with a set of sensors from ebay about a year and a half ago. The seller ended up not being able to provide me with a datasheet or a reasonable wiring diagram, so I gave up... Now the sensors are just sitting in a drawer.

As I understood it at the time, they have an LED and a photo-resistor inside them. 1 lair of wires is connected to the diode, the other to the resistor. you read the liquid level as a voltage change over the resistor, but need to build your own driving circuit.

Maybe your sensors are different. I don't know.


jewlz is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/19/2018, 01:10 PM   #9
aaronpentz
Registered Member
 
aaronpentz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Pingree Grove, IL
Posts: 952
Quote:
Originally Posted by Webmanny View Post
I knew we had to have a genius among us. Thank you sir. I believe the picture below is the wiring diagram for this switch and I have a basic understanding of the logic, but if you could dumb it down a bit for me, that would be fantastic.

I really appreciate the help, I really like DIY projects and this one seems like a good one to expand my skills.

Ok

So if your switches are as the above then the wiring is pretty straight forward
Need to check the switching limits of the level switch and the coil current or you could burn out the switch if relay coil takes too much current to close.
R1 is a current limiting resistor for the emitter diode.
R2 is a pull down resistor. This will go high ( to 5vdc ) when sensing when not sensing the resistor keeps it at 0vdc


Connect white wire to 5 vdc
Connect one side of R1 resistor to 5 vdc
Connect blue wire to the other side of the 390 ohm resistor
Connect red to 5 com
Connect one side of R2 resistor to 5 com
Connect one side of relay coil to 5 com
Connect yellow to other side of R2 resistor and to the other side of the relay coil.

Now connect your apex gnd and whatever input you want to the contact side of the relay

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


__________________
"Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling it brings"

Current Tank Info: 67 Long
aaronpentz is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/19/2018, 01:18 PM   #10
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Awesome. I will start playing with this. Thank you very much for all your help. I knew this was possible with some tinkering. I'll provide updates once I get the materials and finish the build.

Have a great weekend.


__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/25/2018, 06:22 PM   #11
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Ok. So I got the optical sensor today and started to play with it. Here is what I've uncovered so far. Maybe it means more to you than me and can help determine what relay I should get.

I connected the red and white to the power supply 5vdc. I connected the multimeter negative to the white cable as well and started to play with the other two.

When I connected the blue wire to the multimeter and submerge the sensor, the dc voltage goes to 0.029 and when I take it out of the water, it goes to 0.050. I love the fact that I am getting any reading, but now I dunt know if a 5v dry relay will do the job here.

These are some pictures I took today.


Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_20180125_180040-800x600.jpg (55.6 KB, 20 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_20180125_180033-800x600.jpg (68.4 KB, 18 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_20180125_180036-800x600.jpg (74.6 KB, 17 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_20180125_180129-800x600.jpg (53.2 KB, 12 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_20180125_180138-800x600.jpg (60.5 KB, 13 views)
__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/26/2018, 02:37 PM   #12
MrMan
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 20
I actually looked at using this sensor type on my DIY ATO and found the attached drawing for one of the sensors I was looking at. I modified it a bit to show how you could hook up a 5V relay. I'm not sure how much current the transistor can handle so I'd try to stick to a low coil current if possible...


Attached Images
File Type: jpg optical sensor wiring for relay.jpg (25.2 KB, 26 views)
MrMan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/02/2018, 11:55 AM   #13
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Sorry I haven't responded in a while. Life got in the way again. I really appreciate the drawing. I think I get it now. On that blue box you drew, cables 3 and 4 would go to the breakout box. Correct?

Just one more question. I already ordered the low voltage relays and 5Vdc power source, but I am having a hard time identifying that resistor "R1 390R". Any advice or links that could point me in that direction.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrMan View Post
I actually looked at using this sensor type on my DIY ATO and found the attached drawing for one of the sensors I was looking at. I modified it a bit to show how you could hook up a 5V relay. I'm not sure how much current the transistor can handle so I'd try to stick to a low coil current if possible...



__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/02/2018, 11:57 AM   #14
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
I think I may have found it, but wanted to get your green light before I move forward.

https://www.petervis.com/electronics...lues/390R.html


__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/03/2018, 03:29 PM   #15
MrMan
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Webmanny View Post
Sorry I haven't responded in a while. Life got in the way again. I really appreciate the drawing. I think I get it now. On that blue box you drew, cables 3 and 4 would go to the breakout box. Correct?

Just one more question. I already ordered the low voltage relays and 5Vdc power source, but I am having a hard time identifying that resistor "R1 390R". Any advice or links that could point me in that direction.
You can use any resistor type but a standard 1/4 watt axial resistor would be ideal. Can get some from Digi-Key or eBay or probably a local electronics place.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


MrMan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/05/2018, 08:45 AM   #16
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Awesome. I just ordered some online. I will update this post once I start this up. Thank you for all the help you have given me.


__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/05/2018, 09:37 AM   #17
d0ughb0y
Registered Member
 
d0ughb0y's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: sf bay area
Posts: 5,165
you can buy the electronics for the optical sensor that will generate the high/low signal. The module contains an op amp circuit that converts analog to digital signal. just search ebay for optical level sensor module.

fwiw, these are more trouble than they are worth. they work by the tip of the sensor touching/not touching the water, and not by proximity to the surface of the water. Well, strictly speaking, it is proximity, but only within 2mm or so. imho, keep it simple and just use a float switch.


d0ughb0y is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/05/2018, 02:32 PM   #18
Webmanny
Registered Member
 
Webmanny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: 33612
Posts: 2,461
Good suggestion on the eBay search. If the Relay and resistor idea doesn't work, I will look into this one. As far as float switches go, I have had some bad experiences with them and do not trust them at all. I understand the weaknesses of the optical ones, but at least, you can place them sideways and improve their reliability.


__________________
32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method.

My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.
Webmanny is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:22 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.