Automated tank filler using PICAXE 08M help... ?

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yusuf.businessmen

New Member
Hello guys...
I am working on automated tankfiller project and I have attach the circuit diagram but I want the program code as I diserve to work...
The working of the circuit I prefer is :
As the water goes below the low level sensor it will start motor pump and wait for 10 minutes... in between 10 minutes if the water goes little bit higher so that it touches low sensor then the motor will keep on running untill the tanks becomes full (so that water touches full sensor) if the tanks becomes full then it will stop the motor pump...else if the water doesnt comes lit bit higher so that it can't touch low level sensor between 10 minutes then motor pump will turn off... and it will start again after 1 hour and this process will repeat.... untill the tank becomes full..

friend I want this same concept so please help me how should I accomplish this.....
Please modifiy and complete this circuit diagram with program code.....

Thanks in advance....
 

Attachments

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Paix

Senior Member
@Yusuf.B,
From what I can make out, your diagram shows that a signal is being AC coupled from P2 to the centre probe in the water tank and the signal in turn is being AC coupled to two (voltage doubling?) envelope detectors connected to pins P4 (tank almost empty) and pin P1 (half full?).

I guess that the sensor probes are mounted horizontally in the side of the tank so that the conduction path is either there or not, rather than just improving/increasing as the tank fills – which is what appears to be depicted.

The output of P2 would be a short burst of signal at a suitable interval chosen by the operator.

You have attached the diagram to the automated tankfiller and it doesn't work? :)

In the diagram there are but two sensors.

You want to detect (not detect) when the water level falls below the bottom sensor and start a pump.
If the water level does not reach the bottom sensor within ten minutes then you have a problem, possibly a leak in the tank. What do you want to do then?

If the water level reaches the bottom sensor within the ten minute deadline, you want to run the pump until the top sensor tells you that the tank is full.

Is that about right, and do you now have a few clues as to what the circuit does?

Have you any photographs of the tank and sensor arrangement, or a more representative diagram of their construction and placement within the tank?
How big is this tank in litres or gallons?
What is the shape of the tank?
What is the purpose of the tank and it's stored water?
Have you considered a different type of sensor that will give you a more-or-less continuous reading from which the Picaxe code can can select levels be used to control the pump and display a level/status on the control board with two LEDs?

From here on in, the answers you get will be determined by the quality of the answers you are able and willing give to forum members.

How much Picaxe and/or electronics experience do you have? Have you got your Picaxe chip yet and if no Picaxe 08M2 is the one you seem to want, if only so that we can be sure about how to refer to the appropriate pins, the nomenclature being slightly different from that of the 08M.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
The basic program flow should be pretty simply, a standard Finite State Machine. Start with assuming the tank is full so it will always empty before filling ...

Code: 
TankFull:

  Stop Pump

WaitForEmptyTank:

  If lowLevelReached  Then WaitForEmptyTank

StartToFillTank:

  timeout = 10
  
  Start Pump

FillTank:

  If lowLevelReached Then WaitForFull
  Pause 1 minute
  timeout = timeout - 1
  If timeout <> 0 Then FillTank

WaitAnHour:

  Stop Pump
  Pause 1 hour
  Goto StartToFillTank

WaitForFull:

  If highLevelReached Then TankFull
  Goto WaitForFull
 
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P

Paix

Senior Member
KMoffett said:
PAIX,
It does work: ;)
Ken
Click to expand...
I didn't actually say that the circuit wouldn't work Ken, but then you didn't say that I had said that, but read again please what I did actually say, with my tongue in cheek of course!

You have attached the diagram to the automated tankfiller and it doesn't work?
Click to expand...
Before describing what I saw, I had absolutely no knowledge of your project at all. The picture of your sensor makes a lot of sense and is very neat, but my concern was that this was a LARGE water tank and I hadn't the wit to realise that the inputs were anything but binary. In fact the suggestion about horizontal sensing was because I did think that the size of the detected envelope would be influenced by the degree of coverage of the sensing elements, but wasn't necessarily convinced that it was producing a usable analogue input for ADC work. I do stand by my initial assessment, even though in hindsight it was flawed.

I asked about the tank and that was influencing my thoughts significantly, as was the fact that Yusuf.B is from Uttar Pradesh. Somehow I suspect that we are talking about a big tank and considered that the depth of the tank might be anything up to six feet/ two metres. I was actually also wondering about the wisdom of letting such a tank become almost empty before filling it up again and thinking about the duty cycle of the pump too.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of AC mains supply of some sort, I was thinking about periodic sensing and not continuous, to save battery power!

So, maybe my viewpoint has some merit and had I not got it ever so slightly wrong, then I would possibly never have actually seen your project. It's good and I'm glad to have seen it, for what it actually is.

Yusuf.B apparently didn't quite have the same insight as either of us.

I did think that if the sensor was producing a variable detected voltage to an ADC input and the water quality potable, that it would only need to be a single input and the Picaxe told what values represented full and empty. I also thought that if it was an elevated tank, it would be good to have a couple of status LEDs so that the user could know quickly what the situation was.

I'll now go and have another pour over your final code to wise myself up.
Pending Yusuf.B getting back and letting us know the end user use for the tank, I would guess at small village, drinking water or irrigation. What's your guess Ken. (Not Christmas tree related!) :)

I got the impression that the OP felt that there were three sensors - possibly my error.

Meanwhile Hippy has provided a solution.
 
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Goeytex

Senior Member
In the first post what Yusef.b has requested is: 1. Complete/ correct the circuit for him. 2. Write the Code for him.

With all due consideration it looks like the OP has done very little himself.

We have no clue what the sensors are except that they are capacitive coupled to the Picaxe. This implies an AC output of some kind. Yet the diagram shows no power source to the sensors and is incomplete. We also don't know the volume, shape or purpose of the tank which may be relevant. This should be a simple & straight forward project. Yet the incomplete information makes it a guessing game.
 
K

KMoffett

Senior Member
A little more info from the OP on that other forum.

The attached will provide three different level inputs. Because P3 in a logic level input I needed to boost the sensed voltage.

Ken
 

Attachments

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yusuf.businessmen

New Member
hello

Friends , for completing this project I have used KMoffett picaxe circuit diagram and I have written the complete details of my project with flow chart which KMoffett has posted above. So please have a look on both diagrams and kindly help me in completing the project..
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
Tankfiller

Hi:

CONTENT REMOVED due a LIE from YUSUF


Hope this will be useful to you.

C U pal...

:)
 
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hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
yusuf.businessmen said:
Hello.. I want to fix in house tanks.. And friend I want same as i had said in previous post. Please help..
Click to expand...
Simply reiterating previous requests for help won't get us too far. Can you tell us what help you require, what you have achieved so far, and what you are stuck upon ?

Are you looking for someone to do the work for you or looking for help to do it yourself ?
 
Y

yusuf.businessmen

New Member
There is a flow chart with discriptions on post #8 . Its the link on other forum where i have also posted. I want exactly same friend.. Please help.
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
So... you need help...

you have the circuit...
you have the code...

now... in what exactly part you need more help? (specific step)

C U Pal...
 
Y

yusuf.businessmen

New Member
I dont have circuit and code. I Just want to use the circuit and i want code. I dont know whether this circuit will work or not. I want help to modify the circuit diagram to accomplish the same task as in flochart. With complete code.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
yusuf.businessmen said:
There is a flow chart with discriptions on post #8 . Its the link on other forum where i have also posted. I want exactly same friend.. Please help.
Click to expand...
Please could you post your flowchart here as it is not possible to see that without registering on the other site. You need to help people to help you.
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
Sorry to ask...
but...

* You know how programming Picaxes?
* You know how make your own PCB? (etching or engraving)
* You know how solder components in PCB?
* You know how handle main power? (Dangerous thing, can kill you)
* You can buy picaxe near you? what electronics resellers have near you?
* You know how install cables safely?
* You know if you have a cistern? (not allowed pump directly from Water main Pipe in most countries)
* Have you water levels?

and so on...
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
Starting from scratch...

First help... read this
Picaxe1

And at Top of this forum have a link to Manuals

Picaxe need a download cable... from PC (Serial or USB)
and a Programming editor software
(look at page 27 for download circuit )

Then make a small diagram of what you have ( pump, water level, etc.) and put it in this forum
Then put in this forum your flowchart (other link unavailable to us)

Code can be: (for a new 08 Picaxe circuit) NOT for circuit you post before (don't know what that do or intend to do)

Content REMOVED due a big LIE to forum from Yusuf (say is 4 your home tank and later say is a project to business)

and you need also a cheap CMOS 7408 or 4081 to check the operational setup of water levels and pump.
This help you ?
You agree to follow this?
Have you the water levels? or want to build it? (read above post, to see what I used to use)

... I wait until you answer ALL questions ...
 
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Y

yusuf.businessmen

New Member
Hello.. I dont have any complete circuit diagram I have got kmoffett christmas tree watering controller and there was the circuit diagram but i hope that it will need modification to work as i diserve.. The link to christmas tree watering controller is : http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?12266-08M-Christmas-tree-watering-controller&highlight=christmas

And while talking to kmoffett in my thread he has given a circuit diagram and has said something which you can go in post #10 and have a look. And i have uploaded my flochart on flickr.com as my image was very large.. And the link is : http://m.flickr.com/photo.gne?id=6243646808&

kindly help.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
The skeleton code in post #6 will do what you require and represents the flowchart you have quite closely.
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
Xmas Tree watering circuit + new code

Now you can use the watering Xmas tree circuit from Ken Moffett and this code to your requirements
start, check low water, on pump for 10 min, check low water, if not enough, off pump and wait 30 min,
and if low water probe is wet, then continue until full and stop

Code: 
Same as above, REMOVED due LIE to us
Hopefully this is the help you need.

IF you do this and work, don't forget take pics and post here with thanks to all people in forum who help you.
 
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K

KMoffett

Senior Member
yusuf will need the 4th electrode...3rd input. From my post in that other forum:

"Your description for a 10-minute delay to verify that you're pumping actually starts after the water separates from the low level electrode, will not work reliably. The distance between the low water level and the low level electrode is microscopic (from my experience) and too small to determine that you are adequately pumping. Any small motion of the water surface will seem to indicate adequate pumping. A fourth electrode, slightly above the low level electrode would be required. That still can be done with my circuit...with slight hardware modifications. The input used to indicate that my sensor plug has been disconnected could be used instead for the pump-working electrode."

Ken
 
Y

yusuf.businessmen

New Member
I hope KMoffett is right .... because I have very good trust on him... as he is saying it need 4th electrode .. i hope it is right...
friend sedeap please think about it and help me...
KMoffett has completed my many projects...

but I will also thank you sedeap for your kind help untill now... and I hope you will also help me in completing my project with Kmoffett...

So friends : sedeap and KMoffet please help me to complete this project...
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
Not really... (IMO) if in 10 mins you can't reach the lower level, (microscopic distance, as you say) then put the rod near bottom.

The problem come if in 10 mins of pumping the tank is overflow.
 
K

KMoffett

Senior Member
sedeap said:
Not really... (IMO) if in 10 mins you can't reach the lower level, (microscopic distance, as you say) then put the rod near bottom.

The problem come if in 10 mins of pumping the tank is overflow.
Click to expand...
Because this distance is so small, the problem is that any ripples in the water will cause the water to touch the low-level probe...even if the pump is not running.

Ken
 
K

KMoffett

Senior Member
yusuf.businessmen said:
Yaaa ... KMoffett you are right .. so please give a solution...
Click to expand...
So, I gave you a schematic that will work. Do you have no intention of writing the software? Are asking to have someone do "everything" for you on this project. Since you are signing yourself as a "businessman" here, am I to assume that you are intending to use this as a commercial product?

Ken
 
Y

yusuf.businessmen

New Member
As I am a student and I also do par-time my business. I have my shop for computer and mobile repairing...
And this project I have to submit in school.. as my 2nd year project....

well , which schematic ... that one which you have posted in post #10... and where is the code friend...
I doesn't have any knowledge of programming especially PICAXE programming..... I do as much as I have knowledge friend....

Please help...
thanks
 
K

KMoffett

Senior Member
So the project is to demonstrate that you are resourceful enough the get others to do a project that you are not competent to do, and are unwilling to learn to do? ...Even with a great deal of help. I am sorry for you.

Ken
 
Y

yusuf.businessmen

New Member
Friend please dont say like that... I have done as much as I can.... I have also completed more then 30 project by own... but this project was little bit confusing so I have posted here for help... as I said before that I do As Much as I can.... and I am sorry but your are wrong I am willing to learn ... I spent all the night and day for learning a particular subject.......

please help me friend ... try to understand .....
 
P

Paix

Senior Member
We are trying to understand, but you appear to be petulant and demanding with no sign that you are getting anywhere fast.

Why not use a simulator - Instead of controlling the pump, light a LED and when the LED lights, you turn on the pump. That way you will understand how the sensor and the logic is working without damaging a pump. Once it seems to be working correctly hook up the bit that controls the pump. Then watch that it behaves as expected.

Most of this should be done on a breadboard until you are happy to translate the working design into a soldered circuit.

What have you actually done so far?
 
S

sedeap

Senior Member
I hate liars...

Then you are a liar, since you first said

yusuf.businessmen said:
Hello.. I want to fix in house tanks.. And friend I want same as i had said in previous post. Please help..
Click to expand...
and then, you don't do anything and say...

yusuf.businessmen said:
...and I also do par-time my business. I have my shop for computer and mobile repairing...
And this project I have to submit in school.. as my 2nd year project....
...
Click to expand...
So you don't deserve my time and effort...

Sorry... next time don't LIE.

:mad::mad::mad:
 
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bluejets

Senior Member
Best way we found to stop "Waves or surface disruption" from affecting the probes, was to enclose the probes in an open ended tube.
 
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