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$3 Water Flow Sensor — Parallax Forums

$3 Water Flow Sensor

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
in Accessories
I have NO idea what I'll do with this, but ordered one anyway. Maybe someone else can use this jewel. A hall-effect sensor water turbine for under $3. Cool. erco's first purchase of 2018.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Water-Flow-Sensor-Switch-G1-2-Hall-Effect-Meter-Control-DC-5-15V/223122189723

More info at https://www.gearbest.com/sensors/pp_009181886235.html

turbine.jpg
turbine.jpg
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Comments

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    erco wrote: »
    I have NO idea what I'll do with this, but ordered one anyway. Maybe someone else can use this jewel. A hall-effect sensor water turbine for under $3. Cool. erco's first purchase of 2018.

    Get used to writing 2019 in the checkbook! :)

  • macrobeakmacrobeak Posts: 354
    Erco I would use the cheap water flow meter for MPPT optimization of a directly driven (no intermediate battery) solar water pump.
    This flow meter enable you to optimize the smoothed power of the entire system, and not just the instantaneous electrical motor power.
    When you are using PWM control, it is tricky to measure the instantaneous motor voltage and current.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,934
    For me, I have hard water, so the filter screens on the washing machine have to be checked more often than typical. Since each of the cold and hot water supply lines to my washer already have two hoses connected end to end to make the distance to the washer, I could use 2 of these in place of the hose joiners so I could monitor hot and cold water flow for the washer. When the flow dips below a lower control limit, I would know that the filter screen may be getting clogged/corroded. Could also use it to see the difference between hot and cold water consumption for different wash cycles. I would also finally find out what rinse water is used for a warm water wash; is it cold or warm?
  • Don MDon M Posts: 1,652
    I've always wanted to build something to detect water flow to my shower to automatically turn on the exhaust vent fan. This may work for that.
  • SeairthSeairth Posts: 2,474
    Don M wrote: »
    I've always wanted to build something to detect water flow to my shower to automatically turn on the exhaust vent fan. This may work for that.

    Neat idea! Or keep tabs on how much water the kids are using during their shower. Use too much, and it cuts off. :)
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    Don M wrote:
    I've always wanted to build something to detect water flow to my shower to automatically turn on the exhaust vent fan. This may work for that.
    Eh, too complicated. I solved that issue years ago by installing a hygrostat in the exhaust fan circuit; this one:

    https://ordering.fwwebb.com/woitem/99184*1

    -Phil

  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    I would not be comfortable using a cheap plastic sensor such as this in a permanent installation, a failure could cause a great deal of damage.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    Speedometer for Ken's Autonomous Boat? ;-)
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Don M wrote: »
    I've always wanted to build something to detect water flow to my shower to automatically turn on the exhaust vent fan. This may work for that.

    I just put a thermistor on the tub's hot water copper supply line and "piped" that resistance into a voltage divider and lm339 comparator (with hysteresis resistor) to a fan relay. Instant on, plus it's adjustable to stay on a while after the water flow stops and the pipe cools down.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    @erco.
    Nice new avatar.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Gee, thanks for noticing! Doing some logo & graphics exploration for various projects. @"Ken Gracey" , need a cool ambigram for your Flip module?

    flip.png
    flip.png
    540 x 275 - 14K
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    Seairth wrote: »
    Don M wrote: »
    I've always wanted to build something to detect water flow to my shower to automatically turn on the exhaust vent fan. This may work for that.

    Neat idea! Or keep tabs on how much water the kids are using during their shower. Use too much, and it cuts off. :)
    OT. Reminds me of when my wife and I were living on our boat and our son came to visit. He was having a shower and we told him to hurry up as he was using too much water. After telling him a number of times, my wife hit the breaker to the water pump. Amazing reaction ;)
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    Erco,

    'Love the flip ambigram. Did you design it?

    -Phil
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Sorry no, just came across it and liked it. Too good not to share here IMO.

    I'm an "Angels & Demons" fan... ambigrams aplenty in that movie.

    HNY 2019 PhiPi! You remain my forum hero!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    BTW, plenty of Ambigram generators on the web. This from https://flipscript.com/en/flip



    phipi.png
    phipi.png
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  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2019-01-07 21:25
    I wired the bathrooms fans to the light switch. Sometimes hot water and humidity are not the reason the fan needs to be on ;)

    Love the logo erco!
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    xanadu wrote:
    Sometimes hot water and humidity are not the reason the fan needs to be on ;)
    True enough. I've often thought of putting a methane detector in parallel with my humidistat.

    -Phil
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