Building fluid level gauge

[Bandit5]

I currently have a standard Stenner 15 gallon tank with mount for my pump. I am trying to make a gauge that will let me know exactly how much chlorine is left in the tank. My current plan is to run a capped 50" piece of 2" diameter polycarbonate tubing through a grommet on the flat surface of the tank. The bottom half inside the tank will have holes in it to let fluid in. Then I put in a slightly smaller polycarbonate tubing with a corked bottom inside the larger tube to float inside which should show the level through the larger tube.

Everything seems pretty simple, but I am wondering what I should use for the cork material to help the inside piece float. I don't think real cork will last in chlorine. Will a synthetic cork float well? Is there something else I could use that I haven't thought of?

 

[Richard320]

If it's going to be a hollow tube, just use a rubber stopper. The hardware store ought to have them, in the drawers where all the oddball hardware is kept.

Why not just cut a long thin strip of pool noodle?

 

[Bandit5]

Because I over engineer everything I do... But yes, I think a solid core 1.5" pool noodle would work perfectly. Thanks! That was a brilliant idea. Also much cheaper.

 

[crusemm]

How did your tank gauge go? did it work as expected? I am thinking of going the other way with a reverse level gauge with a float and a string. as the leve goes down, so does the float, which will draw the string up. so the indicator will be at the top when the tank is empty.

 

[stebs]

Seems to me all that you need is a hose barb out the side of the bottom of the tank, with a piece of tubing up the side of the tank with the other end left open. The level in the tube should follow the level in the tank.

 

[crusemm]

I would worry about sealing the tank. How would I get a nut or something on the inside?

 

[kefjens]

Industrial applications use laser or ultra sonic sensors.

What about using weight? I'm not familiar with the stenner systems but could you use a pressure tranducer under the tank? That would make it a non-contact system with the fluid in the tank.

 

[Bama Rambler]

You see a lot of older water towers with the reverse level indicator. It's kinda weird to look at but they work without fail.

The clear tube idea is a good one. You only need 3/4" diameter clear PVC with a 3/8" PCV pipe inside it capped at the bottom. Then just mark the level lines on the clear tube at the top of the 'float' tube.

 

[crusemm]

So I made the reverse float type, made a float out of pvc, attached to a nut and washer with fishing line and cut a channel in a piece of pvc pipe to use as a window. Marked the pipe every gallon as I filled it..

 

[crusemm]

Level Gauge
Level Gauge wide shot
Bonus Pic Mad Scientist Lab

 

[jonpcar]

Reverse float...nice idea! I didn’t like the idea of a hole in the side of my tank (that same one) either. My tank is buried so I went with this modeled after this krugman sentry gauge. It screws into the hole on top of that tank. But I wouldn’t recommend trying to duplicate that project it was fun, but waaaaay too much work. Yours is better.

Amazon.com

So the solution worked well, but I still have to go out there and check it, which I am not good at doing.

So now I am going with this as part of my automation project:

 

[crusemm]

Man, I like that. I wonder how I could get it to output in either gallons or percent, and maybe send me an email daily or when tank level hits a certain point. I've got a son that's into robotics, maybe I can get him to figure it out.