Water Tank Level Sensing

The Novus TL400 is a neat level instrument capable of measuring up to 4 Metres. Optimised for tank installations it can measure liquids including fuels, oils and water.

During recent tests in a small cold water tank we found it to be accurate down to the millimetre. Our customers love the Bluetooth app which allows you to commission the device quickly and monitor when in range with a Smart Phone.

We used the TL400 in conjunction with a LogBox WiFi to provide continuous data logging of the water level. We achieved great results and were able to monitor the tank level throughout the course of a typical day. In addition to this we could then set alarms for high and low level within the data logger to warn of potential issues with tank overflow or the incoming water supply. 

Figure 1. Applying Dynamic Filter

The tank drains and refills during normal operation so it was important to to ensure accuracy throughout the working range. During our tests we found that occasional spikes in the measurement could occur, especially when the sensor was mounted near to the water inlet (fill valve). With the Dynamic Filter applied we were able to remove the unwanted readings and effectively smooth out the signal received by the Data Logger. 

Figure 2. Basic Settings

It is important to mention In the basic settings we set the Tank height to equal the actual mounting height of the sensor. Using a tape measure we checked this value from the base of the tank when empty. 

The Output maximum parameter is equal to the actual maximum height of the water i.e. the brim of the tank.

This left a difference of 30mm which accounts for the lid depth but also created a dead zone which is identical to the minimum reading possible. It is worth noting that any signal received within 30mm can be disregarded as this is too close to the optical sensor.

Figure 3. Advanced Input Settings

To achieve our high level of accuracy we configured the TL400 to read in millimetres. We should also mention some of the advanced settings that assisted with this. The Dynamic filter described above was crucial in reducing unwanted signals. But prior to applying this we also ensured the Viewing angle was set to it's lowest possible value of 15 degrees and the Reading mode was set to short. These are important parameters when dealing with small tanks.

If you have any questions about this sensor please do not hesitate to contact us.

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