Low Cost Water Flow Sensor

[KenB]

Found this whilst having a "selling coal to Newcastle" moment - a water flow sensor for $9.50

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/water-flow-sensor-p-635.html?cPath=6

The pipe connections are 20mm diameter, possibly with a 1.4mm pitch.  I will try and get samples before I leave - plus any pipe adaptors needed.

Seeedstudio are a well known Arduino distributor in the Shenzhen area.



Ken

[Amy]

Have you found any other goodies like that Ken?

Would the flow meter be able to log volume? Could it run a digi clock counter?
Would it work for diesel?

[StBarnabas]

Ken
any luck with samples? I was just about to order a similar product from RS but at c £25.00 it is a lot more expensive. (details on my 1-wire thread).
Sean

[Baz]

googling the part number POW110D3B brings up agents in USA and Australia but not uk.

[StBarnabas]

Have ordered three of these directly from China will let you know how I get on when they arrive.
Sean

[StBarnabas]

Have arrived and Klaus found couplings to standard 15mm copper. The couplings are a bit long so awaiting washers - hopefully will have it in situ next week.

[SimonHa]

I know this is an old thread but I've just found this very same sensor in the EU here:
http://www.robotshop.com/eu/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-See-98&lang=en-US for 8.89EUR plus 18.02EUR delivery => 27 EUR ~ £23. It's a shame about the shipping charges (only standard post from France I think).

Looks quite a nifty device, but might be no more expensive to buy a mechanical water meter with a reed switch - then at least you'd have a readout in case the electronic counting fails.

[Andygodber]

Good ol' Fleabay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Water-Flowmeter-Sensor-Flow-Meter-Hall-Effect-Switch-/160673169864?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item2568de01c8

£12.85+£2.85

10 available

[SimonHa]

Good ol' Fleabay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Water-Flowmeter-Sensor-Flow-Meter-Hall-Effect-Switch-/160673169864?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item2568de01c8

Nice one Andy!

StBarnabas / KenB: did you end up using this sensor? I've got a couple of these chaps: http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=42 in a bag on my desk so am thinking of using the flow sensor to measure how much rainwater I'm pumping up to my loft tank. StB I did search for your 1-wire thread but you're quite prolific!

As I mentioned I found a water meter with a reed switch (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electrical-impulse-water-meter-flow-cold-water-new-/220660049503?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&hash=item33605d265f) for just under £30, so £14 more than this flow meter. However it at least has a counter to fall back on. However I'm trying not to spend silly money on rainwater harvesting (says the man who's just spent £55 on a pump!) as matter of principal.

[StBarnabas]

Simon
I have one sitting on my desk connected to a PIC counter and to an Arduino via 1-wire. It works fine, but I have not used it in a working system.
There will probably be a lot of activity over the next year and I will keep you posted.
Sean

[SimonHa]

Actually I see that http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/g12-water-flow-sensor-p-635.html will ship by post for $3.60 for the first sensor and about $0.67 for each extra one (up to 6 when it's free shipping). So that would be $13.40 or about £9 delivered 

Delivery takes 10-30 days but whether it's 10-30 days in transit or 10-30 days sitting on my desk is a bit academic!

Does anyone else want to buy one of these at the same time & we'd just split the cost equally? (I get a lot of help from others on these forums so it would be good if I can do someone else a favour).

Simon
PS. Is a G1/2 fitting a standard UK size? I know that'll probably be 1/2" but is that UK 1/2" as I am wondering if I can get a standard, say Polyplumb, 15mm adaptor for it.

[StBarnabas]

Simon

I have some spare 15mm compression joints which fit onto these sensors from BES, though the fittings on the flow sensors are very short and I had to pad them significantly with washers. If you PM me I will try to dig some out as I have some spare. What logging software do you intend to use?

Sean

[SimonHa]

What logging software do you intend to use?

I've currently got OWFS running on a Linkstation NAS, logging to RRD with a little Lighttpd site for controlling my heating/displaying graphs. However I've got sqlite installed so intend to log to that every 5 mins, like I think Klaus does. One day I might even update this discussion http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,12709.0.html! (I have to say wyleu has sold me on the merits of Python so I intend to do my coding in that rather than the shell script & PHP it's in at the moment)

[SimonHa]

Look at this beastie I've stumbled upon... http://www.candccentral.co.uk/flowmeter-gmr-transparent-g1-2-outer-thread-high-flow.html: £14.28+£2.09 del=£16.37 but you've got to admit it does look the business! Interestingly that's on one of those custom PC builder websites where most things seems to have a blue LED on them...

[Andygodber]

Look at this beastie I've stumbled upon... http://www.candccentral.co.uk/flowmeter-gmr-transparent-g1-2-outer-thread-high-flow.html: £14.28+£2.09 del=£16.37 but you've got to admit it does look the business! Interestingly that's on one of those custom PC builder websites where most things seems to have a blue LED on them...

Simon - i think thats just a visual indicator - i cant see any pulse output. I had something similar but less attractive on my old water cooled PC rig.