ATO level indicator

Kraig · Jan 21, 2022

I have a little project in mind but I don’t know how to execute it.

I’d like to put some float switches or something similar in my ATO reservoir that turn on/off led’s installed to show on the outside of my syand to act as an appropriate water level indicator. Maybe 3-4 float switches for full, 3/4, half, 1/4 water level.

i’ve seen a wiring diagram to utilize one float switch to operate an LED, but I’m not sure how to wire several float switches operating their own LED run off of one power supply..

Can anyone point me in the right direction. Im not an electronics guy but I can follow a wiring digram.

Thanks!

Sean Clark · Jan 23, 2022

You could use this Signal light tower with alarm from Amazon and 4 separate 12v power supplies and wire them through float switches with each switch controlling green, yellow, red, and alarm. By using individual power supplies you remove the need to use any kind of logic circuitry.

To ensure only one light is on at a time you would need high and low switches for each zone.

If you have an Apex then you could wire the floats in to a single mini din cable and only need one float switch for each zone and also only use a single power supply.

MaddyP · Jan 23, 2022

An ultrasonic sensor would give you a more granular reading of water level. I'm using two to monitor levels in sump and display.

What are you planning to interface with your floats to read state? Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Apex?

Sean Clark · Jan 23, 2022

MaddyP said:
An ultrasonic sensor would give you a more granular reading of water level. I'm using two to monitor levels in sump and display.

What are you planning to interface with your floats to read state? Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Apex?

True. Ultrasonic would be way better. I had the impression that OP wanted this to be standalone which I why I went with a cheap and full analog method.

Kraig · Jan 23, 2022

Ive actually just put something together today. Pretty simple 4 float switch system wired to one 5v power supply. I just tested it in a bucket, worked well. I will be Installing it in the ATO this week. I have a video of the test but my iPhone videos don’t seem to load on this site.

Kraig · Jan 25, 2022

Not really much to show except for the lights on the stand. They aren’t glued in place yet to allow for a testing period. Just 4 float switches wired to a 5v power cube contolling 1 light for each switch. All on the reservoir is full, all off, almost empty. Pretty crude bracket to hold the switches in the reservoir.