PC resevoir level indicator

Indicate the liquid level inside PC liquid cooling resevoir

David Brown

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Description

Using a pressure sensor to measure the liquid level inside PC liquid cooling resevoir, or any liquid container such as fish tank or green house / plant feeder.

RGB LED strip to indicate level through both level and colour of the output

And to allow simple calibration of the zero level and indicated level, via the use of a pair of variable resistors.

Details

A simple pressure sensor based liquid resevoir level indicator for use on PC cooling, or any other liquid level monitoring. Uses USB 5V power to runa and has ATTINY programming and auxilliary pin, and SPI pins exposed for expanding / linking to other systems.

Files

Level_indicator.STEP 3D CAD step - 1.91 MB - 05/12/2020 at 13:44		Download
level_sensor.pro KiCad pro - 4.38 kB - 05/12/2020 at 13:43		Download
level_sensor.kicad_pcb KiCad kicad_pcb - 90.64 kB - 05/12/2020 at 13:43		Download
level_sensor-cache.lib KiCad lib - 6.59 kB - 05/12/2020 at 13:43		Download
level_sensor.sch KiCad sch - 9.63 kB - 05/12/2020 at 13:43		Download

Components

1 × ATTINY816
1 × 1551MFL Boxes, Cabinets, Enclosures and Racks / Boxes
1 × WS2812B LED strip
1 × MPXV4006GP Sensors / Pressure, Force
3 × 0.1uF - 0603 capacitor

View all 11 components

Project Logs

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PC resevoir level indicator overview
David Brown • 05/24/2020 at 17:21 • 0 comments

1. Assembled board, 1 pot for adjusting zero level and one for adjusting the measured / current level

2. Showing the pressure sensor

3. In the case

4. Outside, with pressure tube fitted

5. Assembled cables and LED strip

6. Uncalibrated, negative need to set the zero level pressure

7. Zero level pressure set

8. Resevoir with tube passed in from the top so the open end is at the bottom of the container. Because the static pressure is constant everywhere in the tube, the pressure measured at the sensor is the pressure at the open end - at the bottom of the water column.

9. Adjust the 'high' level pot so that the LEDs match the level in the resevoir

10. Assembled back into the case. Many options here for setting up the LEDs if you have a window case.