Self Water Level Tank with Datalodgging

[wstay]

I try using a PIC controller to develop my final year project; the self water level tank system with data logging
Obviously, the input is the liquid level sensor and also planning to control the water level from the PC too.
On the water level tank, May i know what kind of valve or motor or any other devices can i get as an output to allow the water to flow out
On the data logging side, im planning to use Visual Basic to interface with the PIC controller or any other better idea or solution?

I already browse through the product sell in cytron, such as the FYP starter kit,
But I still have doubt;
I have a USB to RS232 converter

What is the must and critical electronic device should I had? Like UART to RS232 or something else?
Thanks a lot.

[zhenning]

Hi,
You can make use of fish pump. You can use Visual Basic or labview to control it.

You need:
1. microcontroller development board ( Atmel /PIC)
2. motor / fish pump
3. environment to program ( Arduino/MPLAB)
4. GUI Interface ( Visual Basic / LAbview)

Some of the fish pump can use dc voltage, where you can use battery to power it up. Hook that to your micro controller output with the relevant voltage and current drive through transistor. Labview supports Arduino. Thus, you can directly control it directly. further more, it also provides the GUI. =.=

[yonghui]

i will recommed usb to uart more than usb to rs232.

look at UC00A and UC00B of cytron's product.

[wstay]

zhenning thanks for the info

yonghui
may i know whats the reason to use usb to uart?

I study mechanical engineering, so quite not much about electronic stuff i know

Thanks

[Brian Griffin]

zhenning thanks for the info

yonghui
may i know whats the reason to use usb to uart?

I study mechanical engineering, so quite not much about electronic stuff i know

Thanks

The reason is simple - most of the newer computers and laptops don't have these anymore. Instead, the USB ports are much in use.

[yonghui]

usb to uart, uart signal level is 5V . rs232 is 12V. microcontroller cant accept 12V, u will need extra chip max232 as level shifter. so if usb to uart is used, u do not need extra efffort to build the level shifter.

[wstay]

Just for curiosity,
does usb to uart communicate like rs232? means it able communicate through hyperterminal

and for the liquid sensor sn-116 sell in cytron;
http://www.cytron.com.my/listProducts.p ... ease+Retry

How can I calculate the volume of the water or maybe flowrate ? using VB or mikroC Pro for PIC?

[Brian Griffin]

Just for curiosity,
does usb to uart communicate like rs232? means it able communicate through hyperterminal

and for the liquid sensor sn-116 sell in cytron;
http://www.cytron.com.my/listProducts.p ... ease+Retry

How can I calculate the volume of the water or maybe flowrate ? using VB or mikroC Pro for PIC?

Just plug the thing and don't worry about the rs232, unless if you are an electronics engineering student. The thing (USB->UART) did most of the job for you.

[wstay]

Hi again
Im using SN-LLS water level sensor to my project;
http://www.cytron.com.my/usr_attachment ... 15TC-8.pdf
I have gone through the datasheet; but i still cannot understand it.

How should i connect the pin to my PIC16F877A, and what Voltage reference should i use? I'm confused
Whats the difference/reason if I am not using 5V as voltage reference as I see some of the other example.

and if the ADC conversion is 10bit;
does it compatible to send data through UART as it only Tx/Rx 8bits data?

Thanks again guys, appreciate

[zhenning]

Hi again
Im using SN-LLS water level sensor to my project;
http://www.cytron.com.my/usr_attachment ... 15TC-8.pdf
I have gone through the datasheet; but i still cannot understand it.

How should i connect the pin to my PIC16F877A, and what Voltage reference should i use? I'm confused
Whats the difference/reason if I am not using 5V as voltage reference as I see some of the other example.

and if the ADC conversion is 10bit;
does it compatible to send data through UART as it only Tx/Rx 8bits data?

Thanks again guys, appreciate

How should i connect the pin to my PIC16F877A?
Did you see the sample circuit section? That are the ways that you can use to connect the sensor. Basically, it should be connected to the analog pin of your PIC.

what Voltage reference should i use?
The Vmax rating for the sensor is 10V. Since your PIC is working on 5V. You should consider going for 5V.

and if the ADC conversion is 10bit;
does it compatible to send data through UART as it only Tx/Rx 8bits data?
Basically, it has no connection at all. ADC 10 bit is that it uses 10bit to store your analog data. The more bit, the more accurate the conversion is.