Automatic boiler water level control system with phototransistor.

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

I has created the automatic water level control system with phototransistor

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Jens, I want one,! please explain how it works,

Andy

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

Hi! The control unit is registering the level of water using phototransistor + red led mounted on the water level glass tube. The servo is used to open / close the bypass valve between the boiler and waterpump operated by steam engine or open / close the steam valve to feed pump driven by steam pressure such like as Stuart feeding pump or Southworth feeding pump or as you created own feeding pump. Pump time can be adjusted as required by the phototransistor have registered lowest water level and pump on to it is higher than the phototransistor. The purpose is that it should not be often to pump water into the boiler. Light sensitivity is regulated depending on the size glass diameter and thickness as the receiving signal when the water is inside the water level glass tube.

The yellow led = low water/zero water level

The green led = normal water level

Both yellow and green led = water is pumping into the steam boiler

The yellow led is off and the green led is on = pumping time is ended when the water level is in normal position.

I did no want to drill hole in the boiler for water sensor since i has water level glass tube mounted on boiler. Hence i created the automatic boiler water level control system with phototransistor on glass tube.  

In next post, i will add the electrical diagram of the controller unit for water level..

Edited By Jens Eirik Skogstad 1 on 16/08/2016 19:18:52

Edited By Jens Eirik Skogstad 1 on 16/08/2016 19:19:29

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Jens, am looking forward to your next post, it seems a simple yet effective controller

Andy

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

Hi, here is the electrical diagram of the automatic boiler water level system with phototransistor.

Edited By Jens Eirik Skogstad 1 on 18/08/2016 11:41:41

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

And the photo tell more than i can explain how to make own optical sensor to clamp on glass tube. I must make the shrink plastic tube on the leads and secure against electrical shorting and vibration. 

Edited By Jens Eirik Skogstad 1 on 18/08/2016 11:28:53

[Andy StonemanParticipant @andystoneman15177]

Hi Jens, thanks for showing us the diagrams of your feed water controller, I think that i will have to stick with the old manualmatic control for awhile, at least until I can track down what i need to build the controller.

Andy

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

Hi, here is testing of the automatic boiler water level system with good results.

[John W EParticipant @johnwe]

hi there

a while ago there was an article in Model Boats magazine on How to construct an electronic boiler feed circuit similar to the one you have done above. I built this circuit just out of curiosity myself, and I was going to alter it for operating other things – here is a link to another site which I did the write up on for those who are interested.

**LINK**

john

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

Posted by bluebird on 21/05/2017 18:06:58:

hi there

a while ago there was an article in Model Boats magazine on How to construct an electronic boiler feed circuit similar to the one you have done above. I built this circuit just out of curiosity myself, and I was going to alter it for operating other things – here is a link to another site which I did the write up on for those who are interested.

**LINK**

john

Hi John

The circuit who is wrote in your comments is using the electric pump to fill up boiler, and you need the probe into the boiler.

Also there is uneccesary to mount the probe into boiler due the water level is controlled by phototransistor and the steam engine has feeding pump + bypass valve is operated by servo. You can adjust time to pump more water into boiler higher water level up to 20-30 seconds. Consumption of battery is low.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Does anyone know if Jens Eirik is still active on this forum? I've pm'd him but got no reply.

I'm after further details of the LED optical water level sensor

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Does anyone know if Jens Eirik Skogstad is still active on this forum. I've pm'd him to get more details of the sensor, but no reply. Idea being to use an Arduino instead of the electronics

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

He has not posted since 2016.

Colin

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

Hello, Duncan Webster,.. I'm here . I'm checking your PM and answer later since it's night now in Norway.

Duncan and Colin,.. I'm not often here in the forum, not still in the "Boot's hill".

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Duncan it may be of interest to you that I have just finished writing a review for 'Boiler Room' in Model Boats Magazine of a new Automatic Boiler Control unit currently being developed in the UK. It should appear in the July 2021 edition of the magazine.

[Denes KavaiParticipant @deneskavai68124]

Duncan,

I'm really happy to give you more information about the Automatic Boiler Controler.

The first units were built by Arduino IC (ATmega328), but I thought Microchip pics are better, and reworked the design.

The article which was in the magazine is about this version, and it seems that it is doing whatever it has to do.

Kind Regards

Denes Design

[Author]

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