Electronic water gauge

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

I'm looking for a design for an electrical/electronic water gauge for a gauge 0 loco boiler. The boiler has a conventional glass tube gauge thats difficult to read. What I'm looking for is a "sender" that can be fitted to the boiler with a suitable LED indicating thus, LED on, level OK, LED flickering, top up, LED off, level very low fill quickly.

I sure I have seen such things described, my recent searches haven't fund anything suitable.

Thanks, John

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Try searching for 'electronic water level indicator' instead of 'gauge'

Many available, either ready-built or as DIY

MichaelG.

[Brian OldfordParticipant @brianoldford70365]

Ralph Bacon may have published exactly what you want on Youtube just a few days ago. **LINK**

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

More common with the model steam boat fraternity. Look on the Modelboatmayhem forum.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Maidstone link do one but a fellow club member has a friend who fitted one on his loco for night running found due to fluctuation it wasn't to good

H

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

Thanks for the replies. I've tried varying the search words, no luck yet.

The Youtube video could be useful.

I've looked on the Maidstone website, couldn't find anything.

Been to the Model Boat Mayhem forum, tried a search but can't get past their anti-spam thing, its a rediculous set up!

John

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by John MC on 24/09/2019 08:14:46:

Thanks for the replies. I've tried varying the search words, no luck yet.

.

Perhaps I mis-understood what you are actually looking for, John

My Google search produced umpteen results.

MichaelG.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

There's a thread on the "Paddleducks" forum, titled "Water level sensor", in which reference is made to Stan Bray's book "Model Marine Steam".. it's here.. ..some way down..

http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6138.0

I searched "electronic water level sender model steam", so something along these lines might throw up more results..

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

..looks like there's a schematic on page 2 of that thread..

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Maxitrak do one, compact enough for a small boiler under pressure unlike a lot of what a google search throws up.

 

Edited By JasonB on 24/09/2019 11:07:16

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

The Peter Spoerer "LocoSaver" level sensor is now available from Fosworks whilst the very simple G1MRA 2-LED version is described in their Newsletter & Journal No. 206. Both of these need a bushing in the boiler, but Fosworks do offer a solder-free bushing to make retro-fitting easier. This thread describes an optical type that uses the existing gauge glass.

I haven't used any of these, so cannot recommend a particular one.

Brian

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Mr Skogstad in Brian G's link doesn't go into any detail on the sensor. Industrial versions using much bigger glass have the line of action of the led/phototransistor slightly offset from the centre of the glass so that with no liquid the light goes nearly straight through, but with water present the tube acts lie a prism and deflects the beam so it misses the sensor completely. Anyone know how Mr Skogstad/Maidstone sensors are constructed?

The other issue I see on a loco is as Harry W points out the water level bobs up and down quite a bit on a loco, but the electronics should be able to cope with that, ie ignore any short term readings of low level, say up to 1/2 second

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