Ultrasonic range measurement for tank level – good idea or not?

Not. I have found it impossible to get good, consistent and reliable readings from an ultrasonic based system used to monitor a water tank . Reasons include:

  • spurious results reported by the hardware
  • anything causing reflections above the water level interferes with what should be the stronger reflection from the actual water.
  • Spider webs!
  • Stillage tube with condensation on the inside
  • Stillage tube crud inside at high-water mark

..so to conclude, next step is to come up with a capacitance based measuring device. Watch this space.

2 thoughts on “Ultrasonic range measurement for tank level – good idea or not?

    1. Jonathan Clark Post author

      Thanks Albert.

      I was trying to come up with a way to measure the level, rather than just whether the tank is full. I have used the first one for level sensing and it works well – it is adjustable and so you can compensate for tank or pipe thickness. It won’t work on a metal tank though, and can’t be submersed.

      Reply

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