Oil tank Level sensor?

Thread Starter

mpooley

Joined Mar 3, 2010
35
Hi all
I am new to this forum, Have not done any electronics for 30years so I am a bit out of date lol

I am hoping to make an accurate sensor to record my Home heating oil tank levels on a daily basis to my PC.
I am a competent programmer and I think I can make the connection to the pc ok.

What I need help on is the oil level sensor and the wifi send and receive circuits.

can any one help me ? pleeese lol

Mike:confused:
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
Hi all
I am new to this forum, Have not done any electronics for 30years so I am a bit out of date lol

I am hoping to make an accurate sensor to record my Home heating oil tank levels on a daily basis to my PC.
I am a competent programmer and I think I can make the connection to the pc ok.

What I need help on is the oil level sensor and the wifi send and receive circuits.

can any one help me ? pleeese lol

Mike:confused:
Maybe you can get some ideas and info about sensors here. http://www.automatedsonix.com/level_sensors.htm
 

Duane P Wetick

Joined Apr 23, 2009
440
Nowadays, the most reliable devices for non-contact fuel level sensing are the ultrasonic devices with analog DC outputs. The output can be put into your computer via a signal conditioner;( B&B Electronics.)

Cheers, DPW [ Everything has limitations...and I hate limitations.]
 

Thread Starter

mpooley

Joined Mar 3, 2010
35
Of course this is the place to ask.
I was wondering why you didn't do your homework ;)
I have looked at loads of sites but was hoping for opinions about the best things to try as I am so out of date but if this forum is not for helping out people such as me then

forget it and sorry i wasted your time.:mad:
 

R!f@@

Joined Apr 2, 2009
9,918
cool it buddy, I just point out that you haven't' had touch with electronics for 30 years,
and now you are trying to interface a circuit to a PC.
This is not just a DIY type of thing, and you should at least learn about the sensors and transducer amplifiers data sheets so that you can refresh your memory.
Then after that it's really simple.
and of course I am always glad to help.
My post intentions were definitely not to discourage you or insult you, but I was just asking that what you have recently learned in electronics.
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
No waste of time.

Some of this could get down to how much extra crud you have to hang on or in the oil tank. Beside the ultrasonic measurement, you can place a tee on the outlet pipe and use a pressure transducer to signal the quantity of oil remaining. That solution would require three shielded wires and a source of 12 volts.
 

R!f@@

Joined Apr 2, 2009
9,918
@beenthere.
Is it safe to put anything electronic into an oil tank, I mean we donno what type of OP is talking about.?
 

Thread Starter

mpooley

Joined Mar 3, 2010
35
No waste of time.

Some of this could get down to how much extra crud you have to hang on or in the oil tank. Beside the ultrasonic measurement, you can place a tee on the outlet pipe and use a pressure transducer to signal the quantity of oil remaining. That solution would require three shielded wires and a source of 12 volts.
Thanks That sounds like a good idea i'll have to try and find a pressure transducer.:)

its totally outside the oil tank too which @beenthere referred to.

Mike
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
A pressure transducer could be a really nice solution if your oil tank is a vertical cylinder, square, or perfectly rectangular.

It's been years since I've seen an oil tank, but those I've seen were either horizontal cylinders, or rectangular with round tops/bottoms. If your tank has dimensions that change from top to bottom, the sensor will have a very non-linear output.

While you might compensate somewhat for that non-linearity in software, the resolution could be a problem.

One way to avoid that situation entirely would be to weigh the entire tank, and subtract the weight of the empty tank from the total weight to get the weight of the fuel. Kerosene weighs roughly 6lbs per gallon. Oil ranges somewhere between 6.5lbs to maybe 8lbs/gallon, depending on the grade.

Then the problem becomes the cost of transducers in that weight range. However, measuring by weight would eliminate any linearity problems if the tank were not a symmetrical design.
 

Thread Starter

mpooley

Joined Mar 3, 2010
35
A pressure transducer could be a really nice solution if your oil tank is a vertical cylinder, square, or perfectly rectangular.

It's been years since I've seen an oil tank, but those I've seen were either horizontal cylinders, or rectangular with round tops/bottoms. If your tank has dimensions that change from top to bottom, the sensor will have a very non-linear output.

While you might compensate somewhat for that non-linearity in software, the resolution could be a problem.

One way to avoid that situation entirely would be to weigh the entire tank, and subtract the weight of the empty tank from the total weight to get the weight of the fuel. Kerosene weighs roughly 6lbs per gallon. Oil ranges somewhere between 6.5lbs to maybe 8lbs/gallon, depending on the grade.

Then the problem becomes the cost of transducers in that weight range. However, measuring by weight would eliminate any linearity problems if the tank were not a symmetrical design.

Thanks fortunately my tank is rectangular.
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
Good that your tank is rectangular.

When you install the transducer in the oil line, try to get it as close as possible to the level of the bottom of the tank; otherwise you will sacrifice a good bit of resolution.

For example, were the tank 1 foot tall from top to bottom, and you installed the transducer in a tee 1 foot below the bottom of the tank, you would lose 1/2 of the resolution of the transducer.
 

Thread Starter

mpooley

Joined Mar 3, 2010
35
Good that your tank is rectangular.

When you install the transducer in the oil line, try to get it as close as possible to the level of the bottom of the tank; otherwise you will sacrifice a good bit of resolution.

For example, were the tank 1 foot tall from top to bottom, and you installed the transducer in a tee 1 foot below the bottom of the tank, you would lose 1/2 of the resolution of the transducer.
ah thanks
Tank is 4ft high and i would try to get a Tee at the tank outlet just past the valve.
 

BillB3857

Joined Feb 28, 2009
2,570
@beenthere.
Is it safe to put anything electronic into an oil tank, I mean we donno what type of OP is talking about.?
Many automobiles have a brush type electric motor in the fuel tank to pump fuel to the engine. The flow of fuel around the motor keeps it cool. Hard to ignite gasoline from under the surface. Vapor on top, however, ignites very easily. Fuel oil is much harder to ignite than gasoline.
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
Now that I've thought about it some more, I've seen transducers installed something like this:



That way the transducer is flush with the tank bottom, and no resolution is lost. Besides, the transducer is out from under the tank; if there are any minor oil drips, they won't get on the transducer connections.
 

Attachments

retched

Joined Dec 5, 2009
5,207
The most accurate for the money is Sgt. Wookies idea. Keeping the transducer level with the bottom (empty mark) of the tank will allow for good resolution with nary a worry about temperature offsets. The tank is vented so as temperature changes, the atmospheric pressure in the non sealed tank won't change.

A heaping serving of hot glue to seal up the transducer will help from sloppy service folk ruining your sensor.
 

Thread Starter

mpooley

Joined Mar 3, 2010
35
Thanks everyone:)

I think I shall go with this idea.

all i need now is either a cheap commercial transducer or some ideas on how to make one with an analog output.

can I just buy a cheap pressure transducer and glue it into a pipe somehow?

sorry if that is a really stupid idea, it certainly sounds like it lol but i thought i'd ask.

Mike
 
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