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Design of Low Cost and Efficient Water Level Controller

Article · June 2014

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International Journal of Advanced Research in Electronics and Communication Engineering (IJARECE)
Volume 3, Issue 6, June 2014

Design of Low Cost and Efficient Water Level Controller

N K Kaphungkui
Dept Of ECE, Dibrugarh University, India,

Abstract— This work presents the minimization of water wastage at the Two conditions are always necessary for the motor to put on. If either of
overhead tank due to overflow and prevents the motor from running them is not satisfied the motor will remain off. Different researchers have
continuously and consumes power unnecessarily. Two conditions are always already presented the similar work based on microcontroller and GSM
necessary for the motor to run. The overhead tank to be filled with water network [1], [2]. Others have also reported for water level controller Using
should be dirt free and there should be enough water at the source from which Multisim and 555 timer [3]. The objective of this paper is to add additional
water is to be drawn. When this two condition are satisfied the motor will run features and minimizing the cost for its implementation. Common
and start filling up the tank. After the water touch a certain level at the top of transistors, LEDs and timer can be use instead of logical gates, 7 segment
the overhead tank, the motor will stop running automatically and prevent the display and microcontroller for its implementations and this will eventually
overflow of water. Water level will decrease due to the utilization of water but minimize the cost of production.
the motor will still be in off mode state. When the level reached down a
certain level at the bottom than the motor will run again and start filling up the II. CIRCUIT OPERATION
overhead tank. Water level indicator is also incorporated along with the work.
This work is designed, implemented and simulated as shown in section III. Fig.2 shows the complete over view of the controller with LEDs level
This can be use in any organization, educational institute or domestic house. indicator. The LEDs from L1 to L5 will glow progressively as the water level
The main objective of this paper is cost minimization to build the circuit and rises. The same function can be also implemented with 7segment dislay,
making it work efficiently. encoder and decoder but the cost will go high. So with simple transistors,
resistors and LEDs the display section is implemented. 555 timer is the
Keywords— 555 timer, comparators, LDR, sensor, relay, flip flop, controller and the heart of this circuit. After a prolong use of the tank, dirt or
simulation. mud particles will gradually accumulated in course of time at the bottom of
the tank. This need to be monitor and check for safety use of water. If such
I. INTRODUCTION particles are present than the tank is needed to be clean. So, to check the dirt
level the detector section will be placed at the bottom of overhead tank to be
Wastage of water due to overflow from the overhead tank which is operated fill to detect any presence of dirt. If it is dirt free it will give high output and
manually is a common problem. If this wastage can be saved by proper the dirt indicator will be in off state. But when numerous amount of mud
monitoring with a simple circuit then scarcity and shortage of water can be particles are present the indicator will glow and the circuit will give a low
prevented to some extent. The circuit will continuously check the two water output. Source detector is another section of the circuit which will determine
level i.e the top level and the bottom level of the overhead tank. When the whether the water pump motor should be in off mode or on mode. The motor
water level reach the top level the motor will stop filling the water from the will turn on only when there is water at the source else it will remain in off
source and prevent the overflow of water from the tank. The motor will condition. From the flow chart in Fig.1 the two condition for the motor to run
remain in off state condition until it comes down to the bottom level. When are, there should always be water at the source and the overhead tank should
the water level goes below the predetermine bottom level the motor will run be free of dirt or mud particles. When these two conditions are met, than only
again and start filling up the overhead tank. With simple display devices the the motor will run or stop depending upon the level of water at the tank. The
level of water can also be check. The overall algorithm of the operation of motor will continue to run till it fill up the water upto the top demarcation
the design circuit is shown as below in Fig. 1 level. When it reach that level it will stop running automatically and prevent
the overflow of water. It will again turn on only when the water level is down
below the bottom demarcation level.

Fig. 1 Algorithm of water level controller Fig.2 Water level controller at block level

ISSN: 2278 – 909X All Rights Reserved © 2014 IJARECE 671

International Journal of Advanced Research in Electronics and Communication Engineering (IJARECE)
Volume 3, Issue 6, June 2014

III. CIRCUIT IMPLEMENTATION & SIMUTATION From the simulation result the output is 5.51V. When light is blocked by dirt
particles LDR will possess a very high resistance. Now LED(D2) will turn on
as transistor Q4 is in saturation state. During this condition, transistor Q1 will
This controller circuit will work with 9V supply. The complete circuit be in cut off mode and the output voltage obtain from simulation result is
connection is shown in Fig.3. The properties of two comparators and flip flop 752.7mV as shown in Fig. 6.
inside the 555 timer is used to controled the state of output.The relay will
connect the motor to AC line only when both transistors Q a and Q b are in
saturation mode. Both the transistors are used as switch which will be either in
cut off mode or saturation mode depending upon the signal level which is
applied at the base of the transistor. Qb will turn on only when both dirt
detector and source detector give high output. If this condition is not satisfied
than the relay will not energised and keep the motor in off state.

Fig. 5 simulation result of high output

The other condition for the output to go low is when the switch S3 is
disconnected from the Vcc supply. This is when there is not enough water in
the source. When the LDR value is 100Ω and 35KΩ the simulation output
(o/p) result obtained by disconnecting the swith S3 is 162mV and 23mV
respectively which is logically low and this will not drive the transistor Qb.
Fig. 3 wtaer level controller at circuit level The motor will be on only when the relay energise the ciol ie when both
transistors Qa and Qb are in hard saturation region.
Fig.4 shows the implementation of source detector, dirt detector and AND
gate implementing with two transistor. The source detector and dirt detector
wil be place at different location with a common ground but in Fig.4 it is
showing as one circuit for simulation purpose. In dirt detector, LDR is used as
sensor which will change its value from low value to high value depending
upon the intensity of light falling to it. If there is no dirt particles between
LED(D3) and LDR, light from the LED(D3) will fall on the LDR and it will
exhibits a very low resistance and will bypass almost all current i.e current I
and this will turn off the transistor Q4. LED(D2) will remain off indicating the
tank is free from mud particles and the collector of Q4 will give high output.
But when accumulated dirt particles block the path of light rays of LED(D3)
towards LDR, the LDR will exhibits a very high resistance so maximum
amount of current I will flow towards the base of transistor Q4 and turn it on
and eventually the indicator LED(D2) will glow. Under this condition the Fig. 6 simulation result of low output
output of Q4 will be low, so transistor Q1 will also be in off mode. In source
detector circuit Vcc is dipped into the source. When the base of transistor Q3 Level detector of the overhead tank is implemented with transistors, resistors
comes into contact with the water then only Q3 will turn on and the output and LEDs as shown in the Fig .7 below. Here transistor works as an open
across emitter will go high else it will give low output. Both the output of the switch or closed switch i.e in hard saturation or cut off mode region depending
detectors goes to the base of Qb in Fig. 3. Only when Qb is on the relay will upon the voltage applied at the base. The closing of switch S1corresponds to
connect or disconnect the water pump motor to AC supply according to the the condition when the lead of the base touches the water carrying Vcc. Under
output of 555 timer. this condition the transistor will saturate and the LED connected to its emitter
will glow. Under cut off mode and saturation mode the emitter voltage is
170mV and 4.2V respectively and the emitter current is 452pA and 2.55mA
respectively as shown in the simulation result in Fig. 7. When the transistor is
in cut off mode LED will not glow and under saturation the LED will glow.
So as the water level rises progressively with the arrangement shown in Fig. 2
the LEDs will be on pregressively from LED D1 till LED D6.

Fig. 4 AND gate implemented with transistor

For simulation purpose LDR is varied from 100Ω to 35KΩ by connecting the
source detector switch to Vcc assuming that the base of source detector
touches the water in which Vcc is already dropped into the water. When light
rays from LED(D3) of Fig. 5 fall on LDR, the LRD will possess a very low
resistance and this will turn off the transistor Q4. Under this condition both
transistors Q1 and Q2 will turn on and give a high logic state at the output.

ISSN: 2278 – 909X All Rights Reserved © 2014 IJARECE 672

International Journal of Advanced Research in Electronics and Communication Engineering (IJARECE)
Volume 3, Issue 6, June 2014

state low as R=1 and S=1. Finally when both pins go low the flip flop will set
and the output will give high logic state. The RS flip flop is NAND gate base
flip flop.

Fig. 10 summary of motor action

Table 2 in Fig 10 shows the operation of motor depending upon the output of
the controller. The up arrow indicates the upward direction of water and the
down arrow indicates the downward direction of water. Here the unique
property of the flipflop to hold the present state[5],[6] is used to control the
motor action in both upward and downward direction of water level. Fig.
Fig. 7 simulation result showing node voltages and current of level detector 11shows the simulation output of 555 timer depending upon the different
input states at pin 6 and pin 2. When both the pins are at logic 0 in Fig. 11 (a)
the output is high and from simulation result the output is 8.9 V. This high
output will drive the transistor Qa which in turn will drive the relay coil and
The main controlling unit is the 555 timer. Internally two comparators and a put on the motor by connecting to the AC line. Again when pin 6 is high and
flip flop is present inside the timer as shown in Fig. 8[4]. Pin 2 is kept at high pin 2 is low as shown in Fig. 11(b) the output will still be high and the motor
level of the overhead tank and pin 6 to the bottom of the tank. Water is a good will be at the present state i.e on. But finally when both the pin is high, the
conductor of electricity. So when Vcc is dipped into the water, water carries output will switch to low state and the motor will be off. From Fig. 11(c)
the value of Vcc. simulation result the output obtain is 29.32 mV. As this low voltage cannot
drive the transistor Q a the motor will be turn off.

Fig. 11 different input states and the corresponding output of 555 timer

When pin no. 2 becomes low and still pin 6 is high, the output of the timer
will be still in present state ie low state as R=1 and S=1. But finally when both
Fig. 8 internal structure of 555 timer the pins becomes low, R is logic1 and S is logic 0, so the 555 timer will give
high output and drive the relay which in turn will put on the motor again. The
Table 1 in Fig. 9 shows the process of filling up the water and the motor action for both upward and downward direction of the water level is
corresponding outputs of the controller. Initially when both pin 6 and 2 are not shown in Fig. 10. All the components for the implementation of the complete
in contact with water comparator 2 will give high output and comporator 1 circuit is list down in Fig.12. All resistors are in ¼ watt except the 500KΩ
will give low output. These outputs are inputed to R and S such that R=1 and which is a pot resistor.
S=0. This will set the flip flop and give a high output at Q. As water level rises
pin 6 will comes in contact with the water letting comparator 1 output high i.e
S=1 and R=1, under this state the output Q will retain its present state i.e
output is still high. Finally both pin 2 and pin 6 are high, S= 1 and R=0 it will
reset the flip flop and the output Q will be low.[6]

Fig. 9 Operation table of input and output

Again when the water level is receding away from the top level, pin 2 will be Fig. 12 component list
low and pin 6 will be still high. This will make the output hold the present

ISSN: 2278 – 909X All Rights Reserved © 2014 IJARECE 673

International Journal of Advanced Research in Electronics and Communication Engineering (IJARECE)
Volume 3, Issue 6, June 2014

IV . CONCLUSION [4] David A. Bell ― Operational amplifiers and linear ICs‖ third edition,
Oxford University press, 2011, ISBN-13:978-0-19-569613-4
As water is a basic necessity for all living being, shortage of water can be
controlled by proper monitering and preventing the wastage of water [5] R P Jain ―Modern Digital Electronics‖ Tata McGraw-Hill Education,
unnecessarily. This work main objective is to prevent and check the 2003, ISBN 0070494924, 9780070494923.
wastage of water and to prevent the power consumption by motor [6] M. Morriss Mano ―Digital Logic and Computer Design‖ Prentice-Hall of
continuously if there is no water at the source. Other aim of this work is India, Eastern Economy Edition, 1979, ISBN 81-203-0417-9
the cost minimization for its design and implementation. By using 555
timer, transistors, LEDs, resistors, LDR which is a common and cheap
components, this work is implemented without the use of microcontroller,
seven segment display, decoder, logic gate and encoder. Each of the
section i.e the level detector, source detector, 555 timer output and dirth
detector are simulated with circuit maker and the result is also shown in
the simulation section. The circuit work best with 9V Vcc supply.
Efficient management of power consumption and water resources can be
made possible from this research work.

IV. REFERENCES

[1] Ayob Johari, Mohd Helmy Abd Wahab, Nur Suryani Abdul Latif, M. Erdi
Ayob, M. Izwan Ayob, M. Afif Ayob,Mohd Norzali Haji Mohd. ―Tank
Water Level Monitoring System using GSM Network‖ International
Journal of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Vol. 2 (3) ,
2011, 1114-1120

[2] Ejiofor Virginia Ebere (PhD)1, Oladipo Onaolapo Francisca (PhD)2

―Microcontroller based Automatic Water level Control System‖
International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer and
Communication Engineering Vol. 1, Issue 6, August 2013

[3] Raghavendra.R* M.Uttara Kumari S.A.Hariprasad ―Implementation of

Simulated Water Level Controller‖ International Journal of Advanced
Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering. Volume 3,
Issue 11, November 2013.

ISSN: 2278 – 909X All Rights Reserved © 2014 IJARECE 674

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