cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

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MtRainier
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cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by MtRainier »

Thought I would share this quick project I did. I'd been looking at the coolant temperature monitors on the StillDragon site which look pretty nice and are inexpensive, but their fittings and tubing all seem to be metric so it wouldn't work for me without a lot of adapting.

Instead I got this little cheap 2-channel thermometer from amazon: http://a.co/iCCGM2M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow It isn't the most accurate thing ever and can't be calibrated from what I've seen, but I mostly want it to show me the ballpark of the cooling water temp.

The probes fit snugly inside standard 1/4" push-connect tubing. I put some hot glue on them and quickly shoved them in a stub of the tubing to make it a watertight seal. If the coolant water gets hot enough to melt the hot glue, then I know I've got a problem

Then I put the tube stub in the side leg of a 3/8 x 1/4 x 3/8 tee and now I can monitor my water output temperature with it. It was a total of about $25 including the 9v battery. 8)
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fizzix
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by fizzix »

The true spirit of DIY.
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mashins
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by mashins »

So stealing this idea man! Need to do same to control my valve to regulate temps.
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by MtRainier »

I've now used it a few times and it works great and doesn't leak.

Next I'm going to hook up some hall effect flow meter sensors to an Arduino to get an idea of flow through the reflux condenser when it's doing its job well.
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by mashins »

MtRainier wrote:I've now used it a few times and it works great and doesn't leak.

Next I'm going to hook up some hall effect flow meter sensors to an Arduino to get an idea of flow through the reflux condenser when it's doing its job well.
Please keep on shareing, liking this even more!
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by MtRainier »

OK. I may make another thread for this, but this is what I'm doing to monitor flow.

I have an Arduino Nano.

I bought one of these displays, which works great:

http://a.co/d/h3OM41Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I downloaded the library for talking to it from:

http://wiki.sunfounder.cc/index.php?tit ... 2C_LCD1602" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Then I ordered two flowmeters from China:

http://a.co/d/0mHyZu6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

And am talking to them using this library:

https://github.com/sekdiy/FlowMeter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I'm only using one flowmeter for the moment, and I haven't calibrated it yet.

Here is my code simulating the flow rates. Basically feeding random numbers to the flowmeter library:

Code: Select all

#include <FlowMeter.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>


float a, b;
const byte rcPin = 2;
const byte pcPin = 3;
const unsigned long period = 1000;
const double cap = 10.0f; // l/min
const double kf = 21.0f; // Hz per l/min

LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2); // set the LCD address to 0x27 for a 16 chars and 2 line display

FlowSensorProperties MySensor = {cap, kf, {1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}};
FlowMeter rcMeter = FlowMeter(rcPin, MySensor);
FlowMeter pcMeter = FlowMeter(pcPin, MySensor);

void rcMeterISR() {
  rcMeter.count();
}

void pcMeterISR() {
  pcMeter.count();
}

/*********************************************************/
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  lcd.init();  //initialize the lcd
  lcd.backlight();  //open the backlight
  attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(rcPin), rcMeterISR, RISING);
  attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(pcPin), pcMeterISR, RISING);
  rcMeter.reset();
  pcMeter.reset();
}
/*********************************************************/
void loop()
{

  // simulate counts
  long frequency = random(MySensor.capacity * MySensor.kFactor);  // Hz
  long period = random(3 * frequency, 5000);                      // ms
  for (long i = 0; i < (long) ((float) period * (float) frequency / 1000.0f); i++) {
    rcMeter.count();
  }
  //

  delay(period);

  rcMeter.tick(period);
  pcMeter.tick(period);
  // output some measurement result
  Serial.println("FlowMeter - period: " + String(rcMeter.getCurrentDuration() / 1000.0f, 3) + "s, " +
                 "frequency: " + String(rcMeter.getCurrentFrequency(), 0) + "Hz, " +
                 "volume: " + rcMeter.getCurrentVolume() + "l, " +
                 "flow rate: " + rcMeter.getCurrentFlowrate() + "l/min, " +
                 "error: " + rcMeter.getCurrentError() + "%, " +
                 "total duration: " + rcMeter.getTotalDuration() / 1000.0f + "s, " +
                 "total volume: " + rcMeter.getTotalVolume() + "l, " +
                 "average flow rate: " + rcMeter.getTotalFlowrate() + "l/min, " +
                 "average error: " + rcMeter.getTotalError() + "%.");

  //Serial.println("PC Currently " + String(pcMeter.getCurrentFlowrate()) + " l/min, " + String(pcMeter.getTotalVolume()) + " l total.");

  lcd.setCursor(3, 0); // set the cursor to column 3, line 0
  lcd.print("RC");  // Print a message to the LCD
  lcd.setCursor(11, 0);
  lcd.print("PC");

  lcd.setCursor(2, 1); // set the cursor to column 2, line 1
  a = (float)random(0, 100) / 100.0;
  a = rcMeter.getCurrentFlowrate();
  lcd.print(a);  // Print a message to the LCD.
  lcd.setCursor(10, 1);
  b = (float)random(0, 100) / 100.0;
  b = pcMeter.getCurrentFlowrate();
  lcd.print(b);
}
/************************************************************/
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by Wolfairious »

Just ordered a single temp display. Great idea. I'll have to look at a larger coupling to fit my 1/2" hose. Great idea!
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by Euphoria »

Just good old simple, (and accurate,) analog gauges for me...
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by Getsmokin »

Actually put this together over the weekend. [img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201811 ... 6efafb.jpg[/img]
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by still_stirrin »

Getsmokin wrote:Actually put this together over the weekend. [img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201811 ... 6efafb.jpg[/ing]
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by Getsmokin »

One more time... Actually put this together over the weekend.
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MtRainier
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by MtRainier »

Getsmokin wrote:One more time... Actually put this together over the weekend.
That looks nice!

Mine are doing really well, and I find a lot of value in the readings they give. At least for the reflux condenser. Not so much the product condenser. At a given input power I now have a number for output reflux water temp that will start allowing vapor through given my fixed condenser size.

Also, I now wish I had a longer condenser, because I now know I can't keep up with full power. 8)

I still haven't gotten the inline flowmeters hooked up, but I plan to.
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by HDNB »

any of these have dry contact outputs?

i'd like to put temp and flow on a few places and interlock them to the gas valve on my boiler. even supervised i have had situations that i'd like something faster than me to push the big red holyfuck button.

like if distillate output hits 120* then open/close a contact (that i can use to trigger a relay to open the gas valve)
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now i drink for evil.
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by acfixer69 »

That HDNB can be done easy with a holding relay wired in line with the holyfuck red button :D
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by shadylane »

HDNB wrote:Even supervised i have had situations that i'd like something faster than me to push the big red holyfuck button.
A couple cheap STC-1000 temp controllers works for me.
Their output is wired in series with the BIG red holyfuck button.
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by Kegg_jam »

I’m thinking I need a big red holy f#@k button, because everybody else has one...
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Re: cheap temp monitoring of coolant output

Post by acfixer69 »

For the general public they call them "oh shit" buttons sold at Staples isle 13 big and RED.
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