Water Tank - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: gsingh11
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 02:49:51 am
content: I am creating a water tank in which water is controlled by a microcontroller that uses an ultrasonic sensor to measure the depth of water. My idea was to fill and empty with a single pump. but bidirectional pumps are rare or expensive. so, decided to go with 2 pumps . 1 to fill and 1 to drain. I was using a dc wall adapter to give 12 volts to the pump, which has an output current of 6A. But now I am using 2 pumps so a single pump will use around 6A of current. I am not able to find any wall adapter that gives more than 6A. What can be the solution for it?

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 02:53:20 am
content: Quote from: gsingh11 on January 27, 2023, 02:49:51 amJust get a bigger power supply (not a wall wart). Plenty of 12V supplies for sale that output, say, 10A for little money (check Ebay, etc.)

author: gsingh11
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 02:55:37 am
content: I cant use it because I am making a college project. They didn't allow me to use a power supply.

author: pqass
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 02:56:04 am
content: Any spare/second hand [personal computer] ATX power supply can provide plenty of amps for your application.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 02:56:09 am
content: Quotedont fill whilst draining

author: gsingh11
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 02:59:52 am
content: I can do that. Does a pump draw more current when it starts? So, it won't go beyond the rating?

author: pqass
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 03:01:58 am
content: Quote from: gsingh11 on January 27, 2023, 02:59:52 amIt will but depending on the power supply, the voltage may just sag for a moment on startup or trip-off.You won't know until you try it.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 04:25:26 am
content: Do you need to run both pumps at once? If not then it doesn't matter if you have 1 pump or 100 pumps, if you only run one at a time the draw will be whatever one pump draws. Any motor will draw a momentary surge when it starts up but it should be minimal, most power supplies will tolerate a brief overload.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 07:37:16 am
content: Quote from: gsingh11 on January 27, 2023, 02:55:37 amthen you are doomed to stone age power generation technology that doesnt involve electrons flow.. wall wart is a type of power supply... btw you can make the said standalone psu to tuck on the wall using some diy/hack adaptation so it will look like an absurdly large wallwart... btw, another option to using 2 separate pumps for fill and drain.. you can use electronic valves piping to redirect water in h-bridge like configuration, so avoiding nonsensical condition, fill and drain at same time, and double psu wattage requirement. Ymmv

author: DavidKo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 08:06:35 am
content: Can you use aquarium pump?

author: Njk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 06:24:00 pm
content: It should not be a problem to generate enough energy in a student community. Think big.https://www.humanpowerplant.be/human_power_plant/human-powered-student-building-plans.html

author: cantata.tech
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2023, 08:02:58 pm
content: Use thinner tubes, that will mean that you pump less water and that requires less current.