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[phatfield]

Hi all,

I have modified a DS10A to work as a water level sensor for my sump pit and have set up a macro to e-mail me if activated.  All works well BUT....

I do not want an errant splash to trip it.  After doing some reading on the forum I thought I'd try my hand at using flags.  My thought was to have a flag set to "on" if the two leads from the sensor get wet.  If within a specific time frame (say, two minutes), the sensor reports closed (and the flag is on), activate a macro to send the e-mail.  If within the specific time frame the sensor is not closed, clear the flag.

Unfortunately, it works as described - meaning that the only time that it pages me is if the sensor was triggered and then within a couple minutes reports closed.  If however, the sensor goes straight to closed status (without the "splash" first), no alarm. 

I am probably making this too hard.  Any ideas how to create a macro that will run when my sensor leads are submerged and not just if they are splashed?

Thanks in advance,

Patrick

[Puck]

If the DS10A does detect full submersion then it will not reconfirm that until ~ 1 hour after the initial trigger.... not exactly practical to wait that long. If it is a temporary splash then the DS10A should send a closed signal shortly followed by a open signal... of course the delay between would depend on how quickly a splash dissipates and/or drys the contacts.

You could have the initial trigger start a macro with a delay; at the end of the delay have it trigger an other macro for sending an email. If the DS10A happens to detect a normal situation and sends an open signal, just have that trigger a macro to set/reset a flag to prevent the email macro from executing.

Of course, if possible, placement of your water sensor to avoid false alarms due to splashing would work best.

[HA Dave]

Of course, if possible, placement of your water sensor to avoid false alarms due to splashing would work best.

You proably wouldn't say this in Canada... But I would say "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Maybe a metric version would be a liter or prevention is worth a meter of cure.

But ether way... maybe a sleeve around the sensor to prevent splash contact.... or a different switch setup... like a simple float setup might be a better.. and an easier fix.

I recently made a couple different tries with a DS10A on mercury tilt switches (an upgrade for my Automated Chair). I finally found success with a simple dangling wire switch (homemade). A slight tilt and the hanging wire touches another wire and completes the contact.

Here... a simple [piece of] Styrofoam on a wire float could work to sense water level.

[phatfield]

First I want to thank you both for taking the time to answer my post  (I should mentioned you two have unknowingly answered a dozen or so questions already for me over the last couple of months - thanks to all of your posts).   

Well, I have decided to invert a little 2 oz plastic cup and insert the two leads from above to shield them from any splashes.   I was going to go that route first but figured I was just taking the easy way out!!

Thanks for your help,

Patrick

[Puck]

You proably wouldn't say this in Canada...

Hey now, we have an average of 2 days a year out here on the Canadian Prairies where our liquid ice detectors are needed.

[paizano1]

after reading this post i just wanted to point out something that might be a problem in your cup idea for splash protection,

I the cup were place in the up position with opening at top and the floor flooded the cup could possibly just float on the water like a boat and not ever get the sensors wet.

And i know you stated the the cup was inverted so i think you need to drill some holes in the bottom of the cup which is now the top since you inverted it.  The reason i see is if you take a cup and invert it and submerge it in water the air pressure in the cup will stop it from filling with water and could stop the sensors from getting wet. If you drill holes in the bottom it will release the air as the water level is rising and allow the contacts to get wet and signal you of a flood.

Maybe you already did all this, i just thought i would mention what i thought.