Alternate options to Apex Neptune Flow Meters

[Edward Smith]

I find stuff like this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sensor-Control-Effect-Flowmeter-Arduino/dp/B01HK0A7XW

Are there other monitors/controllers out there to monitor water flow or control solenoids, that just aren't marketed to the aquarium hobby?

Anyone familiar with what this particular sensor would connect to?

Thanks

 

[mcgyvr]

Absolutely..
Flow monitoring has been done in industrial applications for YEARS..

Those cheaper devices are very similar just made by slaves now with lower cost materials/no agency approvals,etc...
They simply output a voltage proportional to the flow that can be read by any device capable of measuring voltage..
Typically people are using microprocessors to take that voltage and scale/translate it to a "human readable/relatable" flow rate..

 

[adnan26]

Micro controller. Get ready to Code!

 

[Edward Smith]

Yea.....I was hoping a little more "plug and play".....hence why Apex is a much more popular option?

Seriously, is there a easy controller to hook these components up to?

 

[mcgyvr]

https://www.amazon.com/DIGITEN-Digi...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PFTEPW6Y3V3YSJG1B7X2
first I found..
I'm sure there are more depending on what you want to do..

The most simply is just a voltmeter to read the output voltage...

There is also this
https://www.amazon.com/Save-a-Drop-...rd_wg=p3nMF&psc=1&refRID=4T7HMATFQSZDDB6ADG6J

 

[Dr RBG]

What are the chances that one could adapt one of these to the apex since these and apex output a voltage that is proportional to the flow?

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

If the voltage outputs are extremely similar than all you would have to do is slap the right connector on it, if they are different it becomes more complicated, (Thinking out loud) I don't know how the ones from neptune are tuned for accuracy. If the user can calibrate it like we do the probes, you may be able to do it. But I would suspect that you would have to have a processor in between the flow sensor and apex so that it will change that voltage value to fit within the range of what the apex can read.

Again I'm thinking out loud here....

 

[dwolson2]

If the voltage outputs are extremely similar than all you would have to do is slap the right connector on it, if they are different it becomes more complicated, (Thinking out loud) I don't know how the ones from neptune are tuned for accuracy. If the user can calibrate it like we do the probes, you may be able to do it. But I would suspect that you would have to have a processor in between the flow sensor and apex so that it will change that voltage value to fit within the range of what the apex can read.

Again I'm thinking out loud here....

You could potentially just add a resister to get an even voltage drop if the output of the sensor was too high.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mcgyvr]

What are the chances that one could adapt one of these to the apex since these and apex output a voltage that is proportional to the flow?

Highly likely...
And quite easy to test.. Simply check the output voltage from the sensor and compare that to the stated flow rate in comparison to the full scale range..

Example.. Say you measure 2.5V and Apex reports 250GPH.. If full scale of the sensor is 500GPH then you know thats a 0-5V output voltage sensor..

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Highly likely...
And quite easy to test.. Simply check the output voltage from the sensor and compare that to the stated flow rate in comparison to the full scale range..

Example.. Say you measure 2.5V and Apex reports 250GPH.. If full scale of the sensor is 500GPH then you know thats a 0-5V output voltage sensor..

excellent point!!!

 

[Steve175]

From electrical to mechanical: I tried to do this a few years back on my closed loop. I bought 2 $500 1.5" PVC union industrial valves that measure flow [don't judge me, I was really into UV then and wanted to have the optimal flow through them]. I still have them. They work for a solid 24h before the tiny pinwheel in them jams with a sub-micron of sand. Once a hermit farted and they both jammed. I just ordered the apex flow meters. That they have been designed for SW [or I can whine here about it like a baby if they jam with a hermit fart] is priceless. Honestly, tho, I am most excited about their 1/4" option: keeping a reliable eye on my CA reactor effluent rate is priceless. . .

 

[Steveb]

From electrical to mechanical: I tried to do this a few years back on my closed loop. I bought 2 $500 1.5" PVC union industrial valves that measure flow [don't judge me, I was really into UV then and wanted to have the optimal flow through them]. I still have them. They work for a solid 24h before the tiny pinwheel in them jams with a sub-micron of sand. Once a hermit farted and they both jammed. I just ordered the apex flow meters. That they have been designed for SW [or I can whine here about it like a baby if they jam with a hermit fart] is priceless. Honestly, tho, I am most excited about their 1/4" option: keeping a reliable eye on my CA reactor effluent rate is priceless. . .

Curious if you implemented the 1/4" option and if so on the input to the CaRX or on the effluent side? Has it been reliable or have you had any issues with it getting cruded up?