# Water level alarm



## QldKev (16/2/14)

New toy for the brewery.

It is a "High Low Water Level Alarm for Fish Tank Aquarium"
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400514307525?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649


I'm not too worried about the low water level, more the high level.

My 3V's 80L HLT takes a while to fill using my filter. The sparge water also takes a while. I have not yet had it flow over, but I get sick of checking on it.
Also my 1V takes a while to fill the initial strike water .
Finally my 1V uses a pot, if I get a stuck mash it could overflow and let the grain into the main vessel.

So this thing can be used for an alarm to let me know the water level is close to the correct height / too high.
$7.59 posted, can't go wrong. 

More shit you don't actually need for the brewery h34r:


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## Pogierob (16/2/14)

I wonder if this could be used on the side of kegs to give a warning when it's getting low..


Interesting........


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## QldKev (16/2/14)

Rob.P said:


> I wonder if this could be used on the side of kegs to give a warning when it's getting low..
> 
> 
> Interesting........


It would need to be mounted in the keg to work. It has 2 small probes, when under water a small current can flow between them setting the high level alarm off.


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## amcqueen (16/2/14)

I saw these somewhere on youtube a month or two ago, nice one finding them on ebay. Putting an order in right now! =)


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## TheWiggman (21/2/14)

I'm looking at getting one of these -

http://bit.ly/1brqeUQ

Anyone had experience with them? I'm putting together my HLT (whoop whoop) and want to have the PID control on it as 'set and forget'. While fly sparging I want to be sure the water level doesn't drop below the heating element while it's on. 
I'm going to run in through the SSR 5V circuit so when the levels low, it breaks the circuit.


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## QldKev (21/2/14)

TheWiggman said:


> I'm looking at getting one of these -
> 
> http://bit.ly/1brqeUQ
> 
> ...



I looked at it for the exact same purpose, but never got around to it as it more connections to mess around with. I cannot see why it would not work.


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## TheWiggman (21/2/14)

My wife just bought a pair of shoes for a dress she bought for a party this weekend. Bugger it - for $7.09, can't go wrong.


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## bradsbrew (21/2/14)

TheWiggman said:


> I'm looking at getting one of these -http://bit.ly/1brqeUQ
> While fly sparging I want to be sure the water level doesn't drop below the heating element while it's on.


Why not install the outlet tap above the height of the element?


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## Screwtop (21/2/14)

I use one of these from Jaycar in series with the coil of a 20A relay to switch the element off when the water level drops to the top of the element.

CAT. NO. SF0920

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SF0920 

Similar!!!!

Screwy


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## booargy (21/2/14)

same type of thing. http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xfloatless+relay&_nkw=floatless+relay&_sacat=0&_from=R40


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## TheWiggman (21/2/14)

bradsbrew said:


> Why not install the outlet tap above the height of the element?


Good idea. I'd lose a few litres in the HLT but being a 36l pot I can't see that being a problem. I've got a 90°compression fitting on the ball valve so I'll just rotate it up with a small bit of pipe to be higher than the element. Can always install the float switch later.

I've got one of these - http://gryphonbrewing.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=602 . Coupled with the aluminium box on the outside it'll need to sit ~50mm up from the base of the pot. There'll be 5l of deadspace.


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