April 2013. Vol. 3, No.

ISSN2305-8269

International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

2012 EAAS & ARF. All rights reserved
www.eaas-journal.org

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTRIC WATER PUMP CONTROLLER

AND LEVEL INDICATOR
Oghogho Ikponmwosa1,a and Azubuike Charles2,b
1

Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State Nigeria
2
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Igbinedion University, Okada Edo state Nigeria
a
[email protected], [email protected]
(Corresponding author: Oghogho Ikponmwosa)
ABSTRACT

An Electric Water Pump Controller and Level Indicator (EWPCLI) has been designed, constructed and tested.
The EWPCLI exploits the electrical conductivity of water to give indication of water level in a storage tank and
ultimately, the automatic control of the water pump. The EWPCLI employs a number of metallic conductors or
probes, each positioned at separate levels along the tank height to act as sensors. Comparators monitor the
presence of water at the probes (utilizing the conductivity of ionized water due to its impurities) and give out
corresponding digital outputs which are used by the microcontroller to drive digital outputs which turn on visual
display LEDs that indicate various water levels in the tank. The microcontroller also controls a switch to turn the
water pump on (when water goes below the preset minimum level) or off (when water goes above the chosen
maximum level). EWPCLI when tested turned the water pump on or off depending on the water level in the tank
as designed. The required visual LEDs were also turned on at the corresponding water level. The system will
help to eliminate the cost and inefficiency of human interference associated with monitoring and controlling the
pump while maximizing the performance and life span of the electric water pump.
KEYWORDS: Water pump, controller, Level indicator, water storage schemes

INTRODUCTION
Water is a common chemical substance
that is most essential to man for survival as it forms
an average of 60% of the human body [1, 2, 3].
Although water forms a larger mass of the earth, it
is not readily available to man for use as a result of
its composition and distance from place of
necessity. This has led to efforts to store and
retrieve it when needed by the development of
various water storage schemes or systems such as
dams, reservoirs, wells, artificial lakes, etc., which
engage the use of an electric pump to aid its
transportation during storage and retrieval [4,5,6].
Water is pumped from its source (lower surface) to
where it is stored and treated (higher surface) after
which it is distributed by gravity or pumped to
where it is needed (places of utility) usually at
different surface levels.

when to pump, when to stop pumping and how to

monitor the level of water in a storage tank.
Human intelligence (which in this particular case is
highly unreliable, costly, inefficient and prone to
errors) was employed to address these issues.
However, this led to wastage of human resources as
well as the inefficient maximization of the
performance and life span of the electric pump.
Putting a check to these issues will require an
improved operation of the electric water pump
which has led to the design and development of
several electric water pump controllers [9, 10].
The use of electrical water pump
controllers (EWPCs) are not limited to just storage
and utility. They find application industrially in the
cooling of heavy duty machines. Using temperature
sensors, the electric pump can either be switched
on by an EWPC to pump cool water to machines
that are hot or turned off as soon as the temperature
of the machines reduces to desired levels thus
improving the energy usage efficiency and lifespan
of the pump.

The use of electric pumps to pump water

from a source to where it is needed and during
retrieval was successful but did have a number of
shortcomings [7, 8]. The short comings reflected in
the challenges of achieving high energy efficiency
and extended lifespan of the pump by controlling

18

April 2013. Vol. 3, No. 2

ISSN2305-8269

International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

2012 EAAS & ARF. All rights reserved
www.eaas-journal.org

EWPCs also find application in ships to

pump water and liquid waste that is collected in the
bilge when the bilge is full and in agriculture for
irrigation purposes where the electric water pump
controller is used to control an electric pump which
pumps water into a farmland depending on the
pressure on the underground valves which
communicate with the sensors via pressure pulses.
This principle is also being used today in green
fields like football pitches to maintain lawns.

written in C programming language into the

microcontroller for control and coordination of the
system functions. The outputs from the ADCs are
used by the microprocessor to give out digital
signals which turn on visual display LEDs (that
indicate various water levels in the tank) as well as
automatically control the water pump. The pump
was designed to turn on when water goes below the
preset minimum level or turn off when water goes
above the chosen maximum level. The system was
first tested in modules and then in whole by
monitoring the LEDs which turns on and the action
of the pump at any water level. Different minimum
preset levels were chosen and the output was
monitored to determine the system performance.

The EWPCLI presented in this paper was

designed with focus to reduce complexity hence
reducing cost and energy requirements so that it
will be readily affordable by users.

Principle of Operation of the EWPCLI

Fig1 shows a detailed circuit diagram of
the EWPLI. All components were powered by a
regulated and rectified 5V supply except the
electric pump which was powered by a 12V
rectified supply. The sensors are metallic probes
mounted at different tank levels. The reference
voltage of the sensor unit is 5 volt mounted at the
bottom of the tank. Since water conducts electricity
when ionized, electric current flows to each probe
only when the water level is above it. The signal
level at each sensor is fed to a comparator whose
positive reference voltage is fixed using a 100k
resistor. The comparator output is normally high
and goes low only when the water level is above it.
The microprocessor uses this high and low outputs
of the comparator to determine when and when not
to trigger the pump through a relay and to
determine which LED is turned on to indicate the
water level.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

In order to achieve the aim set out, some
water supply schemes were studied. The various
electric water pump controllers developed for these
water schemes were studied and various design
options and their cost implications were considered
[9, 4, 7]. The system was designed using proven
electrical and electronic principles with focus on
reducing complexity, hence reduced high cost and
energy requirement. It was broken down into three
sections: the power supply unit, the sensing and
control unit and the output unit.
The device employs five metallic
conductors which span through the height of the
storage tank, each positioned at separate levels
along the height, to act as sensors. The lowest
probe in the tank was connected to a 5V source to
provide a fixed reference voltage which is
conveyed upward along the tank as the water level
rises while the other four probes were used as
inverting inputs to the various comparators
(ADCs). The ADCs, by utilizing the conductivity
of water when ionized because of impurities
present in it, were used to monitor the presence of
water at the probes and give out corresponding
digital outputs. The ADCs are comparators whose
outputs at any time depend on the voltage
difference between their inverting and noninverting inputs. The non-inverting (positive
inputs) of the ADCs were fixed at a voltage higher
than that of the inverting (negative inputs) using a
potentiometer. This will set the output logic states
of all the comparators in the 1 state.

AT89C52 which is a 40 pin I/O CMOS 8

bit microcontroller was connected to the oscillator
circuit and the set and reset circuitry. When the
EWPCLI is put ON, the Set and Reset circuitry
ensures that the processor starts working
immediately while the oscillator provides the
timing needed for the processor operation by
generating clock pulses. Microcontroller Pins 1, 2,
3, 4 are dedicated to the sensor circuit, that helps
detect the level of water in the tank. These pins are
assigned to the 4 individual metallic probes
inferring different levels in the tank. Probe 4 or
level1 (which can also be selected as the maximum
level) sets the minimum level and at this point the
microcontroller triggers the switching unit
whenever water goes below this level. Probe1
(level4), Probe2 (level3) and Probe3 (level2) can be
varied as maximum levels by using pin5 and pin6
to select and enter the desired level respectively.

When water level rises and touches the

conductor connected to any of the comparator
inverting input, it raises the voltage at that inputs
such that it becomes greater than the voltage at the
non-inverting input thus leading to a change in the
output logic state of the Comparator from the 1
state to 0 state. A program was developed and

19

April 2013. Vol. 3, No. 2

ISSN2305-8269

International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

2012 EAAS & ARF. All rights reserved
www.eaas-journal.org
VCC
-

120K
VCC

P1
120K

100K

+
VCC

P2

b1

a2

b2

100K

120K

a1

a3

b3

a4

b4

4
120K

VCC

P4

100K

5
SLT
SWITCH

Pre
f

VCC

VCC
100K

VCC
1k
22mf

30pf

30pf

6MHz

b1

a2

b2

a3

b3

a4

b4

a1

b1

a2

b2

ENTR
SWITCH

a1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

a3

a4

a1

a2

a3

a4

a1

a2

AT89C52

P3

b3

b4

b1

b2

b3

b4

b1

b2

40

39

38

37

36

35

34

33

32

31

30

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

D1

130k

130k

D2

130k

130k

D3

D4

VCC
Relay
D

19

20

a3

a4

b3

b4

22

21

DC

12v

30k

Pump

Fig.1 Complete Circuit Diagram of the Electronic Water Pump Controller and Level Indicator
water pump which was connected to the water
The display unit whose operation is also dependent
storage tank on the other end. The water storage
on the microcontroller is made up of 4 LEDs to
tank was made of a transparent container
indicate various levels of water in the tank at every
containing the metallic probes so that the level of
point in time.
water in the tank can be seen. The EWPCLI was
turned on after being connected to a 12V D.C
source after which the maximum and minimum
Tests and Results
levels were selected using the select and enter
Table1 shows a summary of test results by
buttons. The pump was turned on or off by the
selecting level1 (probe4) as minimum. A water
EWPCLI depending on the level of water in the
source was used to supply water to the Electric
tank.
Table1: Summary of test results by selecting level1 as minimum.
Min
Max
Action of Electric water pump
Led type turned on
level level
selec select
ted
ed
1
1
1. Pumps water into the storage tank and 1. Red LED turns on when water reaches
turns off when water reaches level 1
level1.
2. Resumes pumping water into the 2. Red LED turns off when water falls below
storage tank when water falls below level level 1
1 due to opening of the tap.
1
2
1. Pumps water into the storage tank and 1. Orange LED turns on when water reaches
turns off when water reaches level 2.
level2.
2. Resumes pumping water into the 2. Orange LED turns off while LED LED
storage tank when water falls below turns on when water falls below level2 but
level2.
above level1.
3. Maintains water level between levels 1
and 2.
1
3
1. Pumps water into the storage tank and 1. Blue LED turns on when water reaches
turns off when water reaches level 3.
level3.
2. Resumes pumping water into the 2. Blue LED turns off while Orange LED
storage tank when water falls below turns on when water falls below level3 but
level3.
above level2

20

April 2013. Vol. 3, No. 2

ISSN2305-8269

International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

2012 EAAS & ARF. All rights reserved
www.eaas-journal.org

3. Maintains water level between levels 1

and 3.
1

1. Pumps water into the storage tank and

turns off when water reaches level 4.
2. Resumes pumping water into the
storage tank when water falls below
level4.
3. Maintains water level between levels 1
and 4.

3. Orange LED turns off while Red LED turns

on when water level was below level2 and
above level1.
1. Green LED turns on when water reaches
level4.
2. Green LED turns off while blue LED turns
on when water falls below level 4 but above
level3.
2. Blue LED turns off while Orange LED
turns on when water falls below level3 but
above level2
3. Orange LED turns off while Red LED turns
on when water was below level2 and above
level1.
4.
Maurice, M., Shona, R., (2007). Community
Governance for Sustainability: Exploring Benefits of
Community Water Schemes?Local Environment, Vol.12,
No. 4, 437 445,

Any other level selected as minimum gave

similar results except that the water in the tank was
maintained between the minimum and maximum
levels selected and it also determined the LED type
turned on.

5.
Vikram, S., Gosain, A., K., Datta, P., S., and
Diwan S. (2009). A new scheme for large-scale natural
water storage in the floodplains: the Delhi Yamuna
floodplains as a case study. Current Science, VOL. 96,
NO.10, 1338-1341

Conclusion and Recommendations

The EWPCLI was designed as an attempt
to eliminate the unreliability of humans, indicate
the level of water in the tank and to improve the
workable life of the pump by increasing its mean
time to fail due to reduction of the stress on it, thus
enhancing the electric pumps overall performance.
Priority was given to making the circuit simple and
efficient so as to reduce both running and
maintenance costs and the energy requirements of
the system. The system performed as designed but
with slight modifications, the levels of water can be
indicated digitally using a seven segment display or
an LCD.

6.
Bouarfa, S., Vincent, B., Wu, J., Yang, J., and
Zimmer., D. (2006). Role of groundwater in irrigation
water management in the downstream part of the Yellow
River. Irrigation and Drainage Systems, Vol20: 247258
. DOI: 10.1007/s10795-006-9005-z
7.
Chaiko,Y., Zhiravecka, A., Kunicina., N.,
Galkina, A., and Ribickis, L. (2008). Modelling decision
Making Procedure for Pump Electric Drives chosen for
water pump stations. Electronics and Electrical
Engineering, No. 2(82): 59-64. ISSN 1392 1215,
8.
John, J.,T., and Richard, W., M. (2004).
Measured performance and impacts of Drop- In
Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters. ASHRAE
Transactions: Symposia; NA-04-5-2, 664-670

The system can also be interfaced with a

personal computer (PC) so that a PC can be used to
ascertain control of the electric pump while
monitoring the level of water on the PC screen. A
sound alert circuit and control to turn the pump
OFF when its pumping dry (i.e. when its not
pumping water due to lack of water flowing in
from the source) can also be included in the design.
These additions will however increase the systems
complexity hence, cost and energy requirements
which this work seeks to minimize.
REFERENCES

9.
Wara, S., T., Orovwode, H., E., Mohammed,
O., A. (2007). Design Construction and Simulation of an
Electronic Water Level Controller. International
Research Journal in Engineering Science and
Technology, Vol 4 No1, pp107-108.
10.

1.
Benelam, B., and Wyness, L. (2010).
Hydration and health: A review. British Nutrition
Foundation, Nutrition Bulletin 2010; 35: 325
2.
Jquier, E., and Constant, F. (2010). Water as
an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration.
Eur J Clin Nutr, 64(2): 115-23
3.
Popkin, B., M., D'Anci, K., E., and Rosenberg,
I., H. (2010). Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev,
68(8): 439-58.

21

Engineered Systems (2013). Pump Controllers.

BNP
Media,
Retrieved
08/02/13
at
http://www.esmagazine.com/search?q=Pump+
controllers