Water Level Monitoring With NB-IOT & Email Alarts

Recently, I have to take business trip and for a long period of time, which makes me a bit worried about not being able to keep an eye on my fish tank, my fish have been with me through a lot of product development time, and they're like family members who can't talk.

So I used Maduino Zero LTE NBIOT SIM7080G and a non-contact liquid level sensor created a small device that can check the water level every day and send me the data by email, so that I can know the changes in the water level of my fish tank and accordingly decide whether it needs to be added to or change the water in the fish tank.

• 1 x Maduino Zero LTE NBIOT SIM7080G
• 1 x Non-contact liquid level sensor
• 1 x IOT SIM Card that support NB-IOT

1.Connect the non-contact level sensor to the Maduino.

Please note:

• Red wire : Power ,connects to Maduino 3.3V
• Black wire: GND to Maduino GND
• White wire: Data, connects to Maduino D9.

2.Insert the IOT sim card

3.Attach the sensor to the outer layer of the fish tank, this sensor detects precisely the water level, with any tank material(except metal), max thickness 5mm; 

4.Connecting the power supply and antenna

Code :

1.Email setting:

Open water_dect_demo.ino .Modify the macro definition as follow:

EMAIL_SERVER SMTP : server address

EMAIL_ID : LOGIN_ID

EMAIL_POP_PWD : EMAIL POP3 Password

FROM_NAME : Sender's name

FROM_ADD : Sender's e-mail address

TO_NAME : Recipient's name

TO_ADD : Recipient’s e-mail address

2.initialize the NB-IOT SIM7080:

   // AT init
    sendData("AT", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CPIN?", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CCID", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CSQ", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+COPS?", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CGATT?", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CNACT=0,1", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CNACT?", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+CPSI?", 1000, DEBUG);
}

 3.Sensor monitor

When there no water detected, it output voltage high:

void sensor_read()
{
    if (digitalRead(SENSOR_PIN) == LOW)
    {
        sensor_flag = 1;
        SerialUSB.println("Low, have water");
    }


    else
    {
        sensor_flag = 0;
        SerialUSB.println("High, no water");
    }
}

4． If no-water detected, it send email:

void email_task()
{
    String temp = "";
    sendData("AT+EMAILCID=0", 1000, DEBUG);
    sendData("AT+EMAILTO=30", 1000, DEBUG);


    // Your mail server port
    temp = temp + "AT+SMTPSRV=\"" + EMAIL_SERVER + "\",25";
    sendData(temp, 1000, DEBUG);
    // Your email id and smtp password not email password
    temp = "";
    temp = temp + "AT+SMTPAUTH=1,\"" + EMAIL_ID + "\",\"" + EMAIL_POP_PWD + "\"";
    sendData(temp, 1000, DEBUG);
    // Sender Address
    temp = "";
    temp = temp + "AT+SMTPFROM=\"" + FROM_ADD + "\",\"" + FROM_NAME + "\"";
    sendData(temp, 1000, DEBUG);
    // Recipient Address
    temp = "";
    temp = temp + "AT+SMTPRCPT=0,0,\"" + TO_ADD + "\",\"" + TO_NAME + "\"";
    sendData(temp, 1000, DEBUG);


    if (sensor_flag == 1)
    {
        // Subject
        sendData("AT+SMTPSUB=\"Water full\"", 1000, DEBUG);
        // Set body length
        sendData("AT+SMTPBODY=12", 1000, DEBUG);
        // Set body
        sendData("Water full.\n\r", 1000, DEBUG);
    }
    else
    {
        // Subject
        sendData("AT+SMTPSUB=\"Water empty\"", 1000, DEBUG);
        // Set body length
        sendData("AT+SMTPBODY=13", 1000, DEBUG);
        // Set body
        sendData("Water empty.\n\r", 1000, DEBUG);
    }


    // Send
    sendData("AT+SMTPSEND", 1000, DEBUG);
}

The source can be download at : our github

Program Maduino board ;

As you can see in the picture above, this device works great. I can detect changes in the water level of my fish tank everyday by email while I'm in business trip，in this way I'll know when it's time to refill the tank.As you can see, it's time for me to refill it.

If you are intersted in it, you can try doing it yourself.