Field of invention
The present invention is the semi-automatic water pump controller,which is electronic based
controlling unit that requires the user to switch ON water pump via controller's push button.When
detected through water detection means that overhead tank has completelyfilled, it automatically
switch OFF the water pump, preventing overflowing of water from overhead tank.
Background of invention:
Almost every house in urban city have overhead tank to store water, it's a basic need.In residential
house, the problem of overflowing tank is common. As the overhead tank are kept at top portion of
building.Due to not enough pressure of incoming water supply,to lift the water to the overhead tank
via pipe, people install waterpumps (generally less than 2hp specification)at their house. Overflowing
of water from overhead tank leads to huge wastage of water as well as electricity.
To prevent this, fewtechnology is developed like water pump controller, water alarms, and
mechanical balloon valves.Water pump controller is used to maintain constant water level in overhead
tanks by automatically switching ON the water pump when level in overhead tank is low and shutting
OFF when tank is completely filled. But the major drawback for this technology is that it is costly
respect to residential house and not universal i.e. same water pump controller made to control a
submersible water pump cannot be used for municipal line water pump because of timely supply of
water. On the other side water alarm is cheap technology but it rather indicates the filling of overhead
tank by buzzing but contains no automation.
Our inventions fits for every house that needs a low cost semi-automated solution for the overflowing
of water from overhead tanks.Semi-automatic water pump controller requires the user to manually
switch ON the water pump via push button in controller and switch OFF the water pump when
overhead tank is completely filled instead of buzzing like water alarm does. It give a fragment of
automation which leads ease in user's life along with saving in water and electricity form user side.
The cost of manufacturing this product is just little bit high than water alarms, making it low cost and
very much affordable than water pump controller. It is a universal productand can be used where
water supply comes from:
i) Municipal water lines - Where water supply comes from the municipal department to each
residential house,
ii) Submersible - Where water supply comes from ground water.
Semi-Automatic water pump controller can be fitted in any type of electrical connection/configuration
of single and three phase water pumpoperatcdvia starting panel.A single phase water pump up lo 2hp
can be directly controlled by our invention.Single phase water pump above 2hp andthree phase water
pumps will be indirectly controlled using their starting panel, i.e. in this case controller controls the
starting panelof water pumps. The product is energy efficient and only consumes electricity for a
period when water pump is switch ON. It also has the manual mode, in case, user wish to switch ON
the water pump even after overhead tank has fully filled.
Objective of invention
The primary objective of this invention is to make an affordable, low cost controllingdevice that could
fully prevent the problem of overflowing overhead tank.
The other objective of the invention was to develop an electronic circuitry that provide enough
automation to fulfil primary objective.
Another objective of the invention is to make it universal fitted, in terms of area of usage and their
connection, so that it can be used where water supply comes from municipal department or water
supply comes from ground water.
Another objective of the invention was to make energy efficient, that is device should consume
electricity only when water pump is turned ON the by user itself, else no electricity consumption is
made by the device when water pump is in OFF state.
Another objective was make our invention small and compact.
Summary of Invention
This invention proposes the semi-automatic water pump controller. This section contains the overview
and simplified version for the understanding of a components of device and working of device itself.
This section doesn't focus the uniqueness or underline the proof of claimed points.
The composition of invention semi-automatic water pump controller comprises of power grid to
power the device, mode of operation in which device can be in three state namely: automatic state;
OFF state; or manual state, push button to switch ON the water pump, an AC to DC converter which
provide DC power to control circuitry, electronic circuit containing logic of operation,relays which
are electro-mechanical device.With connections to each other whole device is constructed.lt also
contains signal wire that is supposed to act as water detection means which may comprise of simple
wire, electrode, floating switch or equivalent sensor of detection of water level.
The function of semi-automatic water pump controller starts with switching ON the water pump on
the command of user with the push button on the device.Once the water level in the overhead tank
reaches the threshold level as set by the user via water detection means,the invention turn OFF the
water pump automatically with the help of relay inside the device. The device contains tri-state button
which let the user to set the device in semi-automatic state,OFF state and manual state. In semiautomatic
statewater pump would automatically switched OFF upon detection of water level reaching
the threshold water level. OFF state which means the device would not be start the water pump even
with push button,and water pump would be permanently OFF. Manual state which means water pump
would be ON even with water level in overhead tank crosses threshold level and water pump can only
be switched OFF by user using tri state button.It also has LED to indicate whether the water pump is
ON or OFF.
Description of drawing
The below are the drawings to explaining the invention's constituent component and working
principle of the invention.
Fig.l illustrate the visuality of semi-automatic water pump controller according to the constituent of
invention.
Fig 2 illustrate the block diagram of semi-automatic water pump controller constituent and shows the
working principle of the invention.
Fig 3 illustrate the connection with the invention with the water pump in single phase connection.
Fig4& 5, illustrate the connection with invention with water pump in three phase connection.
Detailed description of drawing
This section explains the detailed description of the drawing. The label with in the bracket used is in
reference with the drawings constituent.
Fig. 1 show the semi-automatic water pump con troll erf A] in its fully assembled form. Semi-automatic
water pump controller visually further comprises of a LED, a push button,a tri-state button and wires
for connections. The LED is used as an indication which glows only when the water pump is ON else
doesn't glow. The push button is used to switch ON the water pump. The tri-state button contains
three modes of operation,namely:
i) Semi automation mode - When switched in this mode,the user have to switch ON the
water pump via pressing push button.After pressing the push button, device and water
pump gets switched ON indicated by LED.Once the water level in overhead tank reaches
a threshold level set by user, Semi-automatic water pump controller automatically switch
OFF the water pump and itself,
ii) OFF mode - When switched to this mode, the water pump would remain in switched OFF
state and cannot be switch ON by push button, This mode is given to exit the manual
mode.This mode can also be used to exit the automatic mode if the water supply runs out
without reaching the water detection means and Water pump is dry running,
iii) Manual mode - When switched to this mode, the water pump would switched ON by
pressing the push button. But unlike automatic mode, would not get automatically
switched OFF but keep running even if the water level in overhead tank crosses the
threshold level set by the user via water detection means. The user have to switch OFF
the water pump manually by switching the device in OFF mode else the water pump will
be switched ON and keep pumping the water to Overhead tank.
The signal wire in semi-automatic water pump controller[A] goes to the overhead tank and can be
used/attached with water detection means to set the threshold level in the overhead tank to which the
water level is maintained by the controlIer.The AC power wire is connected to power grid in order to
power the semi-automatic water pump eontro))er[A}. The pu^p wires are attached to the water pump
connections and would be more explanatory in Fig 3 and Fig 5.
Fig 2, illustrates the water working principle of the semi-automatic water pump controller[A]. The
section [A] comprises of AC to DC convertor[l], relay[2], control circuitry [3], another relay[4].
When push button is pressedsituated within semi-automatic water pump controller [A], the contact
made by push button results in switching ON the AC to DC c0nverter[l]. The AC to DC convertor[l]
is anembedded circuitry which converts AC power supply to DC power supply. This AC to DC
converter[l] powers the controlling circuitry[3]. This control circuitry handles the logic part of the
device and embedded with electronic components comprising resistor, capacitors and transistors and
the re fore. Thus on pressing the push button the relay[2] as Well as relay [4] gets excites via control
circuitry[3], AC to DC convertor gets continuous supply and the water pump[B] is switched ON by
completing the circuit through relay [4].
The signal wire coming out of the control circuitry act as the receptors on basis of which control
circuitry[3] decides to take action i.e. to switch OFF the watet- pump[B]or keep it switched ON. If the
signal wire receives the logic via water detection means that water level in an overhead tank[C]has
reached its threshold level, the control circuitry[3] will apply g logic to relay[4] and relay [2] to break
the circuit, thus switching OFF the water pump[B] and overall system.
Fig.3 illustrates the connection of semi-automatic water pump controller[A] with a single phase water
pump.The invention has 3 sets of wire. The signal wire goes to the overheadtank[C] and attached to
water detection means to set the threshold level of waier to which semi-automatic water
pumpcontroller [A] will respond. The power wires are to be connected to power grid[F] in order to
supply power to invention.The motor wires is to be connected in series with the live wire of water
pump[B] as show in figure.
Fig.4 illustrates the working of semi-automatic water pump controller with three phase water pump
connected to starting panel. In this case, user has to press the push button first and then start button of
starting panel[G]in order to switch ON the water pump. The push button will excites the relay[2]
which switch ON the AC to DC convertor in order to provide DC power to control circuitry. Upon
detection by the water detection means that water level in the tank has reached the threshold level, the
control circuitry will de-energise the relay[4] and switch OFF the water pump automatically.The
water pump can also be.turned OFF manually by user by changing mode to OFF state or by pressing
stop button in starting panel[G].
Fig 5 illustrates the connection of semi-automatic water pump controller[A] with three phase water
pump connections. The signal wire goesto the overhead tank [C] and attached to the water detection
means to set the threshold level of water to which semi-automatic water pump controller [A] will
respond. The power wires goes to the power grid[Fj in order to give power supply to semi-automatic
water, pump controller [A]. The pump wire of semi-automatic water pump controlled A] will be
connected in series of contactor coil of starting panel[G]. The water pump[B] and starting panel [g]
will be normally connected.

Claims
We Claim:
I) The Semi-Automatic water pump controller is a universal product for the water pump that
are commonly used in residence or in small corporate.lt can be used where water supply
comes from municipal department of cities as well as submersible where water supply is a
ground water.Our invention can be fitted in any type of electrical
connection/configuration of single/three phase water pump. A single phase pump up to
2hp can be directly controlled by our invention. Single phase water pump above 2hp and
three phase water pumps are indirectly controlled using their starting panel, i.e. in this
case controller controls the starting panel of pumps.
II) The semi-automatic water pump controller comprises:
A tri state mode selector on which the invention functions, AC to DC convenor, relays
and control circuitry, push button using which the water pump can be switched ON,LED
for indication and 3 sets of wires namely signal wire, power wire, and motor wire.
III) The semi-automatic water pump controller automatically switch OFF the water pump
once the water in the overhead tank reaches to threshold detected via water detection
means or when the mode of invention is changed to OFF mode using tri state button.
IV) The water level detection as recited in claim 3 may comprise of simple wire, electrode,
floating switch or equivalent sensor for detection of water level.
V) ' The semi-automatic water pump controllerconsumeselectricity only when the water pump
is switched ON else the whole system is completely shut OFF.
VI) The method of operation of semi-automatic water pump control comprises:
Selecting the mode of operation of invention,
Switching the water pump ON by pressing the push button in case of single phase water
pump having direct connection. In case of three phase water pump, the starting panel will
be used in order to control the water pump via semi-automatic water pump controller.
If water reaches the threshold level in overhead tank then exciting relay to make switch
OFF the water pump automatically.
If water doesn't reach the threshold level in overhead tank and water pump dry
running,then manually switch OFF the water pump by user by changing mode of
operation to OFF mode using tri state button.