Home

Soft-I/O setup

A series of three reflection sensors (CNY 70) provide feedback from the dials on gas- water- and electricity meters.

Click each image to see a larger version in a separate window.

The breakout boards originate from Winford.

A more recent version of the sensors is available for gas and water

Electricity reading

The electricity meter dial has a sector that is dark and less reflecting than the rest of the plate.

Gas meter reading

The gas meter rightmost dial has a mirror surface in the dial's number 6

Water meter reading

The rotary dial underneath the CNY 70 has a mirror over 120 degrees.

 

Detail of gas meter reading

Notice how two short strips of foam tape hold the sensor perpendicular to the dial surface. This is not satisfying, a more rigorous platform has to be made yet.

DB25 breakout boards

Conveniently, two DB25 breakout boards help to organise the cabling