Gravity: Digital Water Flow Sensor For Arduino - 1/8"

The Gravity: Digital Water Flow Sensor is an inline flow meter designed to measure liquid flow rates using a built-in magnetic rotor and Hall effect sensor. It produces digital pulse signals for microcontrollers like Arduino, making it an ideal choice for makers and students building automated irrigation, beverage dispensers, or fluid monitoring projects.

Hall effect measurement mechanism

The sensor features a lightweight plastic valve body containing an internal magnetic rotor that spins as fluid passes through. An integrated Hall effect sensor tracks the rotor rotations and outputs a stream of digital pulses directly proportional to the flow rate.

Flow rate and measurement accuracy

Designed for low-volume liquid tracking, this sensor measures flow rates between 0.3 and 6 litres per minute. It maintains a measurement accuracy of plus or minus 5 percent across the 0.3 to 3 litres per minute range.

Simple microcontroller integration

Operating on a 5V to 12V DC input, the sensor draws 15 mA at 5V and outputs square waves with a 50 percent duty cycle. The calibration formula equates 1 litre of fluid to 5880 square wave pulses, enabling straightforward volume and rate calculations in code.

Installation and operating limits

For optimal reliability, the sensor must be installed vertically with no more than 5 degrees of tilt and connected to a 6 mm hose. It supports liquid temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius and should not be used with corrosive chemicals.

Compact mechanical profile

With an inner diameter of 4 mm, an outer diameter of 7 mm, and dimensions of 58 by 35 by 26 mm, the unit fits easily into tight enclosures. Weighing only 30 grams, it provides unobtrusive inline monitoring for compact fluid systems.

Downloads & documentation

• Product wiki (DFRobot)