A Solar Powered Ultrasonic Water Level Monitoring System with IoT Type for Small-Scale Agricultural Water Management
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Abstract
This research aims to develop and evaluate the performance of an ultrasonic water level meter prototype by applying solar power and an IoT network communication system to support the management of small water resources in community-level agricultural areas. The prototype is designed to be low-cost to implement non-contact measurements and to be able to transmit real-time data to a central server and display results on a mobile application. There are 5 units that have been installed in agricultural areas in lower northeastern Thailand to create a network of water databases reflecting the situation from multiple sources simultaneously. Laboratory testing results showed an average measurement error of 1.36%, which was within acceptable limits while field testing with five agencies, totaling 20 times, indicated an average success rate of 90.2%, with the water level measurement accuracy at 92.5%, ease of installation and practical use at 100%, and data transmission continuity and power durability at 88.3%. These results confirm the potential of combining low-cost sensor technologies, renewable energy, and IoT to create a collaborative water management network prototype across multiple water bodies, and this prototype is practical and field-ready.
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