Hawk - Configure Flow Below I²C Level Sensor
Written by Matthew Clark-Massera
Updated at October 6th, 2023
Table of Contents
Please ensure to also read the below for full details on configuring Tasks and I²C Sensors for the Hawk
The Flow Below sensor is an level sensor which can be used for tank monitoring applications. It uses a 60GHz radar to detect the tank level.
Model Number: FB-L-R-I2C-1-1
3rd Party Sensor
The Level Below Sensor is a 3rd Party sensor - the advice given below is general. Always check the product datasheet direct from the manufacturer. Specific guidance on installation and usage should be obtained directly from the manufacturer. The instructions below are based on a sensor tested at the time of article writing - things may change.
Concurrent use with MB7040
It is important to note that this sensor can not be used concurrently with a MB7040 I²C Ultrasonic Range Sensor (though it is unclear why this would be necessary).
IO Card
Ensure a plug-in IO card with an I²C interface is fitted to the Hawk. Currently the only card with this interface is the AgTech1 card.
Wiring
|
Flow Below Sensor |
Agtech1 | Bluetooth+ |
| VCC | Hawk IO 5 | Hawk IO 7 |
| SCL | Hawk IO 6 | Hawk IO 5 |
| SDA | Hawk IO 4 | Hawk IO 6 |
| GND | Hawk GND | Hawk GND |
Firmware
Ensure you set the AgTech Card firmware to 1.6 or above.
Any Bluetooth+ FW is satisfactory, although we always recommend the latest.
Parameters
I²C Action Parameters
- Select Flow Below as the Sensor Type
- Choose an Analogue to write the values to
- The Sensor Parameter 1 can be used choose the number of samples that are taken by the Hawk before returning a median value. If the parameter is set to zero (default), the Hawk will sample 3 readings; the max number of samples is 10.
The I²C address can be left blank.
Task Parameters
Ensure the I²C action you have configured above (Action 1 or 2) is set as an action of the task.
Output/Conversion
With the above parameters, the output would be:
| Value | Analogue | Units | Conversion Example |
| Distance | Analogue Offset Value | mm |
500 = 500mm = 0.5m |
If mounted at the top of a tank, the reported distance would be the distance from the top of the tank to the water - so the water level would be Total Tank Height - Distance.