> **Source:** Core Electronics is an Australian maker-electronics retailer and manufacturer based in Newcastle, NSW, run by a team of makers and educators. We design and manufacture our own product lines (PiicoDev, CE originals) and are official retailers for iconic maker and industrial brands including Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Adafruit, SparkFun and DFRobot. Orders ship Australia-wide from our Newcastle warehouse. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Pricing, stock and dispatch on this page are generated from the store's live catalog. Full machine-readable index: https://core-electronics.com.au/llms.txt

# 5 eTape Liquid Level Sensor + extras

**Type:** Product page · **SKU:** ADA3827 · **Brand:** [Adafruit](https://core-electronics.com.au/brands/adafruit-australia)
**Page:** https://core-electronics.com.au/5-etape-liquid-level-sensor-extras.html ([markdown](https://core-electronics.com.au/5-etape-liquid-level-sensor-extras.html.md))

## Retired product

This product is retired and no longer available for purchase. Search the catalogue for an alternative.

## How to buy

- **Search the catalogue:** `https://core-electronics.com.au/search/{query}.md` (URL-encode the query; pages 2-3 at `search/{query}/{page}.md`; `search.md?q=` also works)
- **Payment methods, purchase orders, policies and contact details:** https://core-electronics.com.au/llms.txt
## Description

The eTape Liquid Level Sensor is a solid-state sensor with a resistive output that varies with the level of the fluid. It does away with clunky mechanical floats, and easily interfaces with electronic control systems. The eTape sensor's envelope is compressed by the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in which it is immersed. This results in a change in resistance that corresponds to the distance from the top of the sensor to the surface of the fluid. The sensor's resistive output is inversely proportional to the height of the liquid: the lower the liquid level, the higher the output resistance; the higher the liquid level, the lower the output resistance.

This is a very unique sensor. We haven't seen anything else that is affordable and accurate for measuring liquid level. This sensor seems like it would be a handy addition to a hydroponics, aquarium, fountain, or pool controller, or perhaps measuring a rain tube. This particular sensor is the **5"** **version**, **and it includes a 4-pin connector and 560Ω 5% resistor**. The connector is so you don't have to solder directly to the delicate pins. Instead, just solder to the connector and plug it onto the sensor.

Since the sensor is resistive, it is easy to read it using a microcontroller ADC pin. Check the tutorials tab for a quick-start pointer!

**Please Note**: This product only comes with the 5" bare Tape Liquid Level Sensor. In Adafruit's demo, Adafruit set up a 12" enclosed version with an [Adafruit Metro](https://core-electronics.com.au/adafruit-metro-328-with-headers-atmega328.html), a [TB6612 Stepper Motor Driver Breakout Board](https://core-electronics.com.au/adafruit-tb6612-1-2a-dc-stepper-motor-driver-breakout-board.html), and an [Automotive Gauge Stepper Motor](https://core-electronics.com.au/automotive-gauge-stepper-motor-x27-168.html) to demonstrate functionality.

### Technical Details

- Sensor Length: 4.8" / 124mm
- Width: 1.1" (28.2mm)
- Thickness: 0.015" / 0.381mm)
- Resistance Gradient: 150Ω/inch (60 ohms/cm)
- Substrate: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
- Actuation Depth: Nominal 1" (25.4mm)
- Resolution: < 0.01" (0.25 mm)
- Temperature Range: 15°F - 150°F (-9°C - 65°C)
- Product Dimensions: 165.0mm x 25.0mm x 0.8mm / 6.5" x 1.0" x 0.0"
- Product Weight: 31.7g / 1.1oz
 
For more information, check out: eTape Liquid Level Sensor Datasheet

Adafruit doesn't have a detailed tutorial for this sensor but it acts very much like a thermistor so they suggest checking out that tutorial for background, and then following these instructions:

Connect pin #2 of the sensor to ground, then pin #3 to a 560 ohm resistor. The other side of the 560 ohm resistor to VCC (3.3V or 5V for example) to create a resistor divider. The ADC pin connects to the point between the resistor and sensor.

 ```
 // the value of the 'other' resistor #define SERIESRESISTOR 560 // What pin to connect the sensor to #define SENSORPIN A0 void setup(void) { Serial.begin(9600); } void loop(void) { float reading; reading = analogRead(SENSORPIN); Serial.print("Analog reading "); Serial.println(reading); // convert the value to resistance reading = (1023 / reading) - 1; reading = SERIESRESISTOR / reading; Serial.print("Sensor resistance "); Serial.println(reading); delay(1000); }
```

 ![](https://core-electronics.com.au/media/wysiwyg/resources/rohs_icon.jpg)

## Images

- [Product image 1](https://core-electronics.com.au/media/catalog/product/a/d/ada3827-1.jpg)