🔗 Measuring Turbidity of Water using Arduino and Turbidity Sensor
- Real-time measurement of water turbidity.
- LCD display for live turbidity percentage.
- RGB LED indication for Clear, Cloudy, and Dirty water.
- Analog sensor output directly compatible with Arduino.
- Extendable with IoT or additional water quality sensors.
| Component | Quantity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Turbidity Sensor Module | 1 | Main sensing element |
| Arduino Uno / Nano | 1 | Microcontroller |
| 16×2 I2C LCD Display | 1 | Data visualization |
| RGB LED (Common Cathode) | 1 | Status indication |
| Breadboard | 1 | Circuit prototyping |
| Jumper Wires | 10–15 | Connections |
| Resistors (220Ω) | 3 | LED current limiting |
- The turbidity sensor shines light through the water sample using an IR LED.
- A photodiode/receiver detects the intensity of transmitted light.
- Cloudy water scatters the light, reducing intensity → higher turbidity.
- The sensor outputs an analog voltage proportional to water clarity.
- Arduino reads this voltage on pin A0 and maps it to a 0–100% turbidity scale.
- Results are displayed on the 16×2 I2C LCD and indicated with the RGB LED:
- Green → Clear water
- Blue → Cloudy water
- Red → Dirty water
| Module / Pin | Arduino Pin |
|---|---|
| Turbidity Sensor VCC | 5V |
| Turbidity Sensor GND | GND |
| Turbidity Sensor OUT | A0 |
| I2C LCD SDA | A4 |
| I2C LCD SCL | A5 |
| RGB LED (Red) | D5 |
| RGB LED (Green) | D3 |
| RGB LED (Blue) | D4 |
| Issue | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| LCD not displaying values | Wrong I2C address | Scan and update LCD address |
| Sensor always reads 0% | Probe not submerged / loose wiring | Check water sample & wiring |
| Wrong LED indication | Incorrect pin mapping in code | Verify pin connections in sketch |
| Unstable readings | Electrical noise / loose wires | Use shorter wires & proper GND |
- Drinking water quality testing.
- Industrial wastewater monitoring.
- Environmental water pollution detection.
- Educational water science experiments.
- Add pH, TDS, and temperature sensors for complete water quality analysis.
- IoT integration with ESP8266/ESP32 for remote monitoring.
- Data logging to cloud or SD card.
- Calibration with standard turbidity solutions for higher accuracy.
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Voltage | 5V DC | Arduino compatible |
| Current Consumption | ≤ 30mA | Low power |
| Output Type | Analog (0–5V) | Direct to Arduino |
| Detection Range | 0–4000 NTU | Typical water range |
| Response Time | < 500ms | Fast measurement |
| Operating Temperature | -30°C to 80°C | Wide range |
- 📘 Measuring Turbidity of Water using Arduino and Turbidity Sensor
- 🔧 Arduino IDE
- 📄 Arduino Uno Datasheet
- 📄 Turbidity Sensor Datasheet
- 💡 IoT-based Water Quality Monitoring using ESP8266
- 💡 Arduino pH Meter Project
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