Cold Water Flush Unit Electronics Design
Budget: £750 – £1,500 GBP
Scope of Works – Electronics Development for Cold Water Flushing Unit
Project summary
The requirement is to design and develop the electronics system for a compact cold-water flushing unit. The unit connects between a 15 mm cold-water pipe and waste outlet, and requires electronic control, timed operation, data logging, and USB data extraction.
Core electronics requirements
Valve control: Drive low-power solenoid valves in a defined sequence for 5 minutes every 24 hours.
Programmable timing: Maintain accurate 24-hour cycles (using a low-power Real Time Clock).
Data logging: Record operational data (timestamped flush events, unique unit ID, battery status).
Data output: Provide log export via USB (e.g. CSV or text format).
Power: Battery-powered system with target lifespan of 12 months (minimum acceptable: 6 months).
Low-power design: Electronics to support deep sleep modes, with minimal idle consumption.
Unique ID: Each board or firmware instance to carry a unique identifier for traceability.
Constraints
Compact board size suitable for fitting into a small under-sink housing.
Off-the-shelf components to be prioritised (microcontroller, drivers, connectors, battery packs).
Must integrate with non-return valve (NRV) and plumbing hardware, though plumbing connections are out of scope.
Simple, robust design for prototype stage with scope to refine later.
Desirable (future options, not required in first phase)
Wireless data output (BLE, Zigbee, or LoRa).
Flow sensing for automatic activation.
Leak detection sensor input.
Low battery indicator (visual or logged).
Dual input/output compatibility (hot and cold).
Out of scope
Mechanical housing design and manufacture.
Pipework connections and fittings.
Prototype assembly of enclosures or plumbing hardware.
Information required in response
Proposed electronics architecture (microcontroller, logging method, drivers, power supply strategy).
Component list (with indicative sourcing options).
Estimated development costs for schematic design, PCB layout, firmware development, and prototyping.
Lead times for design, prototype build, and testing.
Any recommendations for improving power efficiency or simplifying USB data extraction.
Project summary
The requirement is to design and develop the electronics system for a compact cold-water flushing unit. The unit connects between a 15 mm cold-water pipe and waste outlet, and requires electronic control, timed operation, data logging, and USB data extraction.
Core electronics requirements
Valve control: Drive low-power solenoid valves in a defined sequence for 5 minutes every 24 hours.
Programmable timing: Maintain accurate 24-hour cycles (using a low-power Real Time Clock).
Data logging: Record operational data (timestamped flush events, unique unit ID, battery status).
Data output: Provide log export via USB (e.g. CSV or text format).
Power: Battery-powered system with target lifespan of 12 months (minimum acceptable: 6 months).
Low-power design: Electronics to support deep sleep modes, with minimal idle consumption.
Unique ID: Each board or firmware instance to carry a unique identifier for traceability.
Constraints
Compact board size suitable for fitting into a small under-sink housing.
Off-the-shelf components to be prioritised (microcontroller, drivers, connectors, battery packs).
Must integrate with non-return valve (NRV) and plumbing hardware, though plumbing connections are out of scope.
Simple, robust design for prototype stage with scope to refine later.
Desirable (future options, not required in first phase)
Wireless data output (BLE, Zigbee, or LoRa).
Flow sensing for automatic activation.
Leak detection sensor input.
Low battery indicator (visual or logged).
Dual input/output compatibility (hot and cold).
Out of scope
Mechanical housing design and manufacture.
Pipework connections and fittings.
Prototype assembly of enclosures or plumbing hardware.
Information required in response
Proposed electronics architecture (microcontroller, logging method, drivers, power supply strategy).
Component list (with indicative sourcing options).
Estimated development costs for schematic design, PCB layout, firmware development, and prototyping.
Lead times for design, prototype build, and testing.
Any recommendations for improving power efficiency or simplifying USB data extraction.
Related categories:
Electronics
Microcontroller
Electrical Engineering
PCB Layout
Embedded Systems
Zigbee
LoRa