Water Level

[Champy]

I have to lay about 300' of drain lines on my property to address some surface water pooling problems. My problem was how to accurately measure the slope of the drain lines to ensure the water would go where I wanted. Too cheap to buy a laser or transit; too lazy to use a string level; I instead built a water level to make sure my drain lines were right.

The concept is to use the water in a hose to show the proper common points for leveling most anything. Gravity basically forces the water in the tube to always be at a constant level (relative to the tank), so every measurement taken against that reference point is really VERY accurate.

Setup requires a tank/jug with some clear tubing. I added a yardstick and some angle iron to mount everything. Then I added a magnet to use as a sliding pointer to show the water level. I also added some food coloring to the water so its shows up better. Each measurement moving down the trench allows me to see if the pipe is sloped correctly to my 1/8" per foot target. One of the pictures shows the magnet pointer and the blue water with a 1" difference in readings which correllates to the change in depth of the pipe over an eight foot long section (1/8" per foot x 8' = 1" drop).

Hopefully this makes sense. BTW - I also used this to measure my gutters to set the slope for proper flow where I was having problems.

Here are some pics of the setup.

 

[yankeerider]

Nice job! I think water levels are highly under rated for their cost/performance value.

 

[Tig]

Nice job Champy.
I like water levels when I build. It's easier for the layman to get a good reading. I mark stakes with a water level (translucent hose) and then shoot a laser between stake marks. After that I interrupt the beam with a 1x6 to check if the beam hits the expected mark.

 

[Bird]

Yep, a water level is very effective. It seems to me that all the mobile home installation and set-up guys use them to level manufactured housing.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have hired a few guys with some construction experience who have always been amazed that I would trust a water level.

Not one of them was willing to believe that the water lever was more accurate than the most expensive rotary laser on the market.

Oh well, I suppose that is why they were unemployed and willing to do casual labor.

 

[AndyMA]

Yup, "water always seeks it's own level" is one of the fundamental principles we learned in engineering school.

Andy

 

[Bird]

Not one of them was willing to believe that the water lever was more accurate than the most expensive rotary laser on the market.

Since I'm not familiar with the expensive rotary lasers, I can't say the water level is more accurate, but I don't see any way it could possibly be less accurate.

 

[MikeD74T]

Since I'm not familiar with the expensive rotary lasers, I can't say the water level is more accurate, but I don't see any way it could possibly be less accurate.

Because a water level relies on gravity it follows the curvature of the earth. A lazer shoots a straight line which at some distance becomes uphill as you go away from the source. If you lay waterline with a lazer the curvature of the earth must be compensated for, causing some to say a water level is more accurate.
Glad to see the large reservoir. Small reservoirs are less accurate when used with a long tube. MikeD74T

 

[Bird]

Because a water level relies on gravity it follows the curvature of the earth. A lazer shoots a straight line which at some distance becomes uphill as you go away from the source. If you lay waterline with a lazer the curvature of the earth must be compensated for, causing some to say a water level is more accurate.
Glad to see the large reservoir. Small reservoirs are less accurate when used with a long tube. MikeD74T

OK, I'll buy that; just never thought about using a water level for that kind of distance.

 

[bx24]

Because a water level relies on gravity it follows the curvature of the earth. A lazer shoots a straight line which at some distance becomes uphill as you go away from the source. If you lay waterline with a lazer the curvature of the earth must be compensated for, causing some to say a water level is more accurate. MikeD74T

Come on, Einstein (if I remember right) said that even light gets bent by gravity!

Water levels are awesome, but where a laser really shines is in its portability and more importantly - its speed. You can set up a "self leveling" laser almost instantly and when it comes to laborers on work sites, time is money. The down side is that self leveling lasers and their remote laser light pickups are probably 50x more expensive than a big container, some clear line and some food coloring.

Great post

 

[brandoro]

I have a cheap laser that clamps to a fairly good 3 foot level and use that for some things. Almost as much for its entertainment value as anything. Most of the time I find myself with the water level for setting elevations and string for making straight lines. Cheap, pretty accurate and no batteries required. Gravity is persistent.

 

[R W]

Take a look at WatrLevel - Home Page

 

[Keith01]

I agree, water levels are extremely accurate. I made a simple one for laying out the footers for my garage.

You do not need to have alot of the clear tubing, the major cost. I bout 24" of clear tubing and two garden hose repair ends. The type with the barbed end, one male, one female. Cut the tube in half, jammed a repair end into each, then attached them to a garden hose. Filled up the hose, and worked all the air out. Total cost was about $4, I already had the garden hose.
I only had 12" of clear on each end, but I didnt need that wide of range. The only problem I had was the water level would bounce after I raised or lowered one end. Using a resevoir would eliminate that, I do have some 5 gallon buckets!

Keith in SC

 

[JRP]

The water level is good, but you must make sure you don't have bubbles in the lines.

One advantage of a rotary laser is that you can set them (some) to slope mode for drainage, and also lasers work with moving equipment such as scrapers and box blades better than a water level does. The water level hose can get tangled or cut by the box blade.

Seriously, one box blade application of a water level is to mount one across the back of your box blade with a scale on each end. If you have T&T you can easily verify the box is level or adjust the 3pt to the desired slope.

 

[CurlyDave]

My Rotary Laser says it is accurate to +/- 3/8" at 100 yards. I don't know if I believe that or not, but I know for sure I can measure with a tape to a lot less than that.

As far as the curvature of the earth goes, whether you want to include it or not depends what you are doing. For drain lines, you want the water to drain. A water level is more accurate because it automatically compensates for this admittedly small effect.

The guys who make float glass want that to be non-curved, and have to compensate for the earth's curvature.

Personally, I have done a lot more drain lines than float glass factories, so the water level has an advantage there.

OTOH I use the Rotary Laser level more just because it is fast and convenient.

 

[turnkey4099]

Another advantage to a water level is something a laser can't do. Level around a corner or obstructions.

Some warnings. Water levels are extremely accurate IF:

1. The entire line is at the same temperature. Put 1/2 in the shade and half in the sun will throw it off some.

2. There are no air bubbles in the line. I have never understood why, but a bubble will also throw it off.

I have layed out two foundations for my house, installed steel siding using one around the corners to be sure it lined up, and a 30x50 machine shed for my brother. He didn't trust it so had a contractor re-run with transits. No change.

Harry K

 

[8NLUGNUT]

My house mover uses his own homemade water level to level the tops of the sonatubes.

I read somewhere the Egyptians used water levels to level the pyramids.

I don't think they used a nice clear plastic hose though.

 

[chickenman]

one could hire some out of work roman aquaduct builders