{"id":9889,"date":"2018-08-07T19:21:57","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T00:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/us\/\/?p=9889"},"modified":"2025-05-15T14:38:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T19:38:01","slug":"float-switch-level-measurement-method","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/us\/knowhow\/float-switch-level-measurement-method\/","title":{"rendered":"The Float Switch: A Simple, Reliable Measurement Method for Almost All Liquid Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

Due to its reliability, a float switch is one of the most frequently used measurement technologies for monitoring liquid media levels. It’s simple yet effective design consists of a hollow float within a guide tube, rising and falling with liquid levels and activating switches along the way. Find out more about what a float switch is and how it works.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A float switch<\/a> is versatile, consistent and exceptionally reliable. Its simple mechanics have been used to control water flows in mills and fields for centuries. Despite various level-measurement innovations in the past decades, the modern float switch is still the most frequently used method for monitoring liquid media levels today.<\/p>\n

In its simplest form, a float switch consists of a hollow float body with a built-in magnet, a guide tube to guide the float, adjusting collars to limit the movement of the float, and an inert gas switch contact on the inside. See this short video <\/a>for a visual representation of level monitoring with a float switch.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

How Does a Float Switch Work?<\/h2>\n

<\/span>
\nThe buoyant float with a permanent magnet rises or falls along a guide tube with the rising or falling levels of the medium being measured. The guide tube is fitted with a reed contact, which is energized by the movement of the magnet. When a preset switch point is reached, the reed contact is actuated.<\/p>\n

The guide tube\u2019s reed contacts consist of contact leaves within the hermetically sealed glass body. These move together or apart when a magnetic field is applied from the float. When a reed contact has a normally open function, the leaves are brought into contact when a magnetic field is applied. When the contact between the leaves is made, a current flows through the closed leaves and a switching signal is detected.<\/p>\n

For a float switch with a normally closed switching function (SPST, or single-pole single-throw), the contact or circuit is interrupted when a magnetic field is applied. If one selects a change-over contact (SPDT, or single-pole double-throw), the glass body contains three contact leaves where, at all times, normally closed and normally open contact are simultaneously made for every operation.<\/p>\n

Since the contact leaves are under a mechanical preload, a magnetic field must be applied for the contact leaves to close or open. This generates the desired switching signal (monostability). The adjusting collars serve as a limitation for the float body in the correct position, to ensure the desired switching signal is accurate in reaching the defined level.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

WIKA: A Leading Provider of Float Switches<\/h2>\n

The simple and proven functional principle of a float switch enables a very wide range of applications, from general industrial systems to maritime vessels<\/a>. One of WIKA\u2019s most versatile float switches is the Model WFS<\/a>. Its operation is non-contact and free from wear. It works independently of foaming, conductivity, dielectric, pressure, vacuum, temperature, vapors, condensation, bubble formation, boiling effects, and vibrations \u2013 making it a cost-efficient, simple solution suitable for almost all liquid media and many industrial applications.<\/p>\n

As a leading provider of float-based measurement solutions<\/a>, WIKA USA has options for many application-specific requirements. For more information, contact a WIKA expert<\/a> today.<\/p>\n

[contact-form-7 id=”14552″ title=”Blog Contact Form”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Due to its reliability, a float switch is one of the most frequently used measurement technologies for monitoring liquid media levels. It’s simple yet effective design consists of a hollow float within a guide tube, rising and falling with liquid levels and activating switches along the way. Find out more about what a float switch […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":9312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[436,799],"class_list":["post-9889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knowhow","tag-level-measurement","tag-level-monitoring"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFloat Switch Types & How Float Switches Work - Wika Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A float switch is a simple, dependable measurement technology frequently used to measure levels of a wide range of liquid media.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/us\/knowhow\/float-switch-level-measurement-method\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Float Switch Types & How Float Switches Work - 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