Need advise on arduino pump controller

Question

I should start by saying im not a programmer, will be obvious when you look at the code I guess.
im making a pump controller with a source container and three containers that get filled from the source.

I made water level sensors from for the containers.

i want the pumps to run if the containers are empty but only if the source container has water in it.

this works fine if the source is already empty when I start the arduino up but if the pumps are running while the source empties they keep running.

here is the code.

 //three pumps controlled by relays
//three fans controlled by pwm tip120
//four water level sensors 

//----------------------------------------------
//WATER LEVEL SENSORS
//EATCH SENSOR HAS THREE WIRES, TWO LEVELS AND A 5V INPUT. 

// water level sensor 1, has two A-inputs
// controlles pump 1
int levelSensor1Low = A0;
int levelSensor1HIGH = A1;

// water level sensor 2, has two A-inputs 
// controlles pump 2
int levelSensor2Low = A2;
int levelSensor2HIGH = A3;

// water level sensor 3, has two A-inputs 
// controlles pump 3
int levelSensor3Low = A4;
int levelSensor3HIGH = A5;

// water level sensor 4, has two A-inputs
// indicates if source water container is empty 
int levelSensor4Low = A6;
int levelSensor4HIGH = A7;

int wls1L;
int wls1H;
int wls2L;
int wls2H;
int wls3L;
int wls3H;
int wls4L;
int wls4H;

int z=90; // If circuit is not displaying correct digit then adjust this value from 100 to 1023 . 

//----------------------------------------------
//FANS

// blows on sculpture 1
int fan1 = 5;

// blows on sculpture 2
int fan2 = 6;

// blows on sculpture 3
int fan3 = 7;

//----------------------------------------------
//PUMPS

// fills vaporicer container at sculpture 1
int pump1 = 30;

// fills vaporicer container at sculpture 2
int pump2 = 31;

// fills vaporicer container at sculpture 3
int pump3 = 32;


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  
  pinMode(levelSensor1Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor1HIGH,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor2Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor2HIGH,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor3Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor3HIGH,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor4Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor4HIGH,INPUT); // defining input pins

  pinMode( pump1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( pump2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( pump3, OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode( fan1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( fan2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( fan3, OUTPUT);  // defining output pins

  Serial.begin(9600);


  

}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:

  // Read the state of all the water level sensors
  wls1L=analogRead(levelSensor1Low);
  wls1H=analogRead(levelSensor1HIGH);
  
  wls2L=analogRead(levelSensor2Low);
  wls2H=analogRead(levelSensor2HIGH);
  
  wls3L=analogRead(levelSensor3Low);
  wls3H=analogRead(levelSensor3HIGH);
  
  wls4L=analogRead(levelSensor4Low);
  wls4H=analogRead(levelSensor4HIGH);

  //if source container is empty 
  if(wls4L<z && wls4H<z) 
  {
   // pumps wont run
   // indicator turns on 
   Serial.println("source container is empty");

   delay (1000); 
   // serial info 

    }

  else    
    {
      
//----------------------------------------------

   if(wls1L<z && wls1H<z) // if container 1 is empty fill it
    {
      // run pump 1 
      digitalWrite(pump1, HIGH);
    }
   
   
   
   if(wls1L>z && wls1H>z) // if container 1 is full stop pumping
    {
      // stop pump 1
      digitalWrite(pump1, LOW); 
    }
    
//----------------------------------------------

   if(wls2L<z && wls2H<z) // if container 2 is empty fill it
    {
      // run pump 2
      digitalWrite(pump2, HIGH); 
    }
   
   
   
   if(wls2L>z && wls2H>z) // if container 2 is full stop pumping
    {
       // stop pump 2 
       digitalWrite(pump2, LOW);
    }
    
//----------------------------------------------

   if(wls3L<z && wls3H<z) // if container 3 is empty fill it
    {
      // run pump 3
      digitalWrite(pump3, HIGH); 
    }

   
   if(wls3L>z && wls3H>z) // if container 3 is full stop pumping

    {
      // stop pump 3
      digitalWrite(pump3, LOW); 
    }
    
//----------------------------------------------  
   // serial info 
Serial.println("WL-sensor1");
Serial.println(wls1L);
Serial.println(wls1H);
Serial.println("WL-sensor2");
Serial.println(wls2L);
Serial.println(wls2H);
Serial.println("WL-sensor3");
Serial.println(wls3L);
Serial.println(wls3H);
Serial.println("WL-sensor4");
Serial.println(wls4L);
Serial.println(wls4H);
delay(1000);

    
    }

}

any ideas on how to solve this? thanks in advance.

Answer 1

fixed it.

//three pumps controlled by relays
//three fans controlled by pwm tip120
//four water level sensors 

//----------------------------------------------
//WATER LEVEL SENSORS
//EATCH SENSOR HAS THREE WIRES, TWO LEVELS AND A 5V INPUT. 

// water level sensor 1, has two A-inputs
// controlles pump 1
int levelSensor1Low = A0;
int levelSensor1HIGH = A1;

// water level sensor 2, has two A-inputs 
// controlles pump 2
int levelSensor2Low = A2;
int levelSensor2HIGH = A3;

// water level sensor 3, has two A-inputs 
// controlles pump 3
int levelSensor3Low = A4;
int levelSensor3HIGH = A5;

// water level sensor 4, has two A-inputs
// indicates if source water container is empty 
int levelSensor4Low = A6;
int levelSensor4HIGH = A7;

int wls1L;
int wls1H;
int wls2L;
int wls2H;
int wls3L;
int wls3H;
int wls4L;
int wls4H;

int z=90; // If circuit is not displaying correct digit then adjust this value from 100 to 1023.
int k=0; 

//----------------------------------------------
//FANS

// blows on sculpture 1
int fan1 = 5;

// blows on sculpture 2
int fan2 = 6;

// blows on sculpture 3
int fan3 = 7;

//----------------------------------------------
//PUMPS

// fills vaporicer container at sculpture 1
int pump1 = 30;

// fills vaporicer container at sculpture 2
int pump2 = 31;

// fills vaporicer container at sculpture 3
int pump3 = 32;


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  
  pinMode(levelSensor1Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor1HIGH,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor2Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor2HIGH,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor3Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor3HIGH,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor4Low,INPUT);
  pinMode(levelSensor4HIGH,INPUT); // defining input pins

  pinMode( pump1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( pump2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( pump3, OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode( fan1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( fan2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode( fan3, OUTPUT);  // defining output pins

  Serial.begin(9600);


  

}

void loop() {
  k=0;
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:

  // Read the state of all the water level sensors
  wls1L=analogRead(levelSensor1Low);
  wls1H=analogRead(levelSensor1HIGH);
  
  wls2L=analogRead(levelSensor2Low);
  wls2H=analogRead(levelSensor2HIGH);
  
  wls3L=analogRead(levelSensor3Low);
  wls3H=analogRead(levelSensor3HIGH);
  
  wls4L=analogRead(levelSensor4Low);
  wls4H=analogRead(levelSensor4HIGH);

  //if source container is empty 
  if(wls4L<z && wls4H<z) 
  {
   // pumps wont run
   // indicator turns on 
   Serial.println("source container is empty");
   k=1;

   delay (1000); 
   // serial info 

    }

      
//----------------------------------------------

   if(wls1L<z && wls1H<z && k<1) // if container 1 is empty fill it
    {
      // run pump 1 
      digitalWrite(pump1, HIGH);
    }
   
   
   
   if(wls1L>z && wls1H>z || k==1) // if container 1 is full stop pumping
    {
      // stop pump 1
      digitalWrite(pump1, LOW); 
    }
    
//----------------------------------------------

   if(wls2L<z && wls2H<z && k<1) // if container 2 is empty fill it
    {
      // run pump 2
      digitalWrite(pump2, HIGH); 
    }
   
   
   
   if(wls2L>z && wls2H>z || k==1) // if container 2 is full stop pumping
    {
       // stop pump 2 
       digitalWrite(pump2, LOW);
    }
    
//----------------------------------------------

   if(wls3L<z && wls3H<z && k<1) // if container 3 is empty fill it
    {
      // run pump 3
      digitalWrite(pump3, HIGH); 
    }

   
   if(wls3L>z && wls3H>z || k==1) // if container 3 is full stop pumping

    {
      // stop pump 3
      digitalWrite(pump3, LOW); 
    }
    
//----------------------------------------------  
   // serial info 
Serial.println("WL-sensor1");
Serial.println(wls1L);
Serial.println(wls1H);
Serial.println("WL-sensor2");
Serial.println(wls2L);
Serial.println(wls2H);
Serial.println("WL-sensor3");
Serial.println(wls3L);
Serial.println(wls3H);
Serial.println("WL-sensor4");
Serial.println(wls4L);
Serial.println(wls4H);
Serial.println("k");
Serial.println(k);


delay(1000);

    
    

}

added another int that changes if the source is empty. hope this helps anyone...