Using Ultrasonic Sensor to measure distance gives consistent but incorrect values

Question

I've placed the sensor at top of tank and want to measure distance to the liquid.
The code following code runs but returns cosistent but incorrect values

'''

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time

try:
    GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
    GPIO.setwarnings(False)

    TRIG = 23
    ECHO = 24
    maxTime = 1

    while True:
        GPIO.setup(TRIG,GPIO.OUT)
        GPIO.setup(ECHO,GPIO.IN)

        GPIO.output(TRIG,False)

        time.sleep(0.1)

        GPIO.output(TRIG,True)

        time.sleep(0.00001)

        GPIO.output(TRIG,False)

        pulse_start = time.time()
        timeout = pulse_start + maxTime
        while GPIO.input(ECHO) == 0 and pulse_start < timeout:
            pulse_start = time.time()

        pulse_end = time.time()
        timeout = pulse_end + maxTime
        while GPIO.input(ECHO) == 1 and pulse_end < timeout:
            pulse_end = time.time()

        pulse_duration = pulse_end - pulse_start
        distance = pulse_duration * 17165
        distance = round(distance/2.54, 2) 

        print(str(distance)+" inches")
except:
    GPIO.cleanup()

'''

The returned values are consistent but incorrect, since tank height is 44 inches.heres a sample of values

851.36 inches 851.1 inches 851.17 inches 851.31 inches 851.44 inches 851.09 inches 851.3 inches 851.39 inches 850.91 inches 851.27 inches

Answer 1

You should move your GPIO.setup() commands outside the while loop, only needed once.

Your duration to distance calculation is wrong, should be:

distance = pulse_duration * 34300 / 2

You should ignore values where the timeout has been applied:

    ignore = False
    pulse_start = time.time()
    timeout = pulse_start + maxTime
    while GPIO.input(distance_echo)==0 and pulse_start < timeout:
        pulse_start = time.time()
    if pulse_start >= timeout:
        ignore = True
        
    pulse_end = time.time()
    timeout = pulse_end + maxTime
    while GPIO.input(distance_echo)==1 and pulse_end < timeout:
        pulse_end = time.time()
    if pulse_end >= timeout:
        ignore = True