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Date:         Tue, 20 Sep 2005 14:14:33 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: voltage in water tank?
Comments: To: Michael Elliott <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <432EDFBA.3060104@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

There are two types of level sensors, an electro-mechanical "float type" that I only know about form hearing about it on this list (I think it's in later Westies), and a multi-point exposed contact system (which is what I have in my '85 Westie).

I've never stuck a probe in the water, but this system definitely uses the water as a "conductor" to determine the level.

At 08:56 AM 9/19/2005 -0700, Michael Elliott wrote: >I've not seen a writeup about how the water tank level sensing systems >work (there were two types, I think). I don't know if they have exposed >+12vdc points in the water. Fresh water is a darn good insulator. But >the more dissolved solids, such as minerals i.e., hard water, in the >water, the greater the conductivity. The combination of a very high >impedance voltmeter (such as a good digital voltmeter) and hard water >might very well result in enough current flow to register on the meter. > >-- > >Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >71 Type 2: the Wonderbus >84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >KG6RCR > > > >On 9/19/2005 8:20 AM Robert Harris wrote: > >>hi y'all, >>Yesterday I was trying to diagnose a dead sink water pump, and in the >>process happened to discover that the water in my Westy holding tank >>always >>has a voltage of +0.3 volts, even when all systems are >>off. Ummmmm!!!!!???? Is this normal? I am wondering if the water level >>LED "meter" thingy is malfunctioning. No schematic handy. The meter >>does >>work fine and turning it on makes the voltage of the water go up to >>+1.5volts. This is an '84 Westy. >> >>In the interest of science if anybody could stick a multimeter probe in >>their water tank and see if there's voltage when everything's off, I'd be >>grateful. >> >>thanks, >>Robert H >>Ithaca, NY >>84 Westy "Busaru"


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