Date:         Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:32:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Water Level Sensors Good News vs Bad News?
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I refilled the water tank again last Friday and avoided the overspill out
the top which caused the drip drip drip of the previous leak by opening
the top of the tank (yeah, there are some openings up there) and having my
helper shut off the fill before the tank overflowed.

I had to do it that way because the water level panel on the stove still
doesn't do anything other than light the red lamp.

The good news is that my tank is the kind with the contacts, not the float
style. The bad news is that Bend's water may be too pure for sufficient
current to flow between the contacts and operate the lamp-lighting circuitry.

Wait, no -- clean water is also good news.

So I gotta question: someone mentioned last week that buried in the
archives is a description of how to clean the contacts in the tank. Mine
appear bright shiny and clean. Should cleaning would make any difference?
I mean, those who got lamp action by cleaning their contacts, did they
find that their contacts were all corroded and pitted and covered with
mineral deposits and barnacles and stuff?

If bright contacts are considered good contacts, then I have two choices
if I want the lamps to do anything useful: Modify the circuitry to operate
with less current by using op-amps with higher input impedances, lower
input current; and increase the values of the voltage divider resistors --
David Beierl knows what I'm talking about.

Or put a teaspoon of salt into the tank each time I fill it. This is
easier. I'll do that next time and see if it works. Pity about adding salt
to such clean water, tho'.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
Bend, OR
KG6RCR