As I pointed out his solution, even if it did function, it would be
inadequate at best. Because you do not know, my tools and their use are my
hobby and my hobby is expensive and yes, I do consider my time as a cost
factor. There are only 1100 hours a year for the working individual
available for activities outside of the work place and what time you spend
on one thing restricts your available time for other things. How you expend
those available hours is of course personal choice, but to consider them
without cost is foolishness. To repeat myself again, your solution is
neither cheap nor simple.
Steve

"Sjouke Burry" wrote in message
...
Steve Lusardi wrote:
$10 solution? I guess you don't build many things. How much is your time
worth? How much effort do you think it will take you to source the
apprpriate parts, even if you could? If you couldn't, do you have the
tools to make them? Material cost? Then you have the performance,
accuracy, liniarity, data display and verification issues to deal with. I
have both the knowledge, the test equipment and the machine shop to do
this and I know that for me to make one would cost me several kilobucks
in time and materials. Perhaps you want to share what your smoking.
Steve
I would make the mecanical parts, and
get a counter/photo transistor from www.conrad.com

I dont have to pay myself, you apparently have never
done any hobby work, according to your rules it would
be impossible to make something on the cheap.
The OP wanted something simple/cheap to have some indication
of water consumption, and I dont see where you would
spend all that money on, unless you are trying to
solve a different problem.

On Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:55:34 +0100, "Steve Lusardi"
wrote:

As I pointed out his solution, even if it did function, it would be
inadequate at best. Because you do not know, my tools and their use are my
hobby and my hobby is expensive and yes, I do consider my time as a cost
factor. There are only 1100 hours a year for the working individual
available for activities outside of the work place and what time you spend
on one thing restricts your available time for other things. How you expend
those available hours is of course personal choice, but to consider them
without cost is foolishness. To repeat myself again, your solution is
neither cheap nor simple.
Steve


I think you should hire somebody to breathe for you. It's a real time
waster.

Sjouke Burry - Thanks for the suggestion of asthma inhalator &
propellors to drive model ships for making a flow meter. Also -
www.conrad.com. They have several flow sensors that could be useful,
unfortunately they are located in Germany and they do not deliver to
" Canada, USA • High insurance costs make delivery impossible " One
would think that similar sensors would be available on this side of
the Atlantic.

Richard - The clock idea is an interesting concept. I'll time my
tanks. I have a spare hour meter but I expect the accuracy would not
be good enough.

Geoff - There are two poly tanks , 50 gallons each (66" X 17" X 11")
under the salon floor. The only access withoutout cutting large holes
in the carpet etc is about a square inch at the aft corner of one
and on the fwd corner of the other. The shallow depth of the tanks
don't make for getting very good reading with most senders. I could
possibly get a Tank Tender sender in, but I don't find them very
appealing for several reasons. I do have see thru hose on the tank
outlets that gives me some idea of the levels when air is let in but
it is not very convenient.

It is winter, boat project time.

Thanks and a Happy New year to all with their helpfull ideas.

Just fit an inexpensive domestic water meter. Most have 3/4 inch
fittings and will cope with 3 m3/hour flow rate. It is accurate
enough and I have one fitted just before the water pump inlet, with
its meter face poking through the galley deck. Easy enough to read
weekly and work out how much water is left.

On Jan 5, 4:43*am, CS wrote:
Just fit an inexpensive domestic water meter. *Most have 3/4 inch
fittings and will cope with 3 m3/hour flow rate. *It is accurate
enough and I have one fitted just before the water pump inlet, with
its meter face poking through the galley deck. *Easy enough to read
weekly and work out how much water is left.

CS

Yes that looks like the most practical solution. Do you know the
manufacture of the one you have.

Thanks