Several years ago I made a simple water level sensor for the fresh water tank on my boat. I used a series of stainless steel machine screws protruding from a PVC tube immersed in the tank to light up to six LEDs to approximate the level of the water. A screw under water activates a transistor to light the LED.
It worked well for some time but slowly the sealant I used around the machine screws failed and the PVC tube began to leak. Next, I filled the PVC tube with polyester resin. Although the heat of the curing resin bent the tube it worked for some months but eventually the tube still developed leaks.
I'm looking for ideas for alternate materials or construction. The rigid PVC tube and the polycarbonate lid I created hold up well to the sloshing in the tank. I just need a better way to keep the wires waterproof so only the conducting sensors see the water. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
It worked well for some time but slowly the sealant I used around the machine screws failed and the PVC tube began to leak. Next, I filled the PVC tube with polyester resin. Although the heat of the curing resin bent the tube it worked for some months but eventually the tube still developed leaks.
I'm looking for ideas for alternate materials or construction. The rigid PVC tube and the polycarbonate lid I created hold up well to the sloshing in the tank. I just need a better way to keep the wires waterproof so only the conducting sensors see the water. Thanks in advance for any ideas.