Was there anything wrong with it at all, before I started tinkering and breaking things?
Because as far as I can tell, the tank is holding its level overnight. I’m beginning to think I just used more water in a shorter time than I imagined, and should have checked it more often.
Meanwhile we had another coldish night…
Far from a record for the date, but still scraping the upper single digits overnight. The day is still predicted to be 20o warmer than yesterday, though. And with the wind having settled down, yesterday was less unpleasant than the day before. And fortunately for these old bones…
I know I say this a lot, almost as though I’m trying to convince myself. But I do seem to have effectively if not entirely shaken my chimney fire phobia.
You should never get too comfortable with anything that can destroy everything you have built. Better to be a little paranoid about something then to have it bite you in the butt.
So far as the water goes, i’m glad that it’s not as bad as you thought. From living with a well, I know how finicky things can get.
You live in a wooden cottage far out in the boonies, and certainly far from any fire department. Willing and concerned as your neighbors might be, they would probably arrive just in time to help you stir the ashes and commiserate.
Given reality, I would say that a modest fire phobia is neither illogical nor a terribly bad thing to have.
RE: the water tank – is it possible to put some sort of externally visible gauge on it that, maybe, could be checked from a distance with optics?
I haven’t found any practical way to do that without cutting holes in the top, which I’m not willing to do.
You need a meter that would be inside the tank and broadcasting the water levels, no holes in the top. Probably very very expensive but it can be done. There’s a lot of fluid level remote sensing equipment now.
Simple light aircraft have a ” cork and stick ” fuel gauge …you might be able to rig something like that with a flag on top of the stick for long distance viewing google ” volksplane ” and look at the fuel tank details , Patrick
A float switch – like you’ve already got in the tank – could have the wires routed through the conduit you’ve already got penetrating the tank. If you’re lucky there may already be a small junction box along the conduit run outside of the tank. The kind of signaling device you attach it to (and the power source) is entirely up to you.
Look at how the float that triggers your pump is tied – you just want your indicator float to be tied in a way that it switches when it’s x’ from the bottom of the tank. If you have it close a circuit when the float switches – then just have it power some low current device.
Or have it power a tornado siren, so all your neighbors will know you really care about the water level…
}:-]