default wrote:

On Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:22:16 -0700, Jim Thompson
wrote:

Gimmick needed...

New water softener has a blinking LED when salt level gets low.

Of course it's hidden in its own private closet in the garage.

Any cute gimmicks out there to "watch" the LED and transmit the info
into the house?

Power is available in the closet, so battery operation is not a
requirement.

(I don't want to open the case and void the warranty.)

...Jim Thompson

Small mouse cage located against side of softener, mouse is
conditioned to look for food when light blinks and runs into a pipe
into the house, reaches the end of the pipe launches into space and
lands on a lever with fulcrum that sends a small steel ball up to ring
a bell.

No need to get all Rube Goldberg about it... Keep it simple.

If a higher amplitude signal is needed, you could position an elephant near
the end of the mouse's pipe. When the elephant runs through your living
room, scared out of its wits, you'll know its time to perform the needed
maintenance.

There is the possibility of false signals as the November general elections
near and more elephants start running scared.

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
Just say 'No' to Windows.
-- Department of Defenestration.