easy fix !! -- (Visual) humidifier

[Mark Cramer]

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It is a great idea Dan, and I'm glad you've proven it over time!.

Discussing this awhile back, I wondered if you were installing these riser
tubes on the outside of the piano, but see from this post you are not.

The missing item then, is the bottom-cover, which would need to be
detached/re-attached (in our case weekly) in order to inspect the guage.

It's not that students couldn't do this, the issue is that bottom-covers are
made of fine cloth (of necessity) for which there is currently no durable
means of attachment/re-attachment.

(some are currently stapling the velcro tabs to the cloth, though I believe
Fred Sturm has developed an alternate fastening method)

So the issue that initially sent us on this "hunt" was the concern
"bottom-covers" would not hold up to the wear & tear of under-the-piano
inspections.

What I think I've "woken-up" to Dan, the key words being "I think," is that
inspecting the water level (before watering) may be totally unnecessary, for
any grand-system, bottom-cover or not.

The "telltale" indicators of "empty, how-empty and full" are all there
automatically, no guages required.

So perhaps I could encourage a few of you to test me on this. It will only
take a few minutes, and I'll really appreciate the correction if I'm
mistaken:

1.) Simply connect a "full" pitcher to a piano whose LWL is NOT blinking,
and begin to pour:

If "trickling" is heard, keep pouring, you KNOW you have capacity.
2.) When the "trickling" sound stops, stop pouring:

Water has reached the upper-end of the hose slit; your "high-water limit"
(full capacity)

If you want to know how much water the tank needed, simply see what's left
in the pitcher. (our assistants report average consumption weekly by e-mail,
allowing us to forecast trends, and adjust the watering interval as
necessary).

If you're curious as to whether the tank is actually full, reach into it and
check the level with your finger. (the water level should/will almost reach
the upper end of the angled slit in the hose) YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO DO
THIS AGAIN!

If no "trickling" was heard, simply stop pouring, lower the pitcher and
allow any surplus water to return.

BTW, I'm not saying manual inspection and indeed the LWL aren't necessary,
in fact they are an essential back-up, even in a "scheduled" watering plan.

(If I find a blinking light, I immediate check the tank level, then go on a
room-to-room hunt for others, and the assistants "hear about it!")

But for the moment, it looks like I've found the solution I was after;
pianos can be watered to schedule without waiting for a blinking light,
without crawling under the piano, without detaching the bottom cover and
without reaching into the tank, and that is a vast improvement over the
previous method.

May I hear back from a few of you on this?

thanks, and best regards,
Mark Cramer,
Brandon University




  -----Original Message-----
  From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of Jim
Busby
  Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 11:03 AM
  To: College and University Technicians
  Subject: RE: easy fix !! -- (Visual) humidifier


  Dan,



  You are the man! Good idea.



  Jim



  -----Original Message-----
  From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of dan
tassin
  Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 9:33 AM
  To: caut@ptg.org
  Subject: easy fix !! -- (Visual) humidifier





   Mark,  &  list,



          I think you will find it best if you installed a  VISUAL
INDICATOR  GAUGE  on the side of the water tank.   Drill a couple of holes
( top and bottom ) on the end nearest the edge of the piano, and glue (Epoxy
or Silicon Sealer) a CLEAR Plastic Tubing on the  outside of the tank.
Once it's installed,  fill it with predetermined quantities of water and
mark the tubing on the outside.   At one glance, you can see HOW much is in
the tank, and then at one glance determine HOW much to fill back into the
tank.



          You'll have to remove the tank and empty it to do this project.
But, it will be so much worth the effort to take OUT  ALL  the guess work in
knowing the present water levels by just ONE glance.   You could still use
the  LOW-WATER light indicator to tell you WHEN to look at the SIGHT gauge.
The only extra effort in this form of checking is just bending down to look
under the piano at the tank / gauge.  (which, you need to look at it once in
a while to check it's condition, anyway.)

    There is no patent on this operation --- I think it's "Public Domain."
( well, it is now... )



  Try it.  I know you will like it.  I install this type of indicator on
EACH new Damp-Chaser before I put it in a customer's piano, or a school
piano.   It is  TOTALLY  =  Dummy Proof.   (batteries not included...)



  Best of Luck,

    ( a former Radio Control Helicopter and Airplane Modeler -- it helped in
knowing little tricks that work in OTHER applications.)

  ______________________________________

  Dan Tassin, RPT

  Nashville Chapter

  Blair School of Music (Asst. Tech)

  Jackson State College

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  PS:   HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE CONVENTION IN NASHVILLE !!!

   There will be a "Special Guest Bluegrass Band"  performing at the
OPENING CEREMONIES.

             You  DON"T want to miss this bunch !!!

                          Come one,  Come  ALL !!!

                                       You are going to  LOVE   Nashville
!!!




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