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   PID: PyGate 1.5   
   TID: PyGate/Linux 1.5   
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   REPLYTO 3:633/10 UUCP   
   Subject: Re: OIL level sensor (was ODD DNS behaviour on Pi ZERO W with   
   Bullseye OS)   
      
   On 19/11/2025 17:24, Daniel James wrote:   
   > On 19/11/2025 12:16, The Natural Philosopher wrote:   
   >> One of these basically   
   >>   
   >> https://www.fueltankshop.co.uk/2500-litre-oil-tank-titan-h2500gr/p5305   
   >>   
   >> The tank already had a hole in the top to take an oil watchman sensor,    
   >> so I 3d printed a case to use the same mounting holes and gasket. I    
   >> will need to open up the hole a bit for the ultrasonics   
   >    
   > Ours is a steel tank, but it has a tube poking out of the top that has    
   > previously accommodated a Watchman sensor.   
   >    
   > Housing the electronics is the problem - I had hoped that oil tank    
   > sellers would sell a screw-in cap for the tank opening that I could    
   > cannibalize to make an appliance housing, but I haven't found anything    
   > suitable (yet).   
   >    
   > I really needed an excuse to get into 3D printing. :-)   
   >    
   I have used mine fairly cosistently to make cases, duplicate broken bits    
   of plastic, and for all manner of things I simply never thought of.   
   I got a pair of RAACO cabinets that were not shipped with drawer    
   dividers. The cost of printng was less than the cost of buying them...etc.   
      
   The upfr9nmt cost is a bit steep, but hey - the more toys the better....   
      
      
   >> Well since I am 100% custom I didn't bother with mqtt - I simply send    
   >> a short text string . The more problematical bit is establishing a    
   >> wifi connection and what to do if it fails to connect.   
   >>   
   >> If I had Ethernet out there I would never have gone to the complexity    
   >> of battery operation....   
   >    
   > I used MQTT because I already had Mosquitto running on the Pi3B (as part    
   > of a HomeAssistant setup controlling a few Tasmoto switches). I should    
   > not have gone that route otherwise ... but it does work well.   
   >    
   Ah yes. I am a believer in 'use what you know of and have already'   
      
      
   > Yes, if I had Ethernet running out to the tank it would all be so    
   > different ... but I'm not drilling a hole through a 60cm stone wall to    
   > get it there!   
   >    
   >>> I have a 3V-compatible HCSR04 to play with ...   
   > [snip]   
   >>   
   >> Good with the 3v version Mine isn't and I expect it to get sketchy at    
   >> around 3.9V.   
   >> If that proves to be a problem I'll probably make a new board up and    
   >> transfer the modules from the existing...   
   >    
   > Mine is actually an RCWL-1601, which claims HC-SR04 compatibility. It    
   > also claims to support i2c as well as the usual trig/echo signalling,    
   > which will help as me ESP8266 is running out of pins. I may have to    
   > switch to an ESP32 ... but I have a handful of 8266s not doing a lot ...   
   >    
   >> I don't like the commercial solutions that rely on a cloud somewhere.   
   >    
   > No, indeed. I avoid those as much as possible.   
   >    
   >    
      
   --    
   "When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign,    
   that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."   
      
   Jonathan Swift.   
      
      
   --- PyGate Linux v1.5   
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)   
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