Anyone know of a leak detector for a vented Monitor heater?

[sunglider]

Something like a plumbing leak detector that will sound an alarm if your basement starts flooding but in this case, alarms if the heater starts leaking kerosene into its floor pan? I've looked at the water detectors but I'm not sure they will work with liquids of different specific gravity and electrical conductance than water.

 

[jimbom]

Home brew a float and fine wire switch. Have the make close a contact. Then the rest is whatever you want.

 

[fishingpol]

The water detectors available use a 9 volt with two contact wires are about $15. An hvac supply house should sell a condensate drain float for about the same. Rig the float to the contacts. A multimeter will help determine the connections.

 

[heat seeker]

A water detector may not work with kerosene. It relies on the conductivity of the water to function. I'd test one first, before relying on it to work with kero. IMO, a float switch is the way to go - which could be attached to a water detector to use its battery and alarm.

 

[backpack09]

If you are relying on a float to tell you you are leaking kero... it is probably too late. The water detectors warn with the first hint of water that bridges the leeds. I would think a float would require inches of liquid to float.

 

[jimbom]

I am not sure about the electrical conductivity of kerosene. Oil is often used as an electrical insulator. I was trying to remember what we used for JP-5, but the sensor escapes me. Perhaps it was a vapor alarm.

 

[heat seeker]

OP mentioned a floor pan. I assume that it's under the stove, and has a lip to retain leakage.
I don't know if it would work with kero, but you can use a microswitch, whose arm is held up by an aspirin tablet. When the tablet dissolves, the arm moves down and closes the switch. You'd have to see if kero would dissolve an aspirin tablet. If so, that's one possibility for a homemade unit.

 

[sunglider]

Thanks everyone. The float idea is a possibility. I think the drip pan under the heater is permanently attached and isn't very deep. I'll have to experiment with floating or dissolving objects to see what, if anything, works.

I think when there are in-tank floats, they are either cork or hollow plastic.

 

[heat seeker]

Cool. Keep us posted, this is interesting!