LIGHTED TILTMETER FOR NIGHT USE???

[RBManufacturing]

Hi Guys,
Once again, I would like your opinions. I have developed a
tiltmeter for use at night. It uses 2-led lights to light tube,
and the numbers are a glow in the dark paint. 12 vdc.
Wires are inside a harnessflex, flexible conduit, and it is
attached to meter with a compression fitting. The led lights are hidden inside body, one at each end of tube. Worth
trying to market? Anyone think they would ever need one?
Again, I am asking you guys at TBN first. You guys are my
sounding board. Thanks, Rick

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I would say you have a bit more designing to do to be really practical at night.

Glow in the dark paint, as used on wrist watches, really don't work very well. If you could use the LEDs to backlight the numbers that would be a HUGE improvement. Or if not to backlight the entire number scale, then how about just 2 points, showing an illuminated red dot at 15-degrees on either side?

I like the idea of a tilt meter as I have hills, some very steep, but I have not purchased one because I think most of the designs are better suited for surface mounting on truck and jeep dashboards. Brackets exist for mounting on a tractor hood, but I don't like the sharp square corners on the tiltmeters I have seen and I'd buy one in a heartbeat, even at a higher price if it had a factory OEM looking case/cowling that surrouned it and protected it, and I'd gladly pay more especially if it was illuminated for evening work.

 

[Whiskey]

Rick:


<font color="blue">Worth trying to market? Anyone think they would ever need one?
</font>

Are you kidding me????....first you come out with the tiltmeter and now you light it for night use....The only things guy's like more than neat thing's to mount on there tractors...are neat thing's to mount on there tractors that light up in the dark....Coooooool!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Whiskey

 

[Junkman]

I think that it is a great idea and I know that I would be interested in upgrading even though I just bought mine only a month ago.

 

[RWB]

if you could light the tube or direct light through the tube. If you add a light on the end it should follow the tube to the other end. It is kind of like the fiber optic. Might have to color the back of the tube white. Just a suggestion. I think the lighted tilt would be a good sell. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Boxman]

Something like that would be really useful for nighttime 4wheeling. I've often wished I had a lighted tiltmeter in my Jeep.

boxman

 

[Boondox]

Rick -- I like my tiltmeter, but frankly after the first couple of weeks using it I had the incline of nearly every part of my land memorized. Sort of confirmed where I had reason to pucker, and reassured me in the places I don't pucker. Now I hardly ever glance at it. Can't imagine using one at night. But others' needs may vary.

Pete

 

[Bird]

I think that would be really neat to have, but as for whether it's worth marketing . . . I don't know; maybe depends on the cost. Personally, for myself as well as the farmers I know, I was highly unlikely to go anywhere in the dark that a tiltmeter would be needed. Like Boondox, I think we pretty well learned our own property in the daylight and had no reason to go into strange territory at night.

 

[Inspector507]

Rick have you looked into using a back-lit electroluminescent panel? It's a paper thin panel that can be cut and trimmed to anysize you need, as long as you leave the wire ends intact. Apply voltage and the whole thing lights up.
Anyway the whole concept of a lighted tilt meter sounds interesting.

 

[RBManufacturing]

Inspector507, and ALL,
Thanks for the input. About the panel, I asked a local
electronics guy and he told me he thought moisture would be
a problem in my application. I must admit, I do not know
much about the panels. Could moisture be a problem down
the road??? I used the l.e.ds on request of a company that
wanted a lighted version using l.e.ds. I found a glow in the
dark paint that seems to work well. I tried several, and some
were faint, and some lasted only 3-4 hrs. The one I am
using is VERY expensive, but bright, and lasted 6-7 hrs. in
dark. This is not necessarily the design I would use for other
applications. I like the sound of the panel, but need to find
out more. Keep the opinions coming, and ideas. I love the
idea of TBN opinions. What a diversified board. From lawyers
to pilots to farmers to computer guys to everything in between.
Thanks Guys. Rick /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif