Method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting salt level in a water softener

A method of monitoring a salt level in a water softener brine tank, said brine tank having a perimeter wall extending from a bottom, said method comprising:

• providing a first, second, and third capacitive sensor, each said sensor having a sensing probe;
• providing a controller in communication with said sensors;
• attaching said first, second, and third capacitive sensors on an outside surface of said perimeter wall with each said sensing probe above a maximum brine level;
• said controller monitoring and comparing outputs of said capacitive sensors;
• said controller converting said outputs of said capacitive sensors into a value between a salt present or salt absent value;
• and
• reporting a low salt condition when at least one of said capacitive sensor values have a salt absent value.

A device for monitoring a salt level in a water softener brine tank having a perimeter wall extending upwardly from a bottom and having a maximum brine level, said device comprising:

• a first capacitive sensor located at a first position on an outside surface of said perimeter wall of said brine tank and spaced from said bottom at a first distance, a second capacitive sensor located at a second position on said perimeter wall and spaced at a second distance from said bottom, and a third capacitive sensor located at a third position on said perimeter wall and spaced at a third distance from said bottom, said first, second, and third distances being above said maximum brine level, each said capacitive sensor having a corresponding sensor probe;
• each said capacitive sensor having a corresponding output, said corresponding output movable between a salt absent reading and a salt present reading, said absent reading defined by said salt level being below said sensor probe, said salt present reading defined by said salt level being above said sensor probe;
• and
• when at least two of said capacitive sensors substantially agree, a controller reporting said output.