Fluid condition monitoring system

A system for monitoring the condition of a plurality of fluids as determined from measured electrical characteristics of samples of said fluids successively applied to a sensor, comprising:

• a remote test terminal having a remote controller and associated remote memory, a data entry means, and test module, said test module including said sensor and a coupled electrical circuit means to remotely generate a test signal representative of said electrical characteristic of said samples,
• said sensor including a first member forming a receptacle for a sample of fluid to be tested, said first member including an electrically conductive, spherically concave surface portion characterized by a first radius of curvature, a second member including an electrically conductive, spherically convex surface portion characterized by a second radius of curvature, said second radius being less than said first radius, a support means for supporting said first and second members whereby said concave portion of said first member is opposite and spaced from said convex portion of said second member by a gap to form an electrical cell having a region for retaining a sample of fluid between said conductive portions of said first and second members,
• wherein said remote controller includes means responsive to a user operation at said data entry means to generate and store associated sample identification and use signals in said remote memory for each sample applied to said sensor, said sample identification signal being representative of the identity of the fluid for said sample under test, and said associated use signal being representative of the period of use of said sample, and
• wherein said remote controller further includes means responsive to said user operation to control said test module to generate said test signal for said sample, and means to store said test signal in said remote memory in association with said stored sample identification and use signals, and
• a test signal monitoring means for automatically identifying fluids for which said test signals indicate a predetermined condition, thereby providing evaluation of said remotely generated test signals representative of the condition of said fluids.