Patent ID: 7523645

Claim:
A water detector for sensing water contamination in a vessel containing hydrocarbon fluid, comprising: a main body; means for attaching the body to a vessel; an electrically conductive probe having an internal passageway with an inlet and a spaced apart outlet communicating with the vessel; means for electrically insulating the probe from the body; a shroud having an internal cavity mounted on the outlet of the probe; actuator means for moving the probe within the body to and from a position wherein the cavity of the shroud forms a fluid tight reservoir with the body and the probe wherein the reservoir surrounds the outlet end of the probe; water metering means communicating with the inlet of the probe; a valve disposed adjacent the inlet of the probe and the water metering means; and means for coupling the body and the probe to a source of electrical potential to cause an electrical signal to be generated when water is sensed in the reservoir of the shroud.