"RST Engineering" wrote in message
news
Think of a series voltage divider with two known resistors in the middle
and an unknown resistor attached to each end. What does the votage
measured at the junction between the two known resistors tell you about
the source voltage?


Absolutely nothing. An equation in one unknown with two degrees of
freedom is insoluble. There are an infinite number of correct answers and
an infinite number of incorrect answers. HOWEVER, if you let me measure
the voltage ACROSS one of those known resistors and THEN the voltage at
the junction, I've got a fighting chance if you know what the bottom end
resistor is tied to.


Think of heat flow as current, temperature as voltage, the actual connecton
between your divider and the heat source / sink like unknown resistors
(area, contact, material all make a difference as in a high current circuit)
your bar with the sensor in the middle is like the voltage drop in a
transmission line - flow is a function of area, material, potential. Heat
loss from the bar is a little harder - I guess in a high tension
transmission line there is some leakage to ground across the insulators?

And you thought you didn't know thermodynamics...

fwiw, I think I would just buy a different sensor, eh?

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.