I'll have to get my multimeter out tonight and double check my resistor. My eyes aren't what they used to be and I'm not sure I read the bands correct! HA!
Groundfungus asked for a datasheet - and i really don't have one. I grabbed some old stock that I had laying around work to do some testing. Here is a Mouser link to the part - but it is obsolete. But their page does show some of the characteristics ...
As previously mentioned - it does appear to work; I'm just trying to understand why the serial monitor would show readings in the 200+ range for a few samples then zeros for a few samples. That's what is not making sense to me here.
I will likely end up abandoning this approach for my circuit and instead pick up and use a limit switch of some sort. I think that may end up being a little more reliable. However since I will need to use a phototransistor or a LDR in another part of the circuitry I am going to have to figure out this eventually.
Thx!