High Water Alarms

[DaleH]

Guys, there Johnson bilge 'High Water Alarm' is de bomb ! I, along with Capt Kevin and others, have this model installed and it is bulletproof and reliable. I LOVE the check feature so you can test it each day on the boat.

Plus, all my boat neighbors and the local Harbor Master, KNOWS my boat has a high-water alarm, so if they hear my boat beeping ... they check it out and/or call me as needed.

Link updated 06NOV2013: $65 from Defender Marine:
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... id=2097196

FWIW Johnson Products are my FAVORITE maker of pumps and switches. My brother had a combo livewell/washdown pump from them that lasted 14 seasons! New ShurFLos don't last 2 or 3. It is quite unfortunate, but Johnson discontinued that model pump . Note their 2200gph 1-1/4" output bilge STORM pump was also rated a 'Best Buy' from Powerboard Reports testing. It costs < $70 @ Surplus Unlimited of FL.

 

[96TL]

Note their 2200gph 1-1/4" output bilge STORM pump was also rated a 'Best Buy' from Powerboard Reports testing. It costs < $70 @ Surplus Unlimited of FL.

I have two of those on my rig. Love them! They sound like jet engines spooling up when they come on! 8)

Nice HW alarm.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Where did you guys mount the test switch?

 

[96TL]

Where did you guys mount the test switch?

You can mount it anywhere you like or where you have free space. Maybe by the factory switches. Thats where I have my Water Witch BA200.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Where did you guys mount the test switch?

You can mount it anywhere you like or where you have free space. Maybe by the factory switches. Thats where I have my Water Witch BA200.

Did you run the wires directly from the battery to the unit or did you just tap into the bus bar?

 

[TheOtherLine]

Ok, so I guess the value of having the alarm is to give you an opportunity to find the leak and plug it before it swamps your boat?

 

[96TL]

Where did you guys mount the test switch?

You can mount it anywhere you like or where you have free space. Maybe by the factory switches. Thats where I have my Water Witch BA200.

Did you run the wires directly from the battery to the unit or did you just tap into the bus bar?

Directly from the battery. That unit it on 24/7. It monitors how many times the primary bilge pump has cycled within the past 24 hours, 7 days, and 14 days.

Ok, so I guess the value of having the alarm is to give you an opportunity to find the leak and plug it before it swamps your boat?

Exactly. :wink:

 

[DaleH]

My high-water alarm panel is located in the helm cabin, with the sensor in the stern. It is wired direct to the battery for 24/7 coverage.

I'd choose a high-water alarm over a bilge-cycle count monitor.

 

[96TL]

I'd choose a high-water alarm over a bilge-cycle count monitor.

That Water Witch unit does both. And controls the primary pump as well. :wink:

Only downside is the price.

 

[DaleH]

I'd choose a high-water alarm over a bilge-cycle count monitor.

That Water Witch unit does both. And controls the primary pump as well. :wink:

Wow, great to know that feature about the WW unit. Thanks for updating me (us), as that info helps the archives here immensely !

 

[TheOtherLine]

Only because I've never had a situation where my bilge has ever filled up with water, what is the most common culprit of water intrusion in the bilge?

Is is generally high volumes of water coming in or is it usually some small leak that just slowly fills up the bilge with water? Will the stock bilge pump be able to handle that? If not, do I replace the existing one or add another one?

You guys are starting to make me paranoid :? I feel like if I don't go and pull of all my hoses to see if they are smooth bore and change out all my clamps, I'm at risk of sinking at sea.

 

[John_Madison CT]

My local Boaters World has a few of these onsale for $32.(closeout) I just may buy one and put it in the forward bilge area.

Then again, I wonder if that's a good idea. If the boat was filling with water it would probably fill the stern up quite a bit before finally "spilling" over to fill the forward area.

Anyway, I should really do this project.

 

[Megabyte]

what is the most common culprit of water intrusion in the bilge?

In my case, it would be rainwater combined with tree debris (leaves and 'helicopter seeds') clogging the scuppers during a nor-easter or tropical storm.

It doesn't take a lot of water on deck to leak past the seal in the aft hatch (over the bilge pumps) and into the bilge.

 

[96TL]

TheOtherLine, I think the primary concern is a faulty thru-hull or seacock, or even a plumbing leak.

TRUE STORY:
On my last boat (Seaswirl), I was out alone cruising around, and I noticed the bilge pump switch was lit up. I stopped the boat and checked the bilge. Everything looked okay, and the pump shut off.

When I went underway again, the light came back on after just a few seconds. Again, I ran back to the bilge, and everything looked fine, besides a few inches of standing water in the bilge (I didn’t know if that was normal, I was a newbie).

I took the boat to an open area with no other boats or buoys around, and left it running at about 10MPH with nobody at the helm. I ran to the bilge and looked inside. I saw a huge rush of water coming in from the strainer! Luckily it was plumbed through a seacock so all I had to do was close it. I bought a new strainer for $15 the same day, and fixed the problem.

If that happened to me today, the first thing I would do is close the seacock, but I didn’t know better back then. If I hadn’t noticed that bilge pump switch light up, things could’ve gotten really ugly. If I had a high water alarm, I would’ve known there was a problem immediately, no matter what I was doing. High water alarms are very important to have. I’ll never have another boat without one.

 

[tara11]

This alarm look and seems the ticket, my question is if it is in the bildge and the water that goes in there from the anchor rope and other places, will that trigger it or does there have to be inc\hes to set it off, I ordered one and am trying to figure out where to install, I am thinking on putting in the middle compartment, where the water cocks are for the toilet as the water collectes in my boat there first, any thoughts would be helpful !

 

[96TL]

Well, you want to mount it a few inches above the "normal" standing water level (if any). Keep in mind that boat movement will cause the water to slosh around.

I had my sensor too low when I first installed it, and it went off a few times. Almost gave me a heart attack!

 

[Keith FDNY]

I like that High water alarm as well looks from what others wrote that it is great!!!Adding to list to be done!!!

 

[Jersey Jim]

Tara11, to determine sensor placement I would first determine how many gallons your bilge needs to contain in order for the pump to switch on and evacuate it. This would be less gallons when you are under way, as it will accumulate further aft. I would first dump in 5-gallon buckets of water and keep a tally of when the pump activates. I think my bilge requires a little less than 5 gallons. I would perform this with the boat motionless on the water and not on a trailer. Then disable your pump and dump back the number of gallons to where the pump should normally come on. Then take note (or tape mark) of where the water climbs to at the point of pump activation. Then place your high-alarm sensor just above where the bilge gets water. One last thing to determine, with the pump still disabled, is to keep adding buckets of water until the alarm comes on. It would give peace-of-mind knowing that if your pump failed, your alarm will sound with a mere 5 or 10 additional gallons (84 pounds) entering the bilge.

I do not yet have a high-water alarm installed, but this is how I plan to determine the placement of the sensor. At a minimum, I plan to tie a horn in the bilge to the pump. The pump has a 14 amp float switch and a pump that only draws a few amps, so should be good to add a horn in the bilge.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Friday Project.

One of these days, I'll get to actually fish....

 

[Megabyte]

Friday Project.

One of these days, I'll get to actually fish....

Yes... but you are more prepared than about 99% of the folks out there.
Good job. :wink: