High Water Alarms

[TheOtherLine]

OK. This really isn't a major project but I thought I would document the install for those who know even less than I do about electronics, if that's possible.

Whole job took about 4 hours once I assembled all the stuff I needed.

I just zip tied the sensor at level just above where the float switch kicks the pump on. I'll find out tomorrow if I have it too low. It has to be immersed for 8 seconds before it goes off, so, I am hoping that splashes of water in the bilge don't set it off.

If that's a bad idea, someone let me know!! I don't mind constructive criticism at all.

 

[HM5]

TOL nice job, good pics and detail. I have seen these on the ferry boat, and this discussion makes me think I need to add this to the winter projects.

 

[tara11]

I put that one in a while back, it is loud and that is good, hopefully I will never need to hear it , except for testing !

 

[TheOtherLine]

Now that I look at it, I realized I made another mistake. I should have mounted the switch either higher or lower. Leave room for even more stuff that I don't even know that I must have. 8)

 

[DaleH]

IMHO splashing won't set it off, but water running down the wires 'might'. I only had mine go off once and when the alarm SCREAMED ... it literally took me a few seconds to remember what tone that tone signified. I had been tuna fishing and a friend was washing down the rear deck with the real cockpit lazerette hatch open, and water was running in, down around ALL of the wires and hoses in the area and settled on the switch. In retrospect, a good test that's all!

FWIW Iwould xip-tie it in place, you don't want it flopping around, as it looks like 6" or so of wire to the switch are unsecured.

 

[jeffnick]

I don't have a high water alarm, but I do have a piezo buzzer wired into the pump switch so every time the bilge pump kicks on, the buzzer sounds.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062404

I'd never notice just the light...especially while sleeping aboard.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Hey guys, take a look at my fuel bulb picture.

Does it appear that it might be installed incorrectly or maybe abnormally stressed? Do you see where the bulb connects to the line on the left side? Does that look like a bad hookup?

I had a watchful CP'er bring it to my attention and wanted to hear if anyone else thinks it could be a problem.

 

[TimC2520]

That does look like a pretty good bend on the left side there, good eye.
Is that red hose part of the problem? It looks as though it may be pushing on that end of the bulb but it's tough to tell by the photo.

 

[TheOtherLine]

That does look like a pretty good bend on the left side there, good eye.
Is that red hose part of the problem? It looks as though it may be pushing on that end of the bulb but it's tough to tell by the photo.

That red hose is attached to the bilge pump. The bend at the connection between the bulb and fuel line was like that when I bought the boat. I don't think the red hose is exerting any pressure on the fuel line, but, I'll go check tomorrow.

By the way, it wasn't my eye that caught it. It was the eye of one of our esteemed and observant members

 

[ppem45]

I just installed my High Water Alarm and decided to install the alarm on the second station. As I type this there is a Sunbrella cover being made for the second station so that dampness will not be an issue. I thought about putting it in the cabin but was afraid it would not be heard if there was a problem. I did wire it to directly to the battery.
I have to tell of a problem we had this past summer aboard my friends Grady. We had fished an area that was just at the opening to the open ocean and had taken some water over the transom. On the way back to the marina we stopped to say hello to a friend and as we were pulling away from his boat he said that our bilge pump was running. We thought it was because we had taken so many waves over the stern and it had not had time to be pumped out. As we continued to the slip I noticed that something was flying around on the end of a small line. I told my friend and he said it was the garboard plug. He tred to put it back in but it was too far down to reach. We brought the boat to the launching ramp and installed it. There was a lot of water in the bilge and it took about 15 minutes to pump it out. Hopefully this will never happen with the Johnson Bilge Alarm on the job. I don't know why Grady White would put a "Flip Lever" Garboard Plug in the transom but they soon changed it to a screw plug in lataer years of manufacturing. I give my bilge a visual daily but will welcome having a the high water alarm.

I will have some pictures of the install soon.