Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

Hi
I was thumbing through this months issue of National Fisherman and saw
an article describing a Johnson Pump Bilge Alarm. Looks like a simple
compact unit. But............?

Has anyone used or heard of this product?
Any recomendations as far as reliability?

Bob

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

"Bob" wrote in news:1139949578.054483.11880
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Any recomendations as far as reliability?

Bob



Noone will sleep while Lionheart sinks. I moved the alarm over from the
old boat. It's very simple......

There's a separate Rule float switch about 1' higher in the bilge than the
bilge pump. When it closes, it connects 12VDC to a Radio Shack alarm siren
up under the radar antenna pointed straight down the dock in her normal
position. You can probably hear it, outside, halfway across the city.
NOONE in the marina will sleep through its wailing, unless totally passed
out drunk, I suppose. It's powered off a separate direct battery fuse from
the bilge pump so that if that blows it won't disable the alarm. Pulling
the fuse or the float dropping is how you shut it up. No switches someone
could inadvertently shut off, thank you.

If you lift the float when threatened by some idiot in a big sport
fisherman bearing down on you at 20 knots, it will turn the other boat
quite nicely, too. Don't forget to warn the passengers to cover their
ears...Don't want anyone jumping overboard thinking we're going to dive
like a sub or explode...(c;

Never saw the unit you're refering to. The horn/siren monster was $25-30
at Radio Shack. We had a spare Rule float switch and fuse holder.

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

Larry wrote:
"Bob" wrote in news:1139949578.054483.11880
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Any recomendations as far as reliability?

Bob



Noone will sleep while Lionheart sinks. I moved the alarm over from the
old boat. It's very simple......

There's a separate Rule float switch about 1' higher in the bilge than the
bilge pump. When it closes, it connects 12VDC to a Radio Shack alarm siren
up under the radar antenna pointed straight down the dock in her normal
position. You can probably hear it, outside, halfway across the city.
NOONE in the marina will sleep through its wailing, unless totally passed
out drunk, I suppose. It's powered off a separate direct battery fuse from
the bilge pump so that if that blows it won't disable the alarm. Pulling
the fuse or the float dropping is how you shut it up. No switches someone
could inadvertently shut off, thank you.

Excellent point!!!

The horn/siren monster was $25-30
at Radio Shack. We had a spare Rule float switch and fuse holder.

Humm. Simple...cheep.... reliable............ You sold me.
Thanks

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

"Bob" wrote in news:1139953124.850923.324820
@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Humm. Simple...cheep.... reliable............ You sold me.
Thanks




One more little item I forgot. In parallel with the float switch is the
helmsman's panic switch to raise the dead should there be some life-
threatening emergency that needs an "all hands on deck" callup. The
cabling was in the right place, so it was a good idea. The switch is hard
to get to up under the instrument panel so no inadvertent, heart-stopping
alarms in the middle of my offwatch sleeping...(c;

The panic switch not only alerts the crew their attendance in the cockpit
appears to be mandatory, but alerts a couple of miles ahead, 1/2 mile to
the beams and aft, as well....(c; When someone is running me down, I tend
to want to make LOTS of noise to the contrary....

Hollar out at 2AM sometime and see how long it takes to get everyone out of
bed and on deck for an emergency drill. The big siren drops that time
significantly, those that aren't in cardiac arrest, of course.

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

Here is the bilge alarm system we use. It combines our 5 bilge areas
into one alarm.
See http://www.yandina.com/hints.htm#BilgeAlarm

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

Hi: The reason I was asking about the Johnson Pump unit was the sensing
unit had no moving parts. A feature that I find appealing for stuff
that live in a bilge. Not sure of the technology. But the article
description mentioned some electrical magic that I do not understand.

Andina, thanks for the link. The Yandina web site is good one for an
electrically challenged person as myself. Five bilge areas?!?!? Must be
a long boat.................
Bob.

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

"Andina Marie" wrote in news:1140017006.491085.73170
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

http://www.yandina.com/hints.htm#BilgeAlarm

"Bilge Circuit Breaker"?? AAAAAAAACCCKKKK!!!! Right in the panel where
Johnny can flip it off thinking it's the stereo?!!....AAAAACCCKKKK!!!!

Oh, please, please....I'm on my knees here....Please take the bilge pumps
off the circuit breaker panel and run separate wires directly from each of
the pumps to separate inline fuses right there next to the battery, hooked
straight to the battery posts so NOONE can turn off the bilge pumps unless
the fuse decides the wires are about to catch fire....Please? Did I say
please?

(cue song) "It Can Happen To You".......

Hmm...RatShack no longer lists our Mast Blaster, but here's a few examples
of what it looks like...
http://www.starkelectronic.com/spcsir.htm
SA-15RP....$25.

Bilge Alarm Advice needed
 

"Bob" wrote in news:1140021985.976464.88870
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

But the article
description mentioned some electrical magic that I do not understand.



These electronic-controlled pumps come on every few minutes to measure
motor current, which will be low if the pump is dry, but high if the pump
is underwater and DOESN'T cavitate madly. If the current is low, the
electronics shuts it back down until it times out again. Runs about 3
seconds if dry. Runs until the current shows a good drop indicating the
pump ran out of stuff to pump overboard if the initial current is high.

No magic, just an series small resistor to sense motor current and a custom
IC to monitor it, already programmed.