High Water Alarm MS350

[Djoub]

1998 MS 35 Trawler. Next few days here in Florida will be all rain so I started to go thru my list of “things to do” for something indoors. Decided to tackle the non-working high water bilge alarm. No pic but the switch is located about 6” above the mid bilge pump and switch. The bilge pump and switch work fine. I will troubleshoot for power to the float switch and into the harness but my question is “What and Where” is the alarm??? Only alarm I’ve heard is a buzzer at the lower helm for what I think is the low oil pressure as it goes off after the motor starts. Not sure what is at upper helm either.

Short of adding new switch’s, alarms, and rewireing everything, is there a simple fix? Or just bite the bullet and upgrade one more 20 year old system?

 

[Comodave]

Couple of things, first I would move the alarm sensor a bit lower than 6” above the lower water pump. I would like to know about the high water sooner to have more time to work the problem. I mounted my high water alarm sensor about 3” above normal bilge water level. I used a system from Borel Mfg in Alameda. It is a very simple system to instal. I have 2 high water alarms, 3 high exhaust temperature sensors and 2 water in fuel sensors in my system.

 

[GregBrannon]

Quick fix? In a boat?

I don't have your boat or know your system, but all of my boat's alarm sensors are run to a logic/junction panel that then sends alarm signals to a Yacht Safety Center panel at both helms. Your setup may be more or less complicated, but the wires from those sensors go somewhere, completing a circuit when the sensor's switch is closed. That circuit can be used, possibly as it was originally intended if the original logic circuitry still works, or with modifications as needed to trigger new lights and alarms.

Check wiring diagrams or use the help you get here to determine where the wires go or run new ones. Verify the sensors still work. If you have a logic panel that collects sensor info and decides when to activate alarms, it may be bad or switched off. I suspect some owners disable the systems when the logic starts failing, sending false alarms.

It'll be easier to help you when you know the system better and can ask specific questions.

 

[Djoub]

So it’s been a couple of weeks since I started this post. I finally got around to tracking the problem down. Realized quickly this was not original equipment but was added on. After tracing the float wires back to the batteries, and then the float wires from engine room up to and thru the lower helm (no alarm) and then up to the upper help, (I should have started up there first). Buzzer is totally corroded. Apparently this type doesn’t last more then a couple of years even under cover. Also purchased a couple of other 12v alarms/buzzers and will install another in parallel for the lower help station.