High Water Alarm

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MikeM

MikeM

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
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Location
USA
Vessel Name
Tuscan Sun
Vessel Make
Krogen 42
What brand/model do folks recommend for a bilge high water alarm?

Thanks!
 
MikeM said:
What brand/model do folks recommend for a bilge high water alarm?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I have thought about that. If I did it, maybe have it wired to a bilge pump sitting much higher up that normally won't ever come on. Alarm-horn, wired to go on and off with the bilge pump switch. You can activate with a relay so power to pump is constant not drained by the alarm. So with high water, you get extra pumping and an alarm.
Maybe alarm could be digital voice saying 'help me, I am sinking'.
And be nice if the boat could notify you somehow with a text message?

All that gets sophisticated.
 
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As a simple "partial" solution I have placed a few battery powered alarms (from the big box stores) where ever water may come into the boat. These are continuity alarms with two probes that close the circuit when a conductive medium comes in contact with them, water. The alarm is very loud. I have placed them where the dock water comes into the boat, under all of my sinks, galley and heads.
I am sure boaters realize that if a hose clamp on a galley faucet fails, the boat could fill up with water from the dock side and sink. We always shut off the dock water when leaving the boat even for a few hours. I also installed a shut off valve inside the boat for ease of access and safety.

Some of these alarms are as small as a cigarette pack.
I am not sure if that answered your question, but it is a lesson I learned so I figured I would pass it on.
 
sdowney717 said:
I have thought about that. If I did it, maybe have it wired to a bilge pump sitting much higher up that normally won't ever come on. Alarm-horn, wired to go on and off with the bilge pump switch. You can activate with a relay so power to pump is constant not drained by the alarm. So with high water, you get extra pumping and an alarm.
Maybe alarm could be digital voice saying 'help me, I am sinking'.
And be nice if the boat could notify you somehow with a text message?

All that gets sophisticated.
Click to expand...

This is my idea also. I already have the pump. I am, sooner or later, going to mount it on a platform above the main engine room bilge pump.
My hesitation has been deciding if I want yet another thru hull or to use the galley sink drain that is handy.
 
I have a proper, "nautical" alarm that came with the boat. But the boat has three bilge sections separated by low bulkheads.

So I got these for the other two bilge sections and as a back-up for the main bilge section:

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-RWD14-A-Water-Alarm/dp/B00BDS0YH2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495118877&sr=8-1&keywords=Honeywell+RWD14+Single+Use+Water+Leak+Alarm+Multi-Pack

Not sure how loud they are and if they can be heard through the floor and over the engine noise but I will sacrifice one to find out.
 

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Wxx3 said:
This is my idea also. I already have the pump. I am, sooner or later, going to mount it on a platform above the main engine room bilge pump.
My hesitation has been deciding if I want yet another thru hull or to use the galley sink drain that is handy.
Click to expand...

Would your galley sink drain be large enough for a high capacity bilge pump?
I would think the thruhull for your bilge pump would be larger than the sink drain.

L.
 
I have two different types of high water alarms.

The older one uses float switches ard wired to a siren and the "old" alarm system which is a sensaphone web600. This system will send me a email and text message in the event of a alarm condition.

Ther newer one uses two electronic wireless battery operated water sensors that are connected to my Lowes Iris alarm system.

This will sound a siren on the boat, as well as send messages, and even call my contact list.

I have tested both and they are extermely effective.
 
Really no big deal...

Any flapper bilge switch connected to a 12V bell or alarm with a light in parallel works just fine.

"Proper" is a waste of money unless you cant rig one yourself or like the looks.

I tried one of the Johnson Ultima (electronic) switches and it didnt work...went back to a simple flapper. High out of bilge water, they last a long time even if unreliable as a primary bilge switch.
 
That's what I installed, psneeld. A second bilge pump with flapper switch normally sitting high and dry. I bought a loud weatherproof electronic alarm for $3 and wired it in parallel with this second bilge pump. Too easy.
 
I put in a system from Borel Mfg. Very nice, they make it to your needs. I have high exhaust temp alarm on the main engines and generator, 2 high water alarms and 2 water in fuel sensors for the main engine racors. I think it cost around $400. I have 2 - 2" horns that fit in just like a small gauge on the instrument panel. They label them according to your directions. Simple install and they draw no power unless there is an alarm.
 
Ours is Safe-T-Alert systems from MTI. Supposedly detects gas/propane (fumes), high water, and fire... 3 separate sensors.

Not necessarily a recommendation. Can't say whether it works or not, no experience... although it tests OK.

-Chris
 
Thanks for all the input. For those of you with a second, higher bilge pump, does it just T into the same thru-hull as the main bilge pump?
 
One I would (in the future) stay away from is the Rule alarm with the dash mounted 'speaker' Turns out, the 'alarm' is actually a high pitched whine, which is exactly the same note as my tinnitus. I've had it go off and was literally shaking my head thinking, "I need to get these ears checked." I've now noticed the same alarm on other boats when they go off. Not a good choice.
 
If you Tee into an existing through hull, it may back flush into the bilge via the other bilge pump. Put another throught hull in. Use smooth bore hose.
 
Comodave said:
If you Tee into an existing through hull, it may back flush into the bilge via the other bilge pump. Put another throught hull in. Use smooth bore hose.
Click to expand...



OK. That makes sense. I'll just do the alarm for now and think about another thru-hull in the future.
 
"The big red bell/noisemaker gets your attention real fast if you have an alarm."

YOU BET!

A bell is noticed even by modern folks that are used to beeps , chirps and strange electronic computer noises.
 
I built my own. Extremely happy with it. It was fairly expensive, but considering my boat is in the water year round in Alaska, and if I'm not on the boat I'm 360 to 700 miles away, it is well worth it.

Cellular internet modem
Cheap D-link cameras
Custom built PLC system - 6 float sensors, high and low temp alarms, engine monitoring, fuel metering, generator start/stop and timer run, encrypted security cable for dingy and outboards, door sensors, and remote controlled outlets for heaters, heat tape, or whatever. (I can turn on the heat in the shoulder season when I am about 3 hours away). Any alarm will sound a local strobe and siren and send us emails and texts. In place now since 2013, each summer I add a few more features to it. Gotta know your way around electrical and how to program PLC's though, or pay someone who does.

In addition to that, I also have a SPOT HUG satellite based unit that will send texts and emails for up to four dry contacts, I have it wired as a redundant notifier for high water, security, and shore power alarms.

Although I trust the PLC 100%, my critical high bilge pump is still wired direct to battery with a heavy duty float switch. The other four pumps are controlled by the PLC and connected float switches (I set them to run an additional 30 seconds once the bilge float goes off to get it as dry as possible). I can log into via my iphone or computer from anywhere in the world and make adjustments, turn on/off heat or freezer, manually run pumps, disable/enable security, etc.. In the highly unlikely event of PLC issues, the relay box I built has three way Hand/Off/Auto switches to each pump, going to hand will run them manually, and a button on the PLC screen will switch control from the PLC with "de-bounce" and "continue to run once clear" timers to direct control of the pumps via the floats, bypassing the PLC.
 
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Avalanche said:
I built my own. Extremely happy with it. It was fairly expensive, but considering my boat is in the water year round in Alaska, and if I'm not on the boat I'm 360 to 700 miles away, it is well worth it.

Cellular internet modem
Cheap D-link cameras
Custom built PLC system - 6 float sensors, high and low temp alarms, engine monitoring, fuel metering, generator start/stop and timer run, encrypted security cable for dingy and outboards, door sensors, and remote controlled outlets for heaters, heat tape, or whatever. (I can turn on the heat in the shoulder season when I am about 3 hours away). Any alarm will sound a local strobe and siren and send us emails and texts. In place now since 2013, each summer I add a few more features to it. Gotta know your way around electrical and how to program PLC's though, or pay someone who does.

In addition to that, I also have a SPOT HUG satellite based unit that will send texts and emails for up to four dry contacts, I have it wired as a redundant notifier for high water, security, and shore power alarms.

Although I trust the PLC 100%, my critical high bilge pump is still wired direct to battery with a heavy duty float switch. The other four pumps are controlled by the PLC and connected float switches (I set them to run an additional 30 seconds once the bilge float goes off to get it as dry as possible). I can log into via my iphone or computer from anywhere in the world and make adjustments, turn on/off heat or freezer, manually run pumps, disable/enable security, etc.. In the highly unlikely event of PLC issues, the relay box I built has three way Hand/Off/Auto switches to each pump, going to hand will run them manually, and a button on the PLC screen will switch control from the PLC with "de-bounce" and "continue to run once clear" timers to direct control of the pumps via the floats, bypassing the PLC.
Click to expand...

Yep, a post written by a Process Automation professional. :)

BTW, how is the new harbor coming in Valdez????

We are on the list, and will be getting a slip in the new harbor when it opens I think next year. We'll still keep the boat in Seward for the winter (because its milder) and move it to Valdez for the summers.
 
I see many high water alarms mounted high in the bilge, even a foot or more above normal high water mark!
Mounting location of the high water alarm switch should be just slightly above the level at which your primary bilge pump switch activates.
You don't want to wait until the water is really high to be informed!
Another common mistake I see is mounting the secondary pump up high with the switch. It needs to be as low in the bilge as possible, probably right alongside your primary pump, so that when the alarm goes off (the primary pump has failed) the secondary pump can empty the bilge, though you will have to switch it to manual operation or block the float switch on until the bilge empties.
 
kapnd said:
I see many high water alarms mounted high in the bilge, even a foot or more above normal high water mark!
Mounting location of the high water alarm switch should be just slightly above the level at which your primary bilge pump switch activates.
You don't want to wait until the water is really high to be informed!
Another common mistake I see is mounting the secondary pump up high with the switch. It needs to be as low in the bilge as possible, probably right alongside your primary pump, so that when the alarm goes off (the primary pump has failed) the secondary pump can empty the bilge, though you will have to switch it to manual operation or block the float switch on until the bilge empties.
Click to expand...

Unless, you have multiple pumps and if the bilge water can freeze solid.
I have lots of pumps and the bilge can freeze. I mounted one Rule 3700 1.5 inches higher than the others, just to keep it useful if it freezes. It sits now on a 2x4 wood piece along with the switch. I installed it as an emergency pump.
 
It does depend a bit on size and shape of bilge...but I see no problem with mounting pumps at slightly different levels for a variety of reasons.


Do what you think is best depending on your boat as there is no "right" way I have ever heard of....just a bunch of ways for a lot of reasons.
 
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