Battery powered bilge alarm?

[Ohlin Karcher]

I think it's a good idea to have bilge alarms, one forward one aft.
If they are independent of the boat's 12v system, they can't flatten the house battery.
I have been using the very cheap ebay ones in the picture, they are certainly very loud, but I want to get better ones, as:

These ones often give false alarms, and there is no cancel or reset button. You end up desperately trying to lever off the tacky plastic cover with a knife, to disconnect the battery, before everyone calls the fire brigade etc (very loud!)
There is no on/off switch.
They are not at all waterproof, or kick-proof.

So what do others use, there must be something a bit better but not insanely expensive?

 

[geem]

Why do you need bilge alarms? Just wire a sounder to the electric bilge pump float switch. Every time the pump runs the sounder alarms. You only panic when they dont stop sounding we can here the main sump bilge pump sounder from the cockpit whilst sailing

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

I want alarms to tell me if water is rising in other sections of the bilges, to start with.
For example, the heads compartment bilges which can flood if someone leaves the sea inlet cock open, does't have a bilge pump or float switch.
Also the bit of the bilges behind the engine which is the deepest, but doesn't have a float switch but a manual whale pump suction hose.
Also, float switches can get jammed open or shut by bits of stuff floating around. The two pin electrical type can't get jammed, they are like lifejacket light automatic switches, water completes the circuit and you get a bleeping noise.

 

[Yngmar]

The X4-Life version of the same thing is a bit more expensive, has an on/off button, visual indicator, volume switch (loud and extremely loud), test button and long-life battery (~10 years).

Cheaper from Conrad than Amazon if you can be bothered to deal with their ordering ordeal.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

The X4-Life version of the same thing is a bit more expensive, has an on/off button, visual indicator, volume switch (loud and extremely loud), test button and long-life battery (~10 years).

Cheaper from Conrad than Amazon if you can be bothered to deal with their ordering ordeal.

That is perfect, a thousand thanks!

 

[PetiteFleur]

I have a similar to the X4 Life - bought from ebay, made in germany and is wired into the 12v circuit. Has a loud alarm and flashing red light. Fitted after the end cap on my heat exchanger blew off and started to flood the engine bay... fortunately I had the engine hatch open and saw it happen and stopped the engine. If it had happened when motoring and the hatch closed does not bear thinking about. For info it was a Beta 25hp with a single central screw holding the cap on, the screw had broken, got 2 new screws that the screws should be renewed every 10 yrs, it was 12 yrs old. The later heat exchangers are different and secured with 3 screws.
This the one I bought:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Wat...243941?hash=item1c286be525:g:Ll8AAMXQrhdTV86a

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

I have a similar to the X4 Life - bought from ebay, made in germany and is wired into the 12v circuit. Has a loud alarm and flashing red light. Fitted after the end cap on my heat exchanger blew off and started to flood the engine bay... fortunately I had the engine hatch open and saw it happen and stopped the engine. If it had happened when motoring and the hatch closed does not bear thinking about. For info it was a Beta 25hp with a single central screw holding the cap on, the screw had broken, got 2 new screws that the screws should be renewed every 10 yrs, it was 12 yrs old. The later heat exchangers are different and secured with 3 screws.

Thanks for the info, my brand new Beta 43. is getting craned in tomorrow!

 

[fisherman]

I used these
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/buzzers/8772003/

and bilge reed switch

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/float-switches/3389716/

Wired with pos from battery to buzzer, neg from battery to switch to buzzer. Don't like loose pos in the bilge.

One chap had a simple thin rod or wire with a bottle cork on the bottom, running in 'P' clips, top end by the wheel. This could have been fitted with an alarm, so no elec in the bilge whatsoever, bit like the washing machine pressure switch option, with air tube to the bilge.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

I used these
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/buzzers/8772003/

and bilge reed switch

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/float-switches/3389716/

Wired with pos from battery to buzzer, neg from battery to switch to buzzer. Don't like loose pos in the bilge.

One chap had a simple thin rod or wire with a bottle cork on the bottom, running in 'P' clips, top end by the wheel. This could have been fitted with an alarm, so no elec in the bilge whatsoever, bit like the washing machine pressure switch option, with air tube to the bilge.

Good idea!

 

[fisherman]

Good idea!

Which one.....? This is an air pressure version, under £50.
https://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/e...139FV-D57CtjIiTlyh241BfNDhhlo0kBoCSe4QAvD_BwE

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Which one.....? This is an air pressure version, under £50.
https://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/e...139FV-D57CtjIiTlyh241BfNDhhlo0kBoCSe4QAvD_BwE

I meant using an air pressure one.

 

[fisherman]

I meant using an air pressure one.

You can DiY that one for a very few quid, OK for an alarm, but you need a bigger, eg Gael Force one to run the pump. Likewise the bilge switch I linked to, not enough capacity to run the pump, just the alarm.

 

[pyrojames]

You can DiY that one for a very few quid, OK for an alarm, but you need a bigger, eg Gael Force one to run the pump. Likewise the bilge switch I linked to, not enough capacity to run the pump, just the alarm.

I now use instrumentation float switches, a low and a high level, and put them to relays to run pumps. More reliable than dedicated float switches, smaller and the wires come from a potted assembly that doesn’t move. I also have a high high switch connected to a general alarm mounted at the chart table.

 

[fisherman]

One problem, as i see it, is using a float switch to run the pump involves another set of connections with a high amperage, through the switch. I never liked them, and the pumps with short wires are a pain. Johnson pumps, from these people
https://www.pumpinternational.com/products.aspx
proved the best in all ways, changed once in 25 years.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Thanks for all your advice Fisherman!