Bilge Counter

[NB Willawaw]

I have a Bilge Alarm on my boat - it tells me if the water level is rising because the bilge pump is either not working or overwhelmed by a large inflow of water.

However, it occurs to me that something which is just as important, is knowing whether the bilge pump is working harder than normal.

If I return to the boat after an absence of days or even weeks, I might find a minimal amount of water in the bilge - all well or so it would seem.

However, for all I know the pump could have been starting every hour to pump the bilge out !!

The alarm is there for catastrophic events - a last resort..

A Bilge Counter that counts the number of pump operations over a set period of time would also be useful.

Week 1 - I arrive on the boat after an absence and check the counter - 0
Excellent.
Week 2 - I arrive on the boat after an absence and check the counter - 3 times in the last 7 days.
Worth investigating.
Week 3 - I arrive on the boat after an absence and check the counter - 21 times in the last 7 days.
Very worrying - instant action required.

The alarm never set off once during any of these weeks, but there is obviously a worsening problem with water ingress.

I think a dual installation of counter and high level alarm worthwhile.

What do you think ?

 

[Ubergeekian]

I think a dual installation of counter and high level alarm worthwhile.

What do you think ?

What about using an engine hours meter (or equivalent) to monitor how long the bilge pump has run for?

 

[NB Willawaw]

Yes that might work if it were resettable.

I've been looking at this:

It measures bilge runs over 24 hours, 7 days, 14 days and ignores false starts caused by bilge movement on a float switch.

 

[Martin_J]

I'm not sure what make the picture above refers to but are you thinking along the lines of this...
http://www.celectron.co.uk/bw8kit.html

Monitors and counts for up to 8 pumps with a nice graphic display...

 

[Ubergeekian]

Yes that might work if it were resettable.

I've been looking at this:

It measures bilge runs over 24 hours, 7 days, 14 days and ignores false starts caused by bilge movement on a float switch.

Can it distinguish between a fifteen second run to get rid of overnight condensation and a two hour run to get rid of rainwater coming in through a burst cockpit drain?

 

[NB Willawaw]

No, it would count anything over 6 seconds duration as a single bilge pump run.
Presumably, the two hour run would be repeated every time it rained, so you would notice a much higher count number compared to the last time you were on the boat due to the faulty drain ??

I've looked at the Bilgemate and it is very very fiddly to drive and complicated to interrogate.

I'm quite good with gadgetry but when I played with the simulator on their website, I couldn't get it. Have a look !!
It will do 8 bilge pumps, but I only have one in the engine bilge that would bother me.

 

[NB Willawaw]

If run time were the more important factor rather than run cycles, could use something like this:

 

[Interlude]

80 quid - ouch - then I looked up an engine hour meter in the local catalogue - they want $130. How about a battery operated alarm clock, 1.5 volt battery removed and power supplied by a resistor - 2x diodes regulator from the bilge pump - set it to midnight when you get off and check total running time whe you get back on.

 

[NB Willawaw]

The Bilgewatch is £80 yes, although I currently have a new one still in the box for £40.

I thought it was a good idea in principle, but now having read the book and played with the simulator, I'm selling it because I can't get on with it.

The intelligent bilge counters and hour meters are just over £50. I'm thinking about one of those - haven't decided which yet.
These seem sailor-proof and intuitive.

 

[FullCircle]

I have a Celectron - cost £28 from the manufacturer off ebay on auction.
Very comprehensive.

 

[johnsail]

If run time were the more important factor rather than run cycles, could use something like this:

Where do you get these please?
John

 

[NB Willawaw]

Hi John.

Have sent you a PM.

 

[FullCircle]

NB, are you commercially involved in making/selling these products?

 

[NB Willawaw]

I have produced my own bilge alarm for fun in the past - have my own design on my boat.

I'm not involved in the production of the ones shown in the photos. They are professionally manufactured.

I occasionally put things on Ebay if I don't want them.

The Celectron is a case in point, but it hasn't got as far as Ebay yet as a boating friend has said he wants it.

NB, are you commercially involved in making/selling these products?

 

[DaveS]

If an hour counter would do, have a look at the range in RS. They do a good number in different shapes and sizes with electromechanical types starting at well under £20. No connection etc. etc.