DIY Bilge Pump Alarm

[Tim Good]

Is there any reason I cannot just wire in an alarm or smoke detector alarm into the feed wires to the bilge pump and act as a bilge alarm? Obviously the connection would need to be relatively high and as water proof as possible.

I have a very nice setup with two independent bilges sealed above the waterline with two automatic pumps and aux pumps also. However no alarm. I'd have though alarms would be relatively commonplace?

 

[prof pat pending]

How about something like a float switch and an automotive reversing alarm?
You should be able to do it for under £20

 

[pmagowan]

No reason to prevent you putting a buzzer on so that when the bilge pump is activated so is the buzzer. You can, of course, develop a seperate system with its own sensors if you want to be more sophisticated. I am planing to make one which will help isolate the initial source of the leak and potentially activate pumps and turn off seacocks.

 

[cindersailor]

I wired one of these warning lights/buzzers (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Red-F...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item4d34adbdef) into the float switch circuit. Works very well. Only problem is that I now have so many alarms on board (gas, anchor drag, VHF/DSC, chart plotter...) that when one goes of I have to hunt around to identify which one needs attention; that's where a flashing light is useful.

 

[ronsurf]

One of these? Re-wire it so it's powered by 12V:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...0.Xflood+alarm.TRS0&_nkw=flood+alarm&_sacat=0

 

[Tim Good]

No reason to prevent you putting a buzzer on so that when the bilge pump is activated so is the buzzer. You can, of course, develop a seperate system with its own sensors if you want to be more sophisticated. I am planing to make one which will help isolate the initial source of the leak and potentially activate pumps and turn off seacocks.

That is a lot more sophisticated haha. I like simple. A friend has put one of these in every compartment under each seacock in an effort to track down a leak should it happen.

Since I have two independent bilges for bow and stern, an alarm system linked to the bilge pump switches will at least give me a 50% better chance of finding the problem

 

[pmagowan]

Yes, what you propose should be more than enough. I am only thinking about my system as an overkill because I can. My bilge will have multiple watertight compartments and the plan is for each to have flooding sensors, along with one for each stopcock. It is more of a project for fun than for any real need since the liklihood of a problem is so small and the standard backup systems should cover most eventualities. My alarm will be integrated so that a warning will pop up telling me that there is water ingress and where it has come from.

At present on my boat I just have one automatic bilge pump powered from a float switch. There is no buzzer but the noise of the pump and the water splashing out the side is a giveaway.

 

[salar]

Here is how I built my bilge alarm

http://www.boat-angling.co.uk/Hints_and_Tips/bilgemonitor.htm