Of Bilge Pumps and Float Switches......serious...

[Renegade_Master]

"If boat usually dry inside and only reason float switch likely to trigger because of emergency water ingress then have audible alarm also connected to switch so goes off when pump triggered"

Most boats as you say have a drip or two from stern glands so not normally fully dry.
So say over a couple of days sufficient water triggers float switch for a few second yes. So one doesnt want the alarm to go off when just emptying stern gland drips, so instead of fitting second switch, why not fit an alarm which triggers once the float pump has been running for say 15 mins, therefore almost certainly not stern gland drips and something more serious.

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[Oldhand]

... or get a noisier pump so you can hear it when its running? With a raggie boat the pump is usually below the main saloon and can be heard, I guess on most stinkies they tend to be aft near the engines and perhaps can't be heard.

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[boatone]

True on shaft drive boats Clive - though my Pedro has a deep sea seal and is bone dry. But what about all the smaller sterndrive boats where there is no water ingress unless something is wrong? Dont need a time delay for those boats so can wire float switch direct to alarm as well as pump.
Cost of a delayed time circuit would probably be at least as much as cost of extra floatswitch where extra floatswitch makes sense..........


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[Its_Only_Money]

Re: Of Bilge Pumps and Float Switches......serious

I guess the problem with the delay is that, according to Wiggo's calcs, you might be sunk in 4 minutes!

I think I prefer the "level alarm" style rather than the "pump been running for too long" style. Possibly easier to rig switches than timers too??

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds

Simon
Its Only Money
Fairline Sprint
Solent-based

 

[Vara]

In the question re decaulking tools got directed to this site seems to be one of many gems <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yandina.com/hints.htm#BilgeAlarm>YANDINA</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>If it cant be fixed with a lump hammer don't fit it

 

[hlb]

Having sunk or nearly, more often than most. I think Tonys warnning devise most welcombe. And I may WELL get it fitted. Letts face it, most of us dont know till it seapes through the carpets!!!!

<hr width=100% size=1> No one can force me to come here. I'm a volunteer!!.

Haydn

 

[Col]

This would be easy to do. 2nd (higher) float switch connected to Loud(ish) buzzer at helm, loud enough to be heard when blatting along, which automatically switches via relay to Loud Klaxon or sounder with ignition off (ie) when boat unattended. This would wake you up if you were asleep on board, or alert other berth holders if your boat was unattended. I'm going to fit this arrangement to my boat as this has concerned me for a while.
If anyone interested in doing similar. PM me.

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[Its_Only_Money]

Cool!

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds

Simon
Its Only Money
Fairline Sprint
Solent-based

 

[boatone]

So thats Blue Angel, MuckyFarter, Its-only-money......and a PM from Aztec asking why I couldnt have suggested it sooner ! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

So what we going to call this gizmo then?

How about LeakAlert ?

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[BrendanS]

boatonthebottom alert

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[boatone]

Dont be silly.....thats the Mark II version !

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[andy_wilson]

Exactamon! nm

nm

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[Trevethan]

What you want is a "two high level alarm"

They use em on oil tankers.

Basically its two steel floats in a tube with a barrier haalf way up. When filling a tank the lowerfloat rises and goes off warning the operator that fill level is getting close and is then held below the liquid by the barrier.
Then the second upper float rises and triggers another alarm when the fill level is reached.

Your twin float switch sounds like the same idea, and a jolly good one too.

Wonder if there is a market for this?



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[hlb]

I rang my mechanical man and told him about the wonderfull new invention. E sed that he'd been fitting them for years!!

<hr width=100% size=1> No one can force me to come here. I'm a volunteer!!.

Haydn

 

[lanason]

Thought you did this ages ago !!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>Kelisha</A> Nothing is better than a Holiday

 

[Its_Only_Money]

Re: Of Bilge Pumps and Float Switches......serious

"E sed that he'd been fitting them for years!! "

But um, not to your boat????

Anyway fitting what? The trick relay-switch-between-buzzer-and-klaxon thingy that Col thought up or the twin-float-switch-instant-warning-without-letting-your-boat-sink-for 15mins bit?

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds

Simon
Its Only Money
Fairline Sprint
Solent-based

 

[Col]

Ah yes! Where did you think the idea came from then? Ideal display really.

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