Engine Alarms

[Speakrdude]

Hello All. I have a question about engine alarms, particularily for an 88 Sea RAy 300 DA.
One of the Alarms under the helm was looking a bit rusty and had a couple of bad solder joints so I removed and rebuilt. Cleaned, crimped on and sealed push pins now instead of solder.
Here's my question. The units are super simple consisting of a buzzer and a relay. When I have it wired the way I think it is supposed to be, There is a 5 second delay upon power up. Is that normal? Most all boats I have every turned a key on, the buzzer came on as soon as you turned the key. Other than than, it seems to work fine.
Does the delay sound normal? Maybe it's to keep out false alarms, requiring the sensor to go high (or low) for 5 seconds or more?

 

[achris]

Re: Engine Alarms

The boat type is meaningless to us, what engine? (Make, hp and year)

 

[Speakrdude]

Re: Engine Alarms

GM 5.7, 260hp. Standard stuff. Sensors are: oil pressure, water temp, drive fluid alarm.

 

[achris]

Re: Engine Alarms

... There is a 5 second delay upon power up. Is that normal? ...

As you still didn't give a year or a supplier I can only say that some late 80s/early 90s Mercruisers had this system...

 

[Speakrdude]

Re: Engine Alarms

My bad, 88 Mercuisers, Alpha Drives. I thought everyone could read my mind.

 

[achris]

Re: Engine Alarms

My bad, 88 Mercuisers, Alpha Drives. I thought everyone could read my mind.

I guess that fits into the 'late 80s' group....

Looks like this....?

 

[Speakrdude]

Re: Engine Alarms

yeppers. If anyone had a schematic of it, that would great.

 

[achris]

Re: Engine Alarms

yeppers. If anyone had a schematic of it, that would great.

Errrr, that's it..... It has 2 wires, one to +12 volts, the other to the alarm switches. Item #8 in the diagram is the timer....

 

[Speakrdude]

Re: Engine Alarms

Thanks but what I meant was, the schematic of the alarm itself. I have completely disassembled and re-wired they way I think it should be, but just wanted to verify.

Here's how I wired. On the bench, its works but with the delay so I suppose it is correct.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Engine Alarms

You can essentially wire it anyway you like....


The "sensors" are simply switches with one side connected to ground..........The other side is connected to a common wire that goes to your buzzer under the "dash"....... (the buzzer is connected to this wire and to a power source activated by turning the "key"

If there's a 5 second timer also installed, that's just so you don't have to listen to the buzzer with the key on (less than 5 seconds) prior to starting the engine.....if you don't start the engine for 5 seconds, the alarm sounds......

That 5 sec time delay relay looks like something SeaRay might have added. I don't remember seeing it in the Mercruiser electrical diagram....My 97 model didn't have it..... No reason why it wouldn't work though.

I want to add a wire for each sensor so I can identify which one is causing the alarm at a glance....





I like having the buzzer with the key on because it does 2 things.

1. The system is tested every time you turn on the key.

2. If you leave the key on..............well you wouldn't leave the key on. (unless you're deaf!!)

My plan for mine is to have a separate wire and a light for each alarm and I'll label them. Radio shack sells piezoelectric buzzers. so you could have a different sound for each condition.


Regards,


Rick

 

[achris]

Re: Engine Alarms

...That 5 sec time delay relay looks like something SeaRay might have added. I don't remember seeing it in the Mercruiser electrical diagram.......

Standard Mercruiser fitment ... Late 80's/Early 90's (Service manual #15, section 4F, page 11, right hand column, lower half.)

Chris.......