ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

[lime4x4]

i have a 86 searay 268 weekender.The I/O is under the rear deck in a rather LARGE bilge. I also have a LARGE storage compartment under the deck miship.I would like to install a water level alarm sensor.If i get 1 foot of water in either compartment it sounds a high pitch alarm.Both those compartments would hold several hundrend gallons of water.Both currently have bilge pumps but i don't want to wait till i c water starting to come up thru the deck boards to realize there is a problem..lol

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

that's the purpose of the bilge pumps with automatic float switch. you could also install a float switch, connected to an alarm incase the pump did not kick in. i would want to know long before there is a foot of water in there.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

I guess I would want to also know how a foot of water gets into the bilge so I could fix the problem. Having an alarm is not a fix -- it's notification that a fix is required. As mentioned float switches and electronic water level switches are available. I've seen float switches for a home sump pump used to trigger a bilge pump (and they don't jam).

 

[lime4x4]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

I know the alarm isn't a fix i just want it for notification.Cause u never know when a hull fitting or hose might spring a leak.I'll have the float setup for 1 to 2 inches of water

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

I wouldn't call it paranoid, I have 2 separate floats and pumps in my bilge going to separate batteries, the 2nd switch and pump is a little higher up and I have an alarm on the 2nd switch as well. If the alarm goes off then I know that either the first pump has failed or it can't handle the amount of water coming in. Actually got to use it last year, one of the water supply hoses from the transom mount to feed the t-stat popped off (engine had been out and in, clamp was loose) you wouldn't believe how much water those outdrives can pump in! Anyway the alarm went off ( I figured it was a false alarm) picked up a floor hatch and saw how much water was in the bilge right when the over temp alarm went off for the Stbd engine. Shut down the engine and a couple of min later the bilge alarm reset as the pumps caught up to water. Now thinking about about a 3rd pump or bigger ( the 2 are 1000 gph) but the next size up needs bigger hose and through hulls.

 

[Bondo]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

I just wired in an Indicator Light to the Bilge Pump circuit,.......

When the Pumps come On,.... The Light lights up..........
If it comes On Too Often,...... Start Looking for a Problem........

 

[lime4x4]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

plus were planning on overnighting in her so if the boat starts taking on water i would like to know

 

[Tommyfmu]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

After a recent survey, we were told it would be a good idea to put in a high level bilge alarm, especially because we sleep on the boat quite often. We have 3 bilge pumps on float switches, but it was a cheap and easy install to put in an extra float switch a bit higher than the float switches of the bilge pumps, and hook up a 12 volt LED red light and Radio Shack 'beeper.' By not hooking into the bilge pump floats, the alarm won't be going off every the pump triggers.

 

[Bondo]

Re: ok call me paranoid but i need water level sensors?

After a recent survey, we were told it would be a good idea to put in a high level bilge alarm, especially because we sleep on the boat quite often. We have 3 bilge pumps on float switches, but it was a cheap and easy install to put in an extra float switch a bit higher than the float switches of the bilge pumps, and hook up a 12 volt LED red light and Radio Shack 'beeper.' By not hooking into the bilge pump floats, the alarm won't be going off every the pump triggers.

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June 2nd, 2007, 11:50 AM
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