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Anyone got a Bilge Alarm?

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Guest

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My current thinking is that we spend a small fortune on a boat, fit alarms such as smoke and CO, bilge pumps, anchors etc., yet I don't have a simple bilge alarm that gives an early warning to a possible sinking. Anybody got one fitted?

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Bunny Proficient

Bunny

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Got a 'lick and stick 'one on the baseplate in the back wardrobe . Has been activate several times over the years by different water leaks, domestic water pump , twice , washing machine and the water pipe into the loo. Cost about £30 activates on a depth over about and inch and a half . Must admit we rely on the automatic bilge pump for the engine compartment , but I do switch it to manual now and again to make sure I can hear it pumping . Bunny.

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Guest

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Interesting. Strikes me as odd that we have alarms on our boat that tell us if we are about to die, overheat the engine, run out of oil, batteries are getting flat , boat is on fire etc etc, but nothing to tell us if we are taking water. One for the winter job list. We already have a float switch in the bilge pump, so dead easy.

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Tam & Di Influencer

Tam & Di

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Interesting. Strikes me as odd that we have alarms on our boat that tell us if we are about to die, overheat the engine, run out of oil, batteries are getting flat , boat is on fire etc etc, but nothing to tell us if we are taking water.

 

Obviously our 24m barge is rather different to a narrow boat, but it has a bow compartment with a (mandatory) watertight bulkhead, then the main accommodation, and finally another (not yet mandatory) watertight bulkhead separating that from the engine room. Each has its own bilge pump with manual or float switch operation, and a warning light and audible alarm if any of them are in operation. Obviously this would be OTT for a narrowboat, but some elements such as separate pumps for each water tight segment could be worth consideration. The audible alarm could be too, as leaks can easily start when you are in bed or on the bank next to the boat.

 

Tam

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Guest

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Don't you want to put it on a separate switch. Isn't one of the reasons the boat might sink a failure of the bilge pump switch?

Probably better for the reasons you state. Belt and braces approach wink.png

 

I wondered about this type, maybe add better sensors?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Water-Level-Bilge-Alarm-Siren-100dB-Very-Loud-/120979229894?hash=item1c2aec8cc6:g:D8gAAOSwhMpT0SL3

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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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The 'sensor' is just a wire that completes a circuit when it's in water. Can't get much more foolproof than that I'd have thought.

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Guest

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The 'sensor' is just a wire that completes a circuit when it's in water. Can't get much more foolproof than that I'd have thought.

Yes dead simple, often best. I just wondered if it might be better with two suitable probes mounted in a nylon (or similar) insulating block, which would in turn be fastened to the hull? Perhaps unnecessarily OTT.

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churchward Veteran II

churchward

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My current thinking is that we spend a small fortune on a boat, fit alarms such as smoke and CO, bilge pumps, anchors etc., yet I don't have a simple bilge alarm that gives an early warning to a possible sinking. Anybody got one fitted?

As has been suggested it would be easy to add a buzzer to float switch switch as well as an auto bilge pump operation by same switch.

 

It depends if you are going to be on aboard a lot I suppose. If it is a liesure boat and it will be left in a marina an alarm/buzzer is not much use when you are not there but an auto bilge pump set up could be.

 

You can get devices you can connect in that will send a text message to a phone.

 

I do have an auto bilge pump and manual switch but do not have an alarm.

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Timx Rising Star

Timx

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Sure I have read on here before, from a respected member, about trailing one arm on the floor whilst in bed asleep to give an early warning of such eventualities, it has saved me so much money in gizmos I am grateful.

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Jess-- Rising Star

Jess--

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I learnt growing up on boats that there is another form of alarm that can be used to warn you that the boat is sinking.

 

have a small child sleep on a thin mattress on the floor, when the child gets wet they wake everyone up.

 

downsides are that you have to replace the sensor every few years and they can be expensive to run.

 

Jess = We're sinking sensor (Mk I)

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Arthur Brown Influencer

Arthur Brown

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Possible it makes most sense to have a detector that tells when the auto bilge pump control has failed, and which also connects to alarms when fitted especially if it can send a signal to absent owners. Let the auto bilge pump do it's job but get an alarm when it is overwhelmed.

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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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Possible it makes most sense to have a detector that tells when the auto bilge pump control has failed, and which also connects to alarms when fitted especially if it can send a signal to absent owners. Let the auto bilge pump do it's job but get an alarm when it is overwhelmed.

Simply sorted by having the sensor an inch or two from the base plate, surely?

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Bobbybass Experienced

Bobbybass

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I bought some flood alarms from Poundland....for......a pound..

 

I soldered a length of wire to them and then put the other end into a 'choc block'. I then had 2 short lengths of brass round (from a model shop)..in the other side of the block.

I put one block vertically over the rear bilge....and cable tied it so that the 2 'prods' were a little way above anticipated water.

Worked well...

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Guest

Guest

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I bought some flood alarms from Poundland....for......a pound..

 

I soldered a length of wire to them and then put the other end into a 'choc block'. I then had 2 short lengths of brass round (from a model shop)..in the other side of the block.

I put one block vertically over the rear bilge....and cable tied it so that the 2 'prods' were a little way above anticipated water.

Worked well...

A man after my own heart :)

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