Adding alarm to bilge pump circuit

[dmksails]

HI All -

On my electrical panel there is an LED that illuminates when the bilge pump is running. I want to add and buzzer to this - how should I do that?

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by dmksails

HI All -

On my electrical panel there is an LED that illuminates when the bilge pump is running. I want to add and buzzer to this - how should I do that?

Led will have two wires/connections, piezo alarm will have two wires/connections, wire them in parallel and you will have an alarm that sounds when the led is lit. Further refinements can be made from there.

[Bowdrie]

Cole-Hersee makes an excellent combination light/buzzer, (~100db).
Most any good auto parts, or Amazon.

https://marineengineparts.com/cole-h...ht-and-buzzer/

[pcmm]

Adding a buzzer for each time the bilge pump runs is going to get tired really fast. It would be better to add a second float switch at a slightly higher level and connect that to a buzzer. If you want to know if the bilge pump ran it would be better ro put in a counter into the pumps switch circuit.

[smac999]

The buzzer is also going to go off wheN You are standing there holding the manual switch. Will get really annoying …

[Scorpius]

I have two bilge pumps installed. One is considerably forward, a couple of inches higher,, and in a different bilge section, then the other. Normally only the aft pump comes on and it clears the bilge. However, if it fails for any reason, when the water comes up another couple of inches, the forward pump, which has a 110 db alarm wired across it, comes on, pumps the bilge, and sounds the alarm. That way I know that the aft pump, which normally does 100% of the job, has failed to function for some reason - and I can fix it.

With this system, the alarm only sounds when there is a problem, not when things are functioning normally.

[Sam Woodbridge]

Hi DmkSails, I’m really not one to tell you or give advice, keep that in mind ok, here it goes.

I bought a cheap alarm off of eBay or Amazon that said it was waterproof and marine grade. The instructions said wire it to the bilge pump wires. It took me sometime to really look the wires over. I have a float switch connected to a bilge pump. Figured out which wire was hot and the ground wire. Wired the alarm to them and presto. I have a bilge pump alarm.

What I want to say is this. I really find my alarm handy. I don’t want to be without one. Why should there be any water in my bilge and if that alarm is going off I got problems. Sure once in awhile it will go off, but that’s when I think it’s good to know it’s working.

Sam

[Knotical]

I hope the OP doesn’t mind a related question - can someone suggest a bilge pump counter and how to wire it? Thanks

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by Knotical

I hope the OP doesn’t mind a related question - can someone suggest a bilge pump counter and how to wire it? Thanks

I have a Water Witch counter, wiring is easy just a positive negative and a signal that comes from the pump positive.

https://waterwitchinc.com/product/mo...cycle-counter/

However I don't find it very useful. For example, if the pump goes off due to the stuffing box dripping, the pump might trigger anything from once to 25+ times depending on how rough the sea is sloshing the water about in the bilge. It does let me know that the pump has been active, but is not a reliable way of estimating how much water has been pumped.

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

I have two bilge pumps installed. One is considerably forward, a couple of inches higher,, and in a different bilge section, then the other. Normally only the aft pump comes on and it clears the bilge. However, if it fails for any reason, when the water comes up another couple of inches, the forward pump, which has a 110 db alarm wired across it, comes on, pumps the bilge, and sounds the alarm. That way I know that the aft pump, which normally does 100% of the job, has failed to function for some reason - and I can fix it.

With this system, the alarm only sounds when there is a problem, not when things are functioning normally.

Pretty much the way my boat was set up. A tiny 360 gph pump in the bottom of the bilge to remove nuisance water and a much bigger one with it's float switch a couple inches higher to handle more serious flooding. The big one never came on. If I were to put in an alarm it would be on the larger, higher pump.

[mcarthur]

I've been looking at same as OP, but I want a temporary mute as well. Preference for being able to set the mute time (one press for 1min, two presses 5 min or something). I can find a mute, but a timed mute seems harder. Anyone come across anything like this?

[Bill O]

Add a simple on/off switch to the alarm.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

I have a Water Witch counter, wiring is easy just a positive negative and a signal that comes from the pump positive.

https://waterwitchinc.com/product/mo...cycle-counter/

However I don't find it very useful. For example, if the pump goes off due to the stuffing box dripping, the pump might trigger anything from once to 25+ times depending on how rough the sea is sloshing the water about in the bilge. It does let me know that the pump has been active, but is not a reliable way of estimating how much water has been pumped.

Mine is incredibly useful. First, a better bilge switch won't go off with water slouching around. And because of that, will last a lot longer.
The counter helps when you know that the bilge pump will go off once a day or two from the stuffing box, but then one day it reads 50. I discovered a leaking saltwater galley pump that way, that eventually might have sank my boat.

Blue Seas ship vessel monitors have a bilge counter (as well as battery voltage, SOC, tanks level, etc.)

[ilCigno]

A bilge pump alarm is essential. When you know early there is water in your boat, you have the most chance you can find the leak and stop the water inflow. If the water is already slushing through the cabin above the floor boards it is very hard to even locate the source. I dare to say that an alarm is more important than the pump itself.

My simple but effective DIY solution is shown in this diagram:



It looks like this (use subtitles for English):

https://youtu.be/twoR9Ea4_l8

This solution has been proven in an actual 'hole in boat' situation and helped saving my boat.

[Seafarer7]

These inexpensive alarms (~ $7 each on Amazon) can be used as high water alarms. Easy to adjust sensor height, multiple units can be used if you have multiple separate bilges.

Instapark Water Leakage Detection Alarm and Sensor, Low Battery Alert
https://a.co/d/bODZRfl