Volvo Instrument Panel Alarm

[Doodles]

My Wauquiez Pretorien has a Model 2003 Volvo engine and the instrument panel has warning lights for low oil and water pressure but no gauges. My problem is the alarm does not appear to work and has not since I acquired the boat a couple years ago. When I turn the ignition switch to "on" the low oil pressure light comes on but no alarm sound. Same when I shut down the engine so I think the sending unit is working just not the alarm. I've never had a high water temperature problem to test that so I don't know if that light works.

Any ideas? Is it just a bad alarm and if so how can i replace it? Any other ways to trouble shoot the problem?

Thanks.

[Paul L]

Get a loud separate alarm and wire it into your system. The original Volvo alarms were not very loud to begin with. I use one like this Floyd Bell Inc. - US-09-628-S - Indicator / Signaling / Warning Devices - Automation & Control - Allied Electronics

[barnakiel]

Maybe you can unscrew the water sensor and place it in hot water? If the alarm does not buzz then something is wrong! Replace the ailing part.

b.

[Doodles]

Thanks for the replies so far. Any way to test the existing alarm independent of the existing wiring and sensors? I'd like to make sure it's the alarm and not the wiring or a sensor before replacing the alarm.

[barnakiel]

Shorting one of the sensors should fire up the alarm. Plain sensors are either open state or close state.

On our engine: key to the position one before starting, sensor cable off the sensor and on the engine block where it is not painted: alarm beeps and alarm light goes on. Close state sensors act the other way round - cable off the sensor and alarm beeps.

b.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Shorting one of the sensors should fire up the alarm. Plain sensors are either open state or close state.

On our engine: key to the position one before starting, sensor cable off the sensor and on the engine block where it is not painted: alarm beeps and alarm light goes on. Close state sensors act the other way round - cable off the sensor and alarm beeps.

b.

Thanks. Alarm light goes on but no beeps so I think it must be a bad alarm buzzer.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Get a loud separate alarm and wire it into your system. The original Volvo alarms were not very loud to begin with. I use one like this Floyd Bell Inc. - US-09-628-S - Indicator / Signaling / Warning Devices - Automation & Control - Allied Electronics

Thanks for this suggestion Paul. I order one and it arrived yesterday ... fits perfect and works great!

I probably wouldn't have found it without help like this from CF. What a great site and resource. Thanks again to everyone for the help.