Water Detector Alarm for closed compartments
Aug 21, 2015 15:33:31 GMT
Post by chrismunson on Aug 21, 2015 15:33:31 GMT
Last week while motoring my $12 household water heater leak alarm went off. I have 2 of these on my LM 32 - one at the main bilge pump near the water tank, the other in the engine box, with the sounders located under the pilothouse sole. The alarms make a beep like a smoke detector, and its pretty loud. The sensor is a plastic strip with 2 electrodes on a 6' wire, the power is a 9 volt radio battery. Both my detectors are 10 years old, and work fine.............
So........the last mechanic who worked on Valiant removed the thermostat on the raw-water-cooled Volvo MD 17D. To do this, you loosen the hose connection above the thermostat. When done, you put all back in place and tighten the hose clamps. You think you did and then when the hose pops off because you didn't, you get a flooded engine box and a destroyed engine. Other unpleasant events are sure to follow. (This is one of THE most common causes of boat losses.)
I guess that $12 alarm saved me about $15-20,000 for engine replacement, as I would not have known the engine box was flooding until something very BAD happened. I was able to quickly refasten the hose and motor back to port, where I bailed about 6 inches of sea water and glop out. I practiced some of my best nautical expressions while cleaning up the mess.
Now I have 2 detectors in the engine box, and one at the main bilge. And a happy boat. These are on Amazon at: www.amazon.com/Glentronics-Inc-BWD-HWA-Basement-Watchdog/dp/B000JOK11K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440170389&sr=8-1&keywords=water+detector+alarm They make dandy Christmas presents.
Fair Winds folks!!!
So........the last mechanic who worked on Valiant removed the thermostat on the raw-water-cooled Volvo MD 17D. To do this, you loosen the hose connection above the thermostat. When done, you put all back in place and tighten the hose clamps. You think you did and then when the hose pops off because you didn't, you get a flooded engine box and a destroyed engine. Other unpleasant events are sure to follow. (This is one of THE most common causes of boat losses.)
I guess that $12 alarm saved me about $15-20,000 for engine replacement, as I would not have known the engine box was flooding until something very BAD happened. I was able to quickly refasten the hose and motor back to port, where I bailed about 6 inches of sea water and glop out. I practiced some of my best nautical expressions while cleaning up the mess.
Now I have 2 detectors in the engine box, and one at the main bilge. And a happy boat. These are on Amazon at: www.amazon.com/Glentronics-Inc-BWD-HWA-Basement-Watchdog/dp/B000JOK11K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440170389&sr=8-1&keywords=water+detector+alarm They make dandy Christmas presents.
Fair Winds folks!!!
