Bilge Alarm

[Beauregw]

My high water in the bilge alarm doesn't work. If I short out the wires on the sensors, nothing happens. But all the other alarms work. Anybody got any ideas?

[Genesis]

There are three sensors on my boat -

1. In the forepeak, which has a collision bulkhead (no limber holes going that far forward that I can find) and its own pump.

2. Amidships in the engine room, at the aft bulkhead.

3. At the stern in the lazarette.

All three are wired in parallel. Do you have more than one sensor? If so, check and see if any of them work.

If none do, then the wiring to the bridge is probably bad. If one or more do, then the wiring to that point is bad.

I had to replace two of the sensors thus far due to bad internal corrosion (by wicking) that trashed the wires. Not a big deal to do, but necessary - you really want those alarms to work!

[Beauregw]

Thanks for your input. I was hoping that someone would tell me that there's a fuse somewhere, but I guess that's not the case. Looks like another fun afternoon crawling around the bilges...

[ACR]

Sam's Marine had them in stock; Made by Kip Incorperated, Farmington,CT. part no. 0418-001, 50BN series.

[Matt21401]

Not 100% sure, but I believe the switch is closed during normal operations, and opens when submerged. This means you alarm should not sound when you short the wires.

I discovered this by cutting a wire on one of my bilge sensors. As soon as I cut the wire the alarm sounded. When I reconnected it the alarm cut off.

Hope this helps in your troubleshooting.

Matt