Another mystery solved.

[oscarvan]

I've finally found a "Consulting mechanic" who will keep me out of trouble, for a fee of course, as I do my own work, and if necessary get his hands dirty if it gets tricky. We discussed my SB engine temperature indications which are suspect at best as they disagree with the IR point and shoot which is consistent across both engines.

We looked at the Instalarm panel and decided that after "BILGE" "OIL" and "FIRE", "HEAT" was engine overheat. He was, like me, unable to locate the sensors for same on the engines.

There was a cut off single white wire sticking out of each engine wiring loom when I got the boat. The surveyor didn't like them. He, nor I, had any idea what they were for.

Then the lightbulb went off and I connected the cutoff wires to ground..... Viola, the "HEAT" alarm went off. Apparently during the engine rebuild 10 years ago the system was disabled for unknown reason.

Morale of that story: Just because your alarm panel tests, doesn't mean it's actually monitoring the parameter !!!

So, I need to connect something to the wires and get overheat warning back. But, rather than a standard sensor in the cooling water I would like to put a sensor on the metal part of the exhaust right where the water gets mixed in. Thinking here is that if the water stops flowing the temperature there spikes instantly and warns me before the actual overheat occurs. Of course this does not protect against a loss of coolant or a thermostat failure which a sensor in the coolant would do.

Is there a common location where the coolant overheat sensor is located? DD 8V71-TI

Thoughts? And re. the sensor on the exhaust any recommendations for a clamp on sensor, normally open, to ground and what temperature value to use here?

Thanks.

 

[Photolomy]

FYI, The original sensor is actually a switch, not a sender like for the temp gauge. It closes (or opens) at a certain temp (200+ degrees or something like that) and then triggering the alarm.

 

[Pascal]

Why not put an aqualarm exhaust sensor and panel? Indeed it will alarm before you damage the exhaust hoses and before the overheat alarm goes off. Not sure if the sensors will work with the old Hatteras alarm but the panel is small and easy to put somewhere

 

[Scarlett]

As Pascal said I have Aqua Alarm flow alarms that actually go off if the cooling water flow stops. They are not expensive and easy to install and yes have a very small alarm panel of there own.

 

[oscarvan]

FYI, The original sensor is actually a switch, not a sender like for the temp gauge. It closes (or opens) at a certain temp (200+ degrees or something like that) and then triggering the alarm.

Yep that's what I thought. Normally open to ground.

 

[Pascal]

Yep that's what I thought. Normally open to ground.

A generator shut down switch should work

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

 

[oscarvan]

I noticed a plate on there with screw holes about the spacing you have there.... Does this go IN or sit on top of that plate? And you have a make for that?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I noticed a plate on there with screw holes about the spacing you have there.... Does this go IN or sit on top of that plate? And you have a make for that?

The disc switch has a flange. Sam's has the switches.

 

[RJM]

This is one of my spring "go-to" projects. Lagniappe's Instalarm panel had some issues that I first had to solve like missing/blown light bulbs. I was able to swap the one good working bulb around to verify that the panel actually worked. I wound up having to order new bulbs as well as new red screw-on covers, so that part is done. I also had to figure out what the extra "mystery switch" was for. It turns out that someone had wired in an audible alarm defeat switch-which was in the "off" position. Guess how I figured that out! Anyway, I might leave it but not without some identification lettering at the very least. So, we are heading back down in a couple of weeks and sorting this system out is high up on the list. What I need to figure out is exactly where the sensors are for each of the alarms so that I can confirm that they are working properly. I see the close-up pictures but what are they close-up's of? Any help in identifying where/how each of theses sensors is located would be appreciated!

 

[Scarlett]

Sam’s also has the face plates for those alarm systems if yours is faded or scratched. John