Introduction

The BilgeWatch-8 (BW-8) is a microprocessor based panel mount instrument that will monitor and record the activity of up to eight bilge pumps.

“Four out of five boats that sink, do so at their moorings” Insurance industry quote 

Common causes of such incidents include faulty seals, corrosion, cracked/broken fittings and perished hoses. Increased bilge pump activity is a good indication of a developing fault, but automatic bilge pumps can mask the problem operating while the boat is unattended. Through the continuous monitoring and recording of bilge pump activity, the BW-8 aims to reduce this statistic by providing advance warning of problems before they become emergencies. 

Overview

•        Designed and engineered in the UK by British company Celectron
•         Continuous monitoring of 1-8 pumps (power consumption is negligible)
•        Self-contained unit that requires no additional sensors to operate
•        Easy installation, fitting kit included, connects to existing pump switches
•        Records pump activity and alarm outputs when boat is unattended
•        Data and settings stored securely in a non-volatile memory
•        Comprehensive alarm and alert output system
•        Well-designed to blend in with most modern instrument sets

While the boat is unattended, the BW-8 constantly monitors and records the pump activations and ALARM output activations for up to eight bilge pumps. Two outputs are provided to trigger an ALARM and an ALERT with user set delays for each pump to suit your boat’s specific requirements and safety needs. If your boat is normally dry, low delay settings will suffice. If you have an area of the bilges which has a known acceptable water intake, set the delay for the pump that serves that area so as to avoid false alarms. 

The BW-8 will show the complete log of pump and ALARM output activity for the current period. By comparing the number of pump activations and ALARM output activations with previous periods, taking into account the length (DAYS count) of the periods being compared, increased activity trends can be detected. For additional reassurance many BW-8 owners use the output to trigger a GSM dialler (not included) to send a text message to their mobile phone.

When the boat is attended, the BW-8 continues to monitor the pumps, but if the inhibit option is activated this will disable the ALARM output and the recording function while maintaining the ALERT output - allowing the user to exclude expected pump activity such as from washing down bilges or known water ingress when underway (example leaking shaft stern gland seals). Furthermore, to rule out false activations, such as those caused by the boat rocking due to wave action, the BW-8 has a five second delay before it records activity. When more than one pump is active, the display cycles through all active pumps. If a pump stays active and exceeds its user set alarm delay then the BW-8 triggers the ALARM and ALERT outputs and records the alarm output activation. The ALARM and the ALERT outputs are limited to ten minutes but can be stopped anytime by pressing the exit key.

BW-8 Kit

BW-8 control unit, wiring loom and insulation, hardware kit, drilling template, comprehensive full colour handbook and quick reference card. 

Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 25 mm (18 mm above the panel) 

Unit weight: 0.1 kg

The BilgeWatch-8 retails at £179.95. The unit for sale in this listing has been discounted on the basis that it is a fully functional cosmetic reject (minor scratch to casing). For a new unit visit www.celectron.co.uk or www.bilgewatch.com

Specification 

•        Monitors 1-8 pumps with skip unused pump option
•        Records activations & alarm outputs for the current period plus 3 history periods
•        1-99 day user selectable data period (store up to a full year’s data over 4 periods)
•        Records up to 999 pump activations and alarm outputs for each pump
•        5 second pump activation delay eliminates false readings due to wave motion
•        User selectable alarm output delay time for each pump (0-60 mins/OFF)
•        10 mins alarm output timer
•        Alarm output indication with pump run time displayed 
•        Inhibit function disables data recording and alarm output (alert remains active)
•        Display automatically cycles through active pumps showing pump run time
•        Automatic recovery from power failure 
•        Power fail indicator recorded with period
•        Illuminated display and keys with user set brightness
•        12-24 V DC operation
•        Power requirement: 12-24 V, monitoring 3.2mA, backlight 60mA, max (outputs on) 160mA
•        Alert and alarm output: switched positive output 12/24 (+) 50mA max
•        Sheltered use only

Example scenario:

Your boat is moored at a marina and during the winter, you check on it once a month. On each visit, the BW-8 shows that the engine compartment bilge pump has operated once or twice for a short period, not enough to set off an alarm. The boat has twin shafts and you assume the bilge pump activity is due to the stern glands. The fact that the recorded activity is consistent and minimal is reassurance that the leak is not worsening. The rest of the boat is dry.

On the first visit during spring, you find that pump 4 in the forward head has operated once. Unusual, you think. But you assume that some rainwater from a recent storm had found its way in. You ignore it.

On the next visit the BW-8 shows that pump 4 has been on twice. Again you come up with a logical explanation (after all, the forward compartment is awkward to access). Again, you ignore it. 

On the following visit, the BW-8 shows that pump 4 has operated 5 times. Now you have real concerns and no justifiable excuses. You must check it out. Inspection reveals that a skin fitting is weeping a steady trickle of water into the bilges! You organise a lift out with the marina.

While replacing the skin fitting you notice that the ¼” (6mm) bolts have eroded to about half their original size and you realise that before long the weep would have become a torrent when the fitting came off completely leaving a 2” (50mm) hole, 2 feet (600mm) below the water line. That is close to 3500 gallons (15000 litres) per hour of water coming on board; assuming a 500 gph pump (ignoring any depreciation for head), that is seven gallons in for every gallon that the pump can get out!

The reason for the eroded bolts? Yes the sacrificial anodes should have been replaced last season! (For eroded bolts try substituting, perished hoses/caulking, cracked skin fittings/hulls, badly fitting hatches etc.)

JUST AS WELL YOU FITTED THE BW-8