High Water Alarm - Oceanis 45 (2012)

karwas

.
Sep 15, 2020
3
Beneteau Oceanis 45 Redwood City
Hello,

I am new to this forum, and I could not find answer for my question anywhere, including archives or google.

Where is the sensor for "High Water Alarm" located on the boat?
Picture related:
IMG_0886.jpg



IMG_0885.jpg


Mine is up for more than a week already, and I have checked everywhere on the boat for water, and there is none.
Tho noise from this little buzzer was so ear-piercing that I had to disable it by disconnecting a wire. Not a good think to do...

Simple wire tracing is not working, because two wires connecting this little panel are burried in the wire harnes.
I have checked the electrical schematics for my boat, and there is no such think there.

My dealer suggested that this is maybe related to the second (forward) bilge pump (transfers water from fore of bow thruster tunnel to actual bilge),
and while I found this pump corroded, there was no water there. Besides, I had already replaced this pump, and alarm is still active.

Fair winds,
Przemek
S/V Festina Lente
 
May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Welcome to the forum!

On our 2014 Beneteau the sensor is just wired to the back of that alarm, with no run into a harness. If you don’t have an answer by the next time I’m at the boat this weekend I’ll take a picture of the sensor so at least you know what to look for.
 

karwas

.
Sep 15, 2020
3
Beneteau Oceanis 45 Redwood City
Welcome to the forum!

On our 2014 Beneteau the sensor is just wired to the back of that alarm, with no run into a harness. If you don’t have an answer by the next time I’m at the boat this weekend I’ll take a picture of the sensor so at least you know what to look for.
Thank you -- this will be great!
Do you happen to remember where the sensor is located?
 
Jan 7, 2014
395
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
If all else fails you can try using a "tone tracer" to trace the line to the sensor.
 
May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Thank you -- this will be great!
Do you happen to remember where the sensor is located?
In our case the sensor is right behind the alarm itself, but it sounds like your configuration may be different. I don’t remember how it’s wired, in terms of how the power wires compare to the sensor wires, so I’ll check that again when I’m there.
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Usually what that means is that a secondary bilge pump in the high water position has been activated and that the switch that powers the pump could be stuck. Since you cannot locate any water it means there is something afoul with the Pump, the pump water level switch or a short in the wiring. What kind of pumps do you have, do they have internal water level sensors or float switches? The Beneteau electrical system designers don't make anything simple.
 
  • Like
Likes: NYSail

karwas

.
Sep 15, 2020
3
Beneteau Oceanis 45 Redwood City
Usually what that means is that a secondary bilge pump in the high water position has been activated and that the switch that powers the pump could be stuck. Since you cannot locate any water it means there is something afoul with the Pump, the pump water level switch or a short in the wiring. What kind of pumps do you have, do they have internal water level sensors or float switches? The Beneteau electrical system designers don't make anything simple.
The secondary "bilge pump", which I have just replaced, was connected to the electrical system of the boat with just two wires:
"negative" and "positive", with "override" left unconnected. There was no "feedback" or "sensor" type of wire indicating water
fore of bow thruster tunnel. It means that the only way to sense condition when the water was there, was to sense the current
flowing between those two connectors. Neither now, when I had already replaced the corroded secondary pump, nor before,
when it was cut off, there was no current flowing in the circuit supplying electricity to that pump.

Besides, there was never enough water fore the bow thruster tunnel to be picked or sensed by secondary pump.

BTW - this method of sensing current flowing to the pump is used on primary bilge pump -- there is no feedback signal
to the electrical panel, but nevertheless there is an indicator LED (green), showing when the primary pump is working.
It must be done by sensing current flowing to the primary pump.

And to be specific to your question "what kind of pumps do I have":
Primary - Rule 800 GPH with electromagnetic (reed sensor) floater switch

IMG-1079.jpg


Secondary - new Whale Supersub Smart 650 with integrated electronic switch

IMG-1080.jpg

(picture taken just before installation)

Przemyslaw (a.k.a.) PK
S/V Festina Lente
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Ok, you have a primary Rule pump with a swing arm float switch and you have replaced the secondary pump with a Whale Supersub Smart 650. Correct? A users review says to make sure that the spade type sensor on one end is mounted vertically; no further explanation. The indicator lights or buzzer have no sensing capabilities, they are just wired into the circuit and when the pump turns On the light and or buzzer are powered also. It would seem that the circuits which operates the primary and secondary pump are independent with the buzzer wired to the secondary pump. If the pump ain't running and is getting no power you must have an electrical short circuit to the buzzer alarm. Was the secondary pump ever operating or is there the possibility that someone else may have messed with the wiring? The best I can do, is to suggest you get a voltmeter and measure voltage at the pump with it submerged in water and then trace continuity through the wiring back to the panel. Read some of the reviews for that whale pump; I found many that questioned its quality and reliability. you may want to test it with jumper wires to a battery. Good luck.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The secondary "bilge pump", which I have just replaced, was connected to the electrical system of the boat with just two wires:
"negative" and "positive", with "override" left unconnected.
Is this your Whale Pump Circuit?

Whale Pump Circuit
0031F52B-D419-4C20-9F34-030EF8E9B51C.jpeg

Was the alarm on before you replaced the Whale Pump? Did it go off after you replaced the pump?
 
Jul 14, 2021
2
Beneteau 40 Lake Michigan
Did you ever resolve this issue? I have a 2012 Beneteau 40 and discovered that the alarm sensor is in the same location as the alarm.

The black item in the background of this picture is the sensor, when it is wet, it activates the white wire shown here which should be connected to the alarm red wires.
20220710_111018.jpg