Installing bilge alarm

[windy]

Putting a bilge alarm in my Parker and I want to install a float switch in the bilge. Dont want to drill holes or put screws through the fibreglass. Was thinking of using 4200 to cement a small hardwood block at the right angle and depth and screwing the switch to that. Will the 4200 hold up in that wet area,or can somebody suggest something better?

 

[DaleH]

Here's some options ...

1) There is a hardwood pad affixed into the Parker bilge you can screw into, one forward and one aft im my '92 vintage SC. when it is 'too far away' from where I need it ... I use aluminum or Starboard-type (but cheap HDPE) strips to bridge from the pad to the float switch or even pump.

2) A slick method I like is to take 1" or 2" flat-head screws and epoxy them upside-down into the bilge, using the switch box or pump strainer base as the 'bolt pattern'. Once the epoxy cures, attach the item to the bolts which now look like head bolts affixed in your bilge.

Make sure to 'hold' the bolt right above the epoxy with vice-grips when you put down the nuts, one below the item (so you can level it to the water, not the bilge "V") and one on top to hold in place. See sketch!

3) Sure, a hardwood pad would suffice. It would take 20-years for a piece of mahogany to rot out when exposed to saltwater anyway.

4) Though a last choice option, you could wire tie it (use backups too) to a fixed item, like your seacock.

Lastly, a thorough CHECK of all such bilge items should be checked before running the boat, while in use, and before heading back in ... at least IMHO.

I also run a high-water alarm in the bilge (mounted higher than the pump float switches) and it works so good that some water droplets got splashed on it when I hosed down a 'gold' reel the day while offshore. Man, just one little drop got to it and BEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP :shock: !!!

 

[windy]

Thanks Dale, I think Ill try to use the wood pad thats there. Im putting it in the foward compartment because the aft section is loaded with 3 batteries,charger and bilge pump.
While im doing that Im going to change to a larger foward pump and rewire it so its working even when the battery switches are off. From the factory its not hot when the switches are off.

 

[captbone]

I just instaledl a backup pump in my boat and simply put 5200 fast cure on the bottom of the Rule pump (around any intake holes) and put a brick on top of it for 24hours. No plate, no screws, nothing. It is not going any where and a razor scraper can remove all trace of it from the gelcoated bilge in 10 mins.

K.I.S.S. is what I live by.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Megabyte]

No need to drill any holes if you use a Water Witch Model 101 solid state switch.
http://www.waterwitchinc.com/miniWW.html

The switch can be captured by a screw clamp and adjusted for depth by rotating it to your desired 'depth'.
If you'd rather have it higher than that, it can be attached to the bilge pump housing with a zip tie.

Here it is attached to an AWAB screw clamp.

No need to drill anything. 8)