Next message: jim: "T&T: auto pilolts and electronic engine controls"
What both of you REALLY want to know is when the tank is empty (knowing
when it's full wouldn't hurt either--especially if you have guests
aboard)...so instead of some indicator that only lets you know how long
the pump has run, why not just put a second tank level indicator [anel
on the console? To me that makes more sense than a "smart switch" that
arbitrarily turns the pump off when IT thinks the tank is empty, whether
it is or not.
You would have to pay attention to the gauge while running the
macerator...if accidentally running the macerator long enough to fry the
impeller is a concern, replace the macerator with an electric diaphragm
pump that can run dry for quite a while without harm. Or figure out how
to wire the macerator "smart switch" to turn it off when the gauge reads
empty.
--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=40&cat=6&page=1
wrote:
> Hi
> I have a Smart Switch that automatically shuts off the macerator pump that
> empties the holding tank into the ocean. However, a couple of times I
> thought I had emptied the tank but it didn't empty because the deck
> fitting was leaking air and the Smart Switch shut the pump off. Ok,. I'll
> run an LED off of it to the console so that I can see that the pump runs
> an appropriate amounyt of time. Good idea, unfortunately the pump would
> not shut off automatically, I guess the 16 ma current draw of the LED is
> enough to upset the switch's sensing.
>
> Trolling the archives I see that Phil Keys brought this subject up a few
> years ago. Did Phil, or others succesfully get an indicator off the Smart
> Switch ?
>
> John Gallagher
>
> Subject: TWL: Holding tank pump Smart Switch
> From: Phil Keys ()
> Date: Thu Aug 16 2001 - 11:04:45 EDT
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Recently there was some discussion of using a timer switch for the
> macerator pump used to empty a holding tank.
>
> On Kathy K the holding tank and macerator pump are in the engine
> room. When I use the macerator pump to empty the tank (when in British
> Columbia), I cannot hear the pump noise change when the tank is emptied.
>
> At the last Seattle Boat Show, I saw a display of the Smart Switch (Smart
> Marine Systems, 714-828-2975), $59.
>
> The smart switch is installed between the pump and the manual switch. It
> sense the load on the pump by monitoring the current draw. It then turns
> off the pump a short time after sensing a no-load condition.
>
> Seems to work fine on Kathy K. I have thought of adding an indicator light
> to show when the pump turns off,
>
> Phil Keys KJ7ET
> "Kathy K" Sundowner 30 Tug, hull #3
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