Universal M-18 adding high temp alarm

[vincentshine]

Seems like this is something that someone has asked before. Let me know if that is the case.

I would like to install a high temp alarm on my 1985 Universal M-18. The only one I have found is on Catalina Direct. While fine boats, mine is a 1985 Ericson 30+. I spoke to the sells department at Catalina direct. This is NOT returnable if purchased for boats that ARE NOT Catalinas.

Does anyone have experience with this retrofit kit? If not, does anyone have a different suggestion? https://www.catalinadirect.com/inde...temp-alarm-retrofit-m-18-m-25-m-25xp-m-35.cfm

It looks like a fit but rather avoid a Ebay resell.

Thanks!

Vincent

 

[toddster]

That appears to include a replacement thermostat housing. Cool. But a cheaper way to do it is put a Tee fitting where your regular temperature sensor is. Go on line and get a Cole Hersee 12V buzzer or buzzer/light combo, and a Cole Hersee temperature switch. Wire it up. You can also attach other switches to the same buzzer. Or probably the buzzer you already have...

 

[vincentshine]

That appears to include a replacement thermostat housing. Cool. But a cheaper way to do it is put a Tee fitting where your regular temperature sensor is. Go on line and get a Cole Hersee 12V buzzer or buzzer/light combo, and a Cole Hersee temperature switch. Wire it up. You can also attach other switches to the same buzzer. Or probably the buzzer you already have...

Interesting, if you have a pic of that set up that would be awesome.

So a "T" with a male thread where the current temp sensor is, then two female for the new temp switch and current temp sender.

Thanks

 

[toddster]

You can get MFF Tees. If you look closely, you can see an example on my A4 at the linked pic. Just under the thermostat housing.
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Over on the lower right, you can barely see the oil pressure sensors tee'd the same way. On the left, the white dingus on the output of the raw water strainer is the cooling water flow sensor. All wired to the same buzzer, along with gas engine stuff like coil voltage and fuel pressure. Part of a kit from Moyer Marine. But the basic sensors are all Cole Hersee. (They use the same buzzer, but each sensor has its own idiot light.)

 

[kmac]

You could use one of these with a temp switch and buzzer: https://www.google.com/search?q=Wat...jm8_ZAhWNmeAKHdi1AikQsAQI3AI&biw=1024&bih=653
Be careful of the temp switch you get since the water temp adapter isn't grounded so you need a switch with two wire hookup or ground the adapter and then single wire hookup switch.

It would be best if you just used a plug on the engine though. Look in the parts book to see where they are located. Look at parts books for the base engine also to locate a suitable plug to use. They could be on the thermostat housing, head, block, etc. You just need to sniff around.

 

[Joliba]

Universal 5432 overheat alarm

This is a very common subject on this forum. For those of us whose boat was never equipped with an engine temperature alarm of any type, we must constantly refer to the temperature gauge at our feet that is difficult to see. I have seen suggestions over the years on this forum for temperature sensors in the exhaust manifold, in the exhaust hose, as a Tee inserted in the coolant hose in various locations, sharing a Tee with the temperature gauge sensor, or inserted directly into the thermostat housing cover. I opted for direct insertion into the thermostat housing cover as this has the fewest connections (i.e. the fewest potential leak spots), avoids possible air bubbles around the sensor, places the sensor in the same coolant as the temperature gauge sensor, and is the cleanest, most inexpensive installation. The biggest problem was lack of real estate on the thermostat housing cover that already has the temp. gauge, the bleed petcock, and the coolant hose fitting sprouting from various sides. Also, this thermostat housing cover is adjacent to the exhaust manifold on one side, further limiting available space.
I was able to do it using a Cole Hersee #84251 switch that I tested in a pot of water on the stove to close the circuit at 202 degrees F. This switch has a 3/8"-18 NPTF male thread. I used a Cole Hersee #4099 buzzer for the alarm (which I hooked to my low oil pressure switch also.)
I am including a photo.The sensor in this position does not interfere with the thermostat, the petcock, the other sensor in the housing, or the waterflow. It also easily clears the exhaust manifold coolant assembly.

I would gladly answer any questions concerning details of this straightforward installation if anyone is interested.



Here are a couple of suggestions that others have made. (There are some longer forum threads, as well, that I couldn't locate just now.):
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?6500-temp-alarm-M25-where-to-put-the-switch
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?13082-Exhaust-Overheat-Alarm



Mike Jacker

 

[vincentshine]

Thanks! Mike, Question ...

Mike, Did you already have a threaded hole in the thermostat housing? if not did you drill and tap a new one? Otherwise, I will probably go the T route.

Thanks!

 

[Joliba]

I actually drilled and tapped a new hole. This only took a few minutes. When I considered a “T” I discovered that the switch (alarm) sensor has 3/8” pipe thread while the existing gauge sensor has 1/4” pipe thread. So, I would also need a reduction adapter on one part of the “T”. I bought such a fitting but the sensor nose was too long....So, I also would have needed a short length of extension pipe for the sensor to fit into the reduction adapter fitting. All together it would be too many joints, and too many nooks for trapped air that might disrupt the accuracy of the temp sensors.
One other thing you might try is fitting a sensor into the threaded coolant drain plug hole on the starboard side of the engine block aft of the oil filter (if your engine is configured like mine.) It may be a metric thread, but it looks to be about 3/8” pipe thread. If it is, this would be an easy plug and play.
Good luck!
Mike

 

[Kenneth K]

Aqualarm has lots of different bolt-on temp monitoring options. Many are much cheaper than that kit from Catalina.

http://aqualarm.net/exhaust-engine-monitors-c-5/