The ability to monitor bilge pump cycles is critical for safe boat operation. Although a simple bilge monitor will alert the boater to some developing situations before they become emergencies, the Blue Sea Systems Vessel Systems Monitor VSM 422 offers a more complete solution.
The “BILGE PUMP ACTIVE” notification, as well as showing on the Bilge Status screen, can be set to display on the Graphics Summary screen. This lets the boater know at a glance if the pump is running.
“PUMP CYCLES” counts bilge cycles since the last reset. This provides a count of times the bilge pump turns on and off. An increase in pump cycles over a typical count could indicate more water leaking into the boat than usual.
“CYCLES / 24 HR” includes an audible and visual high-limit alarm, which can be set from 1–1000 cycles. This indicates how often the pump runs in 24 hours. When compared to a typical number of cycles per 24 hours, this can help the operator recognize that there is a problem.
“RUN TIME / HR” also includes a high limit alarm, which can be set from 1–60 minutes. This shows how long the pump has run over a set period of the last hour. This alerts the operator that the pump is running longer than usual, which could also be an indicator of a problem.
The VSM 422′s Summary Data screen can display notifications for active bilge pump, pump cycles per 24 hours, and pump run time per hour for quick monitoring of bilge status. The Graphics Summary screen can display run time per hour data (as “MIN”) and cycles per hour (as “24HR”) for a more specific picture of bilge pump activity. The “rename pump ” feature allows the boater to display a pump name of their choice, rather than the factory default of “bilge.”
The Vessel Systems Monitor VSM 422 from Blue Sea Systems adds bilge monitoring functions to its other systems monitoring capabilities. The ability to monitor DC system functions including amp-hours remaining, AC system functions, tank levels, and bilge cycles in a single monitor gives the boater unprecedented levels of information and control. The VSM 422′s versatility and comprehensive monitoring make it a logical addition to any boat with sophisticated monitoring needs.
