The most efficient and effective alarm and monitoring
system for any yacht is one that is user friendly and
that can be analysed and maintained by the Captain or
ship’s crew. The system should be redundant and not
dependent on the ship’s computer to avoid catastrophic
systems failure.
The ever-increasing power and complexity of ships’
systems have necessitated a concomitant evolution
in alarm and monitoring systems. While we can
appreciate the sophisticated data presentation of
numerous software based monitoring systems, can the
layperson trouble-shoot in the event of a malfunction?
When interfacing with the ship’s computer what
technician do you need to contact in the event ofa
problem? It might be the computer, a hardware
glitch, defective software, a streaming output,
faulty sensors or senders, corrosion or a break in the wiring.
It is preferable to install a monitoring system using
addressable modules with logic programmed into an
independent processor(s) and use the ship’s computer
only as a display. If the computer crashes there is no
interruption in data availability. Independent modules
can be used to monitor and control ships alarms,
security alarms, AV equipment, lighting, virtually
anything on the vessel. If a module is damaged it will
not affect the system as a whole. A problem with a
module can easily be detected in the logic by a crew member.
Using individually addressed modules facilitates
troubleshooting. We recently installed a monitoring
system on S/Y Cavu. The vessel ran into trouble off the
coast of New Zealand and two of their control modules
were water damaged. Water leaked in from the mast
and then flooded the junction box, shorting out all
the components. We shipped two new pre-addressed
modules that they were able to switch out for the
damaged components. Because the logic is programmed
in the clock processor the memory automatically reprogrammed in the clock processor the memory automaticllay reprogrammed
the new modules. Troubleshooting can be that simple.
Ship alarms should have independent senders and not
rely exclusively on streaming data. Generally, the main
engines’ electrical conversion systems and generators
have their own dedicated computer displays to read
streaming data. Some monitoring systems simply tap
into this display and relay images to a ship’s computer.
This is not an independent monitoring system but simply
a remote display. When a problem occurs it is extremely
hard to coordinate technicians to diagnose and repair.
Captains should consider installing independent senders
to monitor key points and create a redundant system.
Remember that the technicians who did the original
installation on your vessel may not be available to you
in the future. It is most important to have a copy of all software programs installed within your system. Have
access to wiring schematics where your input and output
components are installed and an overview of the entire
system. Finally, remember to pass this information over to a new captain and crew.
Yacht Report Maritron Alarms