Flashing alarm light

Aug 25, 2014 16 Replies

I want to put an alarm on my cesspit to tell me that the pump has failed and the pit is full (*). There are plenty of float switches on eBay (although few mains ones) and I can get an IP66 box to do any electrickery inside (indeed, I already have a small one mounted on a post besides the manhole cover where the SWA turns into flex, with a mains neon mounted on top to tell me the mains is still on).



But ... my Google-fu has failed me when it comes to finding a mains flashing/occulting/rotating warning light to mount on top of the box. I'd prefer a mains one, but all I've been able to find so far is the 12V ones that plug into a cigarette lighter socket to stick on top of broken-down cars. I suppose I could butcher one of those, and a 12V wall-wart (I have a big box-full of superfluous ones) to provide the volts, but it's more complexity I'd rather avoid. I suppose I could use a red bulb in an IP66 enclosure, but I'd rather like a flashing orange one...



So, anyone know of such a thing?



(* Guess what I spent Saturday afternoon doing?)


er.... grovelling around in your own s*it? ah the irony

Jim K

Not quite what I was looking for (they turned out to be 24V) and probably not quite the price you were looking for, but combined with a klaxon, this might do ...

Although the ones shown are 115V, they claim on the page to be able to supply 240V

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Why combined with a Klaxon? Klaxton make their own 230V beacons.

Just imagining the s*it-alarm going off at Huge Towers being something like the alarm and flashing lights predicting meltdown of the power plant in an American film ...

Kewl.

Although perhaps not at 2AM. (There's a certain amount of groundwater seepage inwards, so it's possible.)

Huge used his keyboard to write :

I would have been inclined to use two insulated stainless rods or tubes, dangling down with the ends around the level you want and connected in series with a low voltage and a similar voltage of small relay, all run from a/c. The relay then switches your alarm or light.

More reliable than a float, they do not jam or seize.

They're available in Argos :-)

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May not be IP rated though.

Owain

if it were back in the 70s, there were loads of such things for discos... Brian

Being as what is in this pit, I did wonder if he meant a Flushing red light, but there you are that is just me.

However its done maybe the best plan is to just let it operate a radio doorbell circuit and have an audible alarm indoors instead? Brian

No, but this is UKDIY so a 12V cobbled together unit would seem appropriate!

I think we have a winner. Thank you!

Agreed. It's what the professionals use.

They'll be in damn near any mainland European DIY store, I'd have thought, since they seem to be a legal requirement on the gate of places with alarms (IIUC) in many countries.

Everything from your average breakdown-wagon rotating plantpot to neat little hockey-pucks.

Gawd knows what you'd search for online. Sure I've seen them in Italy - maybe Mr F could assist?

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