Marine galvanic protection monitor
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorRichard E. Staerzl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A galvanic monitor system uses two annunciators, such like light emitting diodes, to alert a boat operator of the current status of the boat's galvanic protection system. A reference electrode is used to monitor the voltage potential at a location in the water and near the component to be protected. The voltage potential of the electrode is compared to upper and lower limits to determine if the actual sensed voltage potential is above the lower limit and below the upper limit. The two annunciators lights are used to inform the operator if the protection is proper or if the component to be protected is either being over protected or under protected.
Claims15
A marine galvanic protection monitor, comprising:
- an electrode disposed in noncontact association with a component to be protected from corrosion;
- a first comparator connected in signal communication with said electrode and with a first reference signal, said first comparator providing a first output signal which is representative of the relative magnitudes of the voltage potentials of said electrode and said first reference signal;
- a second comparator connected in signal communication with said electrode and with a second reference signal, said second comparator providing a second output signal which is representative of the relative magnitudes of the voltage potentials of said electrode and said second reference signal, said first and second comparators being connected in signal communication with said component to be protected from corrosion.
A method for monitoring a marine galvanic protection system, comprising:
- providing an electrode disposed in noncontact association with a component to be protected from corrosion;
- comparing a voltage potential of said electrode with a first reference signal;
- providing a first output signal which is representative of the relative magnitudes of the voltage potentials of said electrode and said first reference signal;
- comparing a voltage potential of said electrode with a second reference signal;
- providing a second output signal which is representative of the relative magnitudes of the voltage potentials of said electrode and said second reference signal.
A marine galvanic protection monitor, comprising:
- means for providing an electrode disposed in noncontact association with a component to be protected from corrosion;
- means for comparing a voltage potential of said electrode with a first reference signal;
- means for providing a first output signal which is representative of the relative magnitudes of the voltage potentials of said electrode and said first reference signal;
- means for comparing a voltage potential of said electrode with a second reference signal;
- means for providing a second output signal which is representative of the relative magnitudes of the voltage potentials of said electrode and said second reference signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.