Boating USA — March 2018

BOATINGMAG.COM | MARCH 2018| 41

TIP

Terminal 1Battery 1

POSITIVE

Terminal 2Battery 1

NEGATIVE

Terminal 3Battery 2

POSITIVE

TermBattery 2inal 3

POSITIVE

ADD SENSORS The system

allows you to expand with addi-

tional sensors at any time. We

already had voltage and loca-

tion monitoring covered, so we

started simple with a high-water

sensor in the form of a Rule-A-

Matic 35A fl oat switch. The

controller senses circuit con-

tinuity, so it doesn’t matter

if you use positive or ground

circuits. We hooked one of the

fl oat-switch wires to a negative

bus block, and the other to the

controller terminal labeled High

Water. In the future, we plan to

add other sensors such as a

motion detector or pressure pad.

PICK THE RIGHT SPOT

At the heart of the system is a

compact black-box controller. It

comes with a convenient snap-

on, snap-off bracket for easy

removal to add sensor wires. We

chose a mounting location in a

dark recess high in the gunwale.

This hides it from nefarious

types who might be looking to

disarm or discard the system.

The elevated spot helps protect

it from moisture, though Siren

Marine has waterproofed the

circuitry and junction box for the

sensor wires. Its GPS and cel-

lular systems will receive and

transmit through fi berglass.

SUBSCRIBE AND

DOWNLOAD THE APP

You can sign up for an annual,

monthly or seasonal service

plan at the Siren Marine website

using the serial number on the

controller. Then download the

free Siren Marine app on Google

Play (for Android) or the Apple

Store (for iOS). The Siren Marine

MTC App Guide included with

the device will take you through

the steps of setting up your

smartphone or tablet to arm

and disarm sensors, set the

geofence, customize your home

screen, and keep tabs on your

boat from anywhere in the world.

POWER IT UP The Siren

controller comes with a 12-volt

DC power wire and a 5-amp

in-line spade fuse. Connect the

positive lead to the positive side

of the starting battery. Connect

the negative lead to a ground.

Remove the two screws that

secure the cover to the junction

box. Loosen the terminal labeled

Battery 1, insert the positive lead

and tighten the screw. Do the

same with the ground terminal

and negative lead. A green LED

on the controller indicates the

GPS is powered up; a red LED

indicates it has cellular service

(subscription required).

You can also tie in visual and

audible alarms — such as

the spreader lights and boat

horn — when select sensors

are triggered using the out-

put terminals. Relays may be

required to deliver suffi cient

power to alarm elements.

Output terminals can also

be used to remotely activate

onboard systems such as the

air conditioner or bilge pump.

+

ALARM

ACTIVATION

INTERNAL

BACKUP

To help safeguard against

a complete loss of onboard

power, the Siren Marine MTC

device contains a backup

battery that will power the

system for three days by

itself. This allows you to con-

tinue to receive alerts should

the batteries die or thieves

cut power to the device.

You can add a second battery with an optional second fused power wire.

Connect the positive lead battery post and the terminal labeled Battery 2

(no need for a second negative wire). This allows you to monitor the

voltage of both batteries as well as power the controller.

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY WEST MARINE, COURTESY SIREN MARINE