Dryver’S OWNER GUIDE
Your next step, made clear.
From first setup to everyday care. Start wherever you need help.
Warranty & System Registration
Read the warranty terms or keep your system details on file. Registration is optional.
ANSWERS YOU CAN USE
Owner questions, answered.
Open a question for a written answer. Use the manual that matches your installed system.
How does an Arid Bilge System work?
Arid uses vacuum and small pickup tubes to collect residual water from low areas of the bilge and discharge it from the system. Removing that leftover water helps keep compartments drier. Arid supplements the boat’s emergency bilge pumps; it does not replace them.
How did Arid Bilge Systems start?
Arid grew from Al Baurley and his father’s experience building and caring for Thirsty Lady V. Persistent water in hard-to-reach bilge areas inspired a better way to remove the moisture ordinary bilge pumps leave behind. An early prototype aboard Thirsty Lady V helped prove the idea.
Where should I start if I have just bought the boat?
Identify the Arid series on the installed unit, then open its installation and operations manual. Check the installation, pickup locations and maintenance history. The installation videos offer a visual walkthrough; the manual for your model provides the requirements.
If I use the app, what should I check if it will not connect?
Follow the pairing instructions supplied with your compatible controller and app. Check that the unit is powered, stay nearby and confirm the required phone permissions. Close another app if it is already using the controller’s Bluetooth connection. If connection stops, record the step or message shown and contact support.
Are the animation and saved readings showing my boat right now?
Check that the app identifies your controller and is receiving current readings. A demo, an offline illustration or a saved reading does not establish the boat’s current condition. The internal view explains the operating sequence; it is not a measured water-flow display or a construction drawing.
What should I send when asking for help?
Include the installed series, the affected pickup zone, the indicator or alarm pattern and what happened before the issue started. If you use the app, include its version, connection step and a screenshot of the relevant reading. Photos of the pickup and tubing can help. Contact Arid support before repeating unresolved tests.
Series 2: operation, alarms and care11 answers from the Series 2 manual
These timings, light patterns, tubing requirements and procedures apply to Series 2. For Series 1, Series 4 or Series 9, use the matching owner manual.
Why is the compressor silent with a solid green light?
After connected zones are dry, Series 2 enters a rest period of approximately three hours. A solid green LED and silent compressor can be normal rest mode. If the behavior differs or an alarm is present, follow the Series 2 troubleshooting guide.
How do vacuum, intake and discharge work?
At startup, the system first discharges collected water and may blow air backward through an intake. It then creates vacuum in the collection chamber. After the compressor stops, an intake valve opens and liquid, air or a mixture enters through the intake tube. It checks the remaining fitted zones and repeats on wet zones before resting.
How long should each intake tube be?
Use the supplied 5/32-inch tubing. Each finished Series 2 intake tube must be 20–50 feet long. Coil excess tubing rather than cutting it below 20 feet. Avoid kinks, crushing, heat and sharp edges; label each zone.
Where should the unit and pickups be mounted?
The central unit is not waterproof. Mount it upright in a dry, accessible, protected location, not directly in the bilge. Place pickups where water actually collects and test their positions before securing them. Do not drill, crush or over-clamp a pickup or block its pad.
What do the blue and green indicator lights mean?
Blue: one repeating flash identifies Zone 1, two identifies Zone 2, and three identifies Zone 3 if fitted. Solid blue may indicate two active zones. Green: slow flashing indicates discharge; rapid flashing indicates vacuum; solid indicates rest mode.
What does a clogged pickup alarm sound like?
One, two or three short beeps identify the affected zone, followed by three long beeps. Inspect that pickup and its tubing for debris, kinks or damage. The manual provides isolation checks; contact support if the alarm persists with the intake tubing removed from the unit.
What do discharge, open-port and vacuum alarms mean?
Rapid repeating beeps can indicate blocked discharge. Two short followed by two long beeps indicate an open-port or tubing-installation problem. Four long beeps indicate failure to build or hold vacuum. Match the sound pattern to the Series 2 troubleshooting instructions and contact Arid support if the issue remains unresolved.
How much water can Series 2 remove?
The manual lists approximate total system capacity of 3.5 gallons per hour, or 84 per day. This is not a measured flow rate for each intake. The system removes residual bilge water; it does not replace emergency bilge pumps. Locate and repair continuous leaks.
How do I clean and maintain the pickups?
Inspect pickups every 6–12 months, or sooner in dirty bilges or after a clog alarm. Remove a pickup from its tubing, rinse with fresh water and clear debris from its pad and fitting. Backwash when possible. Reinstall only if clean and intact; replace damaged, separated or uncleanable pickups.
Can I use soap or AC coil cleaner during a washdown?
Turn Arid power off before major bilge cleaning or AC coil cleaning. Avoid concentrated foaming cleaners and harsh chemical residue entering the system. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water, let normal drains or traditional bilge pumps clear bulk water and residue, then restore Arid power. Complete those cleaning and rinsing steps before restarting the system.
Does Series 2 need winterizing?
If freezing is possible, protect water retained in the discharge path. The manual describes drawing approximately 5 ounces of suitable biodegradable marine antifreeze from pickup locations through several cycles, then turning power off once the system re-enters rest mode. Use a product appropriate for the vessel and storage conditions. Check the discharge valve is open before restoring power in spring.
Still need a hand?
Have your series, pickup zone and any alarm details ready.
Troubleshooting Guides
Maintenance and leak-checking guides
Use these guides alongside the manual for your installed Arid Bilge System.
- Maintaining your Arid Bilge System — Review routine inspection, cleaning precautions and long-term care.
- Cleaning, inspecting and replacing bilge pickups — Learn when to inspect a pickup and when cleaning or replacement may be needed.
- Understanding zone runtime — Understand changes in operating time and when to investigate water entry or a system issue.
Installation Videos
View our installation video here to see Alfred and the team install a Series 4 with 6 zones and hour meter panels.
Alfred and Ed have great tips for best practices on mounting the unit, cutting and running tubing, hooking the unit up to power, and more.
This boat has 3 bilges, but the center one is divided into 4, so the 6 zone unit with hour meters was selected to help the Captain with early leak detection in all these hard-to-reach areas.
Use this walkthrough for installation context, then follow the current manual for your specific unit and boat.
Watch the full Series 4 installation with chapter links and owner resources.