Ozone Generators for odor and bacteria

[healhustler]

Typically, when I enter my boat after a week or two, there's not much of an odor. This time the smell of mold was pretty bad. I'm having a pretty difficult time tracing down the source, but I wondered how many of you might use an ozone generator to kill mold and bacteria on the boat. Of course, you can't leave the things running for extended periods around hoses and such, but with the small spaces in a boat and a relatively small generator, the mold is dead in only a few minutes. Bacterial too.

 

[jwnall]

I have one which came with the boat. It is on a timer, which lets it run for short periods and then shuts it off. I also keep a fan running all the time. No particular smell of mildew/mold, and I am in a hot humid climate (most of the time -- not right now, though!

 

[Pau Hana]

I have one, and it worked quite well on our last boat (repo).

 

[cafesport]

Typically, when I enter my boat after a week or two, there's not much of an odor. This time the smell of mold was pretty bad. I'm having a pretty difficult time tracing down the source, but I wondered how many of you might use an ozone generator to kill mold and bacteria on the boat. Of course, you can't leave the things running for extended periods around hoses and such, but with the small spaces in a boat and a relatively small generator, the mold is dead in only a few minutes. Bacterial too.

Bad idea especially if you have dripless shaft seals. Ozone will shorten the life of all the neoprene based rubber on board. Try a product from protexall called mildew zone instead.

Sent from my iPhone

 

[Moonfish]

We use a combination of Kanberra Gel and H2Out Space Dryers for the purpose of keeping mold, mildew and the subsequent "boat smell" under control. And since we live and workaboard 24/7 (meaning we're putting a lot of moisture into the air by cooking, showering, and oh yeah, breathing, etc.) in the Pacific NW, we also use dehumidifiers - though not on a daily basis. No stinky smell on this boat... And no mold, either.

And Kanberra Gel comes in a spray bottle, too. Which is a VERY effective odor eliminator after using the head...

 

[Moonfish]

For those that aren't familiar with H2Out Space Dryers, we did a demo video of the product (which won the Freeman K Pittman Innovation Award in 2012):

H2Out Space Dryers

And no, we don't sell them...

 

[El Sea]

Check out crystal aire in Canada. We have two of their units.

 

[LaBomba]

I worked in a dairy for many years and in one of our cheese, cultured products plants, mold/mildew was an ongoing issue. They used ozone generators but they were not allowed to be on when humans were in the building. They only ran at night and on weekends. They were considered "hazardous to your health" by the H&S manager.

 

[sunchaser]

It sounds like something has changed on your vessel. Find the source of the water or seep. Maybe your tennis shoes are hidden in a damp place?

 

[boatpoker]

MY wife has virtually no immune system and mold would be potentially fatal yet we lived onboard for 16yrs. We simply could not allow mold or even dampness onboard.
Among other precautions we had an air purification system that included Hepa, ion generation, UV, ozone generator and one other that I forget.

The ozone was turned on whenever we left the boat. Many years living aboard in Canadian winters and there was never a hint of any odor whether mold, dampness, diesel, cooking, black water or anything else.

 

[Daddyo]

We have a Bilge Buster (out of business) ozone generator and it works great.

 

[healhustler]

MY wife has virtually no immune system and mold would be potentially fatal yet we lived onboard for 16yrs. We simply could not allow mold or even dampness onboard.

Poker: That's both incredible and reassuring. My own Admiral is super sensitive, and she'll be glad to hear that testimony. I'm loaning an ozone generator from another boater tomorrow to clear-up the problem, but as Cafesport noted, one can't ignore the damage it does to neoprene items on the boat when over exposed. I already ordered a plug-in air freshener version of the ozone machine. Very low power, and perfect to place inside cabinets for minutes at a time.

 

[Daddyo]

Poker: That's both incredible and reassuring. My own Admiral is super sensitive, and she'll be glad to hear that testimony. I'm loaning an ozone generator from another boater tomorrow to clear-up the problem, but as Cafesport noted, one can't ignore the damage it does to neoprene items on the boat when over exposed. I already ordered a plug-in air freshener version of the ozone machine. Very low power, and perfect to place inside cabinets for minutes at a time.

Brand, model?

 

[boatpoker]

Heaven Fresh 300D two of these in our 40' did the trick

 

[boatpoker]

Oh ! I just remember what the other one was .... charcoal

 

[healhustler]

Brand, model?

The unit I'm using tomorrow is an industrial 4000MG unit, but the one I bought is this cheapo bare-bones one here.

Amazon.com: Bare Bones Ozone Generator: Everything Else

 

[beachbum29]

Isn't ozone toxic to humans?

 

[Edelweiss]

Ozone is present in the air all around us and occurs in nature from ultraviolet light reacting with our atmosphere, lightning bolts, even arching from electric motors. At normal levels, no problem.
However it is an oxidant and at high levels it can cause disorders in animals. Mainly it attacks the respiratory system. But in everyday life, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Adelaide]

Typically, when I enter my boat after a week or two, there's not much of an odor. This time the smell of mold was pretty bad. I'm having a pretty difficult time tracing down the source, but I wondered how many of you might use an ozone generator to kill mold and bacteria on the boat. Of course, you can't leave the things running for extended periods around hoses and such, but with the small spaces in a boat and a relatively small generator, the mold is dead in only a few minutes. Bacterial too.

I have the Bilge buster Ozone generator..... The only thing it did was destroy the sound barrier panels in about a 3 foot section above the unit. I turned it off and notice no difference. Waste of money IMO.

 

[Forkliftt]

EPA's opinion

Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners | Indoor Air | US Environmental Protection Agency

 

[sunchaser]

Last year when new boat shopping odors were high on the list of boats to question. On a newer Selene a leak in the holding taking fittings were found. On a Nordhavn 62 a bad exhaust vent on a diesel heater appeared. Whether new or old some odors can be traced to original build defects, especially water leaks that never show up until a panel is pulled off.

Best to track down the reason for the smell if you choose to some day sell your vessel.

 

[Steve]

I have a Quantum Panda Ozone generator I bought in 2005, they were being talked about a lot for odor control. I used to leave it on at 1/2 power when the boat was at the dock. I never did notice any damage at all to surrounding material from the unit, but I never thought it was very effective at "destroying odors" either so a couple of years took it out.