Perko Strainer flush adapter

[sailormike]

Our ac unit was not flowing water well after checking the outside strainer and our perko strainer I came up with nothing. I want to blast compressed air out through hull to insure it was clear and to circulate barnicle buster through the unit so I built a flush cap I could also use this to run fresh water through to flush it

 

[HopCar]

You can buy commercially made ones but they are no better than what you made. Nice job.

 

[DavidM]

I did the same thing for my main engine strainer. But be careful if you use it to flush acid to clean the heat exchangers. You need to remove the raw water impeller so you can circulate solution through it. The air conditioning raw water pump might work without removing the impeller as it is a centrifugal pump and those can usually let fluid flow through easily. But the rubber impeller on a propulsion or genset engine is sort of positive displacement and you can't push water through it.


David

 

[dhays]

Two nights ago I couldn't sleep and was thinking about doing this very thing. I was thinking about doing it to add a fresh water flush for my main engine. It wouldn't be the optimal solution, but I think it would be the easiest.

 

[sailormike]

I tried to buy a commercially made one from perko but they told me they quit making them. It was hard enough finding the replacement caps. I dont use it on my main engine because that's a bigger strainer. I am gonna make one for it as soon as I find a cap for it. I am aware about the impeller and I have a bucket I hook up to recirculate the fluid with and I just use the impeller pump the chemical I use is safe to use in heat exchangers

 

[sailormike]

If anyone wants one I can make them one for a price

 

[Taras]

I made the exact same thing for both main engines and both gennys. After I ran the boat, I would flush the motors with fresh water. Never had to repair or repair any heat exchangers. Also, saved the zincs. Great idea!

 

[kapnd]

It’s real easy to put a flush point into the system on the outlet side of the strainer.
Remove the barb fitting and insert an appropriately sized nipple and a tee, then put the barb back onto the open end of the tee.
Bush down the top of the tee to accept a 3/4”ball valve and a hose fitting.
leave the seacock open when flushing, no worries about flooding when the engine is off, water will run back through the strainer and out of the seacock.

 

[Keysdisease]

This is in Perko's current catalog:

PERKO Inc. - Catalog - Underwater Hardware - Flushing Strainer [0593]


And as Parks said, nice job on your units

I tried to buy a commercially made one from perko but they told me they quit making them. It was hard enough finding the replacement caps.

 

[fryedaze]

Long term, if your clog issue is from growth I have read that folks put swimming pool tablets in their strainer baskets. I just started using bromine tablets in mine. I haven't had clog issues (except for little Sea Nettles) but maybe it will improve heat transfer.

 

[dhays]

It’s real easy to put a flush point into the system on the outlet side of the strainer.
Remove the barb fitting and insert an appropriately sized nipple and a tee, then put the barb back onto the open end of the tee.
Bush down the top of the tee to accept a 3/4”ball valve and a hose fitting.
leave the seacock open when flushing, no worries about flooding when the engine is off, water will run back through the strainer and out of the seacock.

“Easy” is relative. The engine install in my boat is really nice. but the raw water intake system simply has no straight sections in the hoses. From the seacock to the strainer the hose is continuously bending. The same from the strainer to the engine. This makes adding any fitting in the hose more difficult. While not ideal, this does make using the strainer cap a much easier install option.

 

[HopCar]

This is the set up I made to use my engine cooling pump as an emergency bilge pump. I could easily used it to flush the engine as well.

 

[dhays]

This is the set up I made to use my engine cooling pump as an emergency bilge pump. I could easily used it to flush the engine as well.

Great system. There is an outfit that sells a setup that provides the same thing. A fitting that goes in a 2” intake line that has a hose attachment as well as in intake in the bilge with a strainer. It is easy to switch from a fresh water flush or emergency dewater. I’d use it, but again the total length of it is longer than I can conveniently fit in my raw water line anywhere.