What are you using in your AC strainer

[Offshore]

Is anyone using BioGuard Silk Guard tabs,
https://bioguard.com/pool-products/sanitizers-to-clean-water/

or Bromine tabs in their AC seawater strainer ?

 

[C lectric]

No.

 

[PierreR]

I don't recommend it. it's reactive with aluminum and copper.

 

[Offshore]

Ok but the Silk Guard says it is OK for all applications and all pumps.
I tried to attach the chemical breakdown

 

[PierreR]

Ok but the Silk Guard says it is OK for all applications and all pumps.

For a pool pump. Does it say its ok for a Marine AC seawater condenser.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Chlorine and bromine donors are very effective on organics, bacteria and biofilm, but also accelerate corrosion on virtually all metals. Periodic flushes should maintain clean heat transfer, but chronic use has consequences.

 

[ksanders]

Why use anything???

 

[boomerang]

Why use anything???

For those that leave their their ac/heat on 24/7, crustacean growth is an issue due to the constant water flow in the saltwater lines. I've seen discharge pipes completely clogged with barnacles. I'm assuming it kills their spat, too, in addition to algae.

 

[Offshore]

If you use something your units will cool better and you won't need as many AC internal cleaning with Barnacle Buster or similar. My neighbor in Florida 12 months only descales every 3 years.

 

[ksanders]

For those that leave their their ac/heat on 24/7, crustacean growth is an issue due to the constant water flow in the saltwater lines. I've seen discharge pipes completely clogged with barnacles. I'm assuming it kills their spat, too, in addition to algae.

OK Thanks!

 

[hmason]

I've been using Silk Guard with every strainer cleaning for 4 years. My slip neighbor who turned me on to it has been using it regularly for 15 years and has never needed to Barnacle Buster his A/C system. And his pumps have never needed replacement. He has a 52' Maritimo. My chiller system works great.

 

[M. Shul]

Enviromental Impact

A swimming pool is a closed loop with limited discharge into the environment. A marine A/C is not, do you really want to discharge this back into the ocean?

 

[Turtle Blues]

A misapplication of a product not intended for this use resulting in the unnecessary discharge of chemicals into the ecosystem. I hope you are not close to a oyster start area.

 

[jgtrucking]

Yes periodic cleanings, flush with bromine tabs. Unless your boat is sitting in a closed swimming pool it will have no net effect on the waterway Jeesh! More "chemicals" get dumped in the waterways by 1 towns wastewater treatment facility in a week than all the rec boats could do in 10 years.

 

[rwaldrop13]

Is anyone using BioGuard Silk Guard tabs,
https://bioguard.com/pool-products/sanitizers-to-clean-water/

or Bromine tabs in their AC seawater strainer ?

I was using bromine tablets in my strainers. I had my pumps on continuous run, even though the AC units ran on thermostat settings, and usually I would stack 4 tablets in a Groco strainer. The stack would typically last just over a week. This seemed to significantly help with growth issues. I didn't have any issues otherwise, as I (1) used the tabs - I bought the 5lb bucket at a local pool supply store, and (2) during warm weather (I'm in SW Florida), I used a Trac Ecological 1285-B FLUSHcap - 2.5" (Medium) to flush my AC system plumbing from the strainer thru the overboards with fresh water at dock pressure. Just a couple of afterthoughts - Reason for continuous run pumps something I would share directly, just ask. I also had an inline valve between the strainer and the pump that I could close off so I could back-flush the raw water intakes the same way.

 

[Searunner37]

I put a couple 3/4" copper fittings in my strainer. Worked for me.

 

[rwaldrop13]

I put a couple 3/4" copper fittings in my strainer. Worked for me.

I had tried that first but bromine seemed more effective.

 

[Barking Sands]

When I was young I worked at a Pinch A Penny Pool supplies factory making those chlorine tabs. I witnessed first hand how incredibly destructive chlorine tabs are on nearly any metal. When it was high humidity, if I left something like a chrome plated wrench on my toolbox, it would grow a rusty fuzz OVERNIGHT. I personally would not bring any chlorine tabs anywhere near the boat.

 

[jgtrucking]

When I was young I worked at a Pinch A Penny Pool supplies factory making those chlorine tabs. I witnessed first hand how incredibly destructive chlorine tabs are on nearly any metal. When it was high humidity, if I left something like a chrome plated wrench on my toolbox, it would grow a rusty fuzz OVERNIGHT. I personally would not bring any chlorine tabs anywhere near the boat.

Well in Humid air is actually worse than immersed in water. Chlorine with oxygen is very destructive. The amount of suspended Oxygen in the water is minimal. Exposure time and concentration is key. I will put one big tablet in a strainer that feeds 2 16k units 3-4 times a year. They disove fairly quickly, do their job and are then gone. Absolutely do not let the pump run just a min or 2, and then let it sit. Run it through until its dissolved.



Remember chlorine is in our water systems all the time, but low concentrations.