Air Cond Barnacles

[hmason]

We are having a terrible time with barnacles growing in our air conditioning raw water lines. They clog so fast it’s almost hard to believe. I’m thinking of putting swimming pool slow dissolve chlorine tabs in the sea strainer; all it can hold and putting the pump on constant run until they are gone. Repeating this process monthly as needed. Has anyone tried this? Any downsides? Thanks all.

 

[boathealer]

We are having a terrible time with barnacles growing in our air conditioning raw water lines. They clog so fast it’s almost hard to believe. I’m thinking of putting swimming pool slow dissolve chlorine tabs in the sea strainer; all it can hold and putting the pump on constant run until they are gone. Repeating this process monthly as needed. Has anyone tried this? Any downsides? Thanks all.

Be careful with chorine - it will eat up rubber parts rather quickly. Might opt for bromide tablets instead.

 

[hmason]

The pump impeller is brass. The hoses are vinyl(?). Where would rubber be?

 

[boathealer]

The pump impeller is brass. The hoses are vinyl(?). Where would rubber be?

Don't know, o-rings, etc.? - it's your system. Just a caution. Ruined two engine impellers by using it in a sea-chest.

 

[hmason]

Don't know, o-rings, etc.? - it's your system. Just a caution. Ruined two engine impellers by using it in a sea-chest.

Yes, something to consider. I tried bromine and they dissolved in a day. Didn’t help at all.

 

[OldDan1943]

I too have significant trouble with the SW to my AC.
I had trouble with barnacles in the hose from the clamshell to the seawater strainer. I think I changed that hose 3 or 4 times. I could have run a wooden dowel through the hose but, it would have left rough stops for barnacles to quickly attach. I put in a new hose. It is only about 20 inch run. This last time, I had the hoses from the singular SW pump to each of the 2 AC units.
I had the diver come out clean the bottom paying particular attention to the SW clamshell feeding the strainer and SW pump. So now, I will see how long I last before the next do over.

 

[hmason]

I too have significant trouble with the SW to my AC.
I had trouble with barnacles in the hose from the clamshell to the seawater strainer. I think I changed that hose 3 or 4 times. I could have run a wooden dowel through the hose but, it would have left rough stops for barnacles to quickly attach. I put in a new hose. It is only about 20 inch run. This last time, I had the hoses from the singular SW pump to each of the 2 AC units.
I had the diver come out clean the bottom paying particular attention to the SW clamshell feeding the strainer and SW pump. So now, I will see how long I last before the next do over.

All my hoses are new as is the pump. It’s frustrating the crap out of me.

 

[bayview]

Be sure the strainer and inlet are clean incase they are seeding the plumbing.

I used pool tabs on FL west coast, barnacle capital of the world, and didn't have too many problems. I did not let the A/C run 24/7 when not board used a dehumidifier instead.

 

[HiDHo]

Try copper, I have used ground wire and a hand full of copper penny’s in the strainer basket.

 

[OldDan1943]

Try copper, I have used ground wire and a hand full of copper penny’s in the strainer basket.

In my case, most of the problem involve the clam shell and the hose to the strainer.
Guess I will try a few pennies in the strainer, next time.

 

[Comodave]

If you have a metal basket the pennies may interact with it.

 

[rgano]

Try copper, I have used ground wire and a hand full of copper penny’s in the strainer basket.

I use inch or two long sections of 1/2 inch copper tubing.

 

[OldDan1943]

If you have a metal basket the pennies may interact with it.

In a good or bad way?

 

[O C Diver]

I have a couple of tricks. First, if you get a day that you can live without AC turn it off, and close the seacock. The organisms that are alive will deplete the oxygen and die.

Second, if you can live without AC overnight, close the seacock, open the strainer, add a couple of ounces of Clorox, and close the strainer. You will find the bleach moves through the system and kills everything.

If you kill everything in the system overnight or during the a couple of days, you can probably go a week or two between shots.

The last thing I thought about was plumbing dock water with a solenoid valve after the seacock. Close the seacock and have the solenoid valve operate when the AC calls for cooling water. I would imagine that 2 or 3 days of chlorinated municipal water would kill everything in the system and the you could go back to raw water. The marina probably won't endorse this idea.

Ted

 

[Stout]

Electro Sea

Hmason,

This looks like it may be the answer to you needs: https://www.electrosea.com/


From their web page: Prevent barnacle, biofilm, algae and marine growth in your raw water line with the CLEARLINE SYSTEM.

I have no affiliation with the company, it is interesting tech. Not sure what you do from your intake to this system to keep that part clean.

 

[OldDan1943]

Hmason,

This looks like it may be the answer to you needs: https://www.electrosea.com/


From their web page: Prevent barnacle, biofilm, algae and marine growth in your raw water line with the CLEARLINE SYSTEM.

I have no affiliation with the company, it is interesting tech. Not sure what you do from your intake to this system to keep that part clean.

My problem is from the outside of the clam shell and through reinforced rubber hose to the strainer.

 

[Stout]

Dan- Yep:
“I have no affiliation with the company, it is interesting tech. Not sure what you do from your intake to this system to keep that part clean.l

 

[OldDan1943]

Dan- Yep:
“I have no affiliation with the company, it is interesting tech. Not sure what you do from your intake to this system to keep that part clean.l

My procedure is to tell the diver to pay particular attention to the A/C clam shell. As is traditional, everything goes belly up on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
So I pull the hose off between the hull valve and the strainer, replace if accumulating barnacles. (little over 1 foot) Next, a flat blade screw driver, working it up and down through the clam shell, flooding into the ER. When I have a good flow, shut the hull valve replace the hose and hope it lasts until the diver gets here, if not, repeat.
Yes, I do back flush from the strainer through the clam shell.
We shall see how long it will last this time. Soon the water will cool and the build up is not much until mid summer to Oct.

 

[Mermaid]

The last thing I thought about was plumbing dock water with a solenoid valve after the seacock. Close the seacock and have the solenoid valve operate when the AC calls for cooling water. I would imagine that 2 or 3 days of chlorinated municipal water would kill everything in the system and the you could go back to raw water. The marina probably won't endorse this idea.

Ted

That will get you kicked out of a marina real fast and if your neighbors are on to what you’re doing, you’ll find your water getting shut off because that does nothing but cost the marina more money which eventually leads to rate hikes. Our marina busted a few people for doing that and they are now gone.

 

[Woodstock]

Dan- Yep:
“I have no affiliation with the company, it is interesting tech. Not sure what you do from your intake to this system to keep that part clean.l

We put the Clearline system in our boat last spring and it works well. It does what it claims to do by chlorinating seawater to keep the system clean (doesn't work in fresh water). The Clearline unit is just after our pump and includes a return line that goes back to the input line prior to the strainer to keep chlorinated water looping through the entire system. The chlorination level is very low, similar to what would be in treated city water. The only plumbing not getting continuously "cleaned" is the clamshell to the Clearline tee prior to the strainer.

 

[gunho1]

I like the pennies idea but what about the remaining barnicle shells? It seems to me that they will remain and eventually clog up the lines...

 

[OldDan1943]

I like the pennies idea but what about the remaining barnicle shells? It seems to me that they will remain and eventually clog up the lines...

My problem is between the SW inlet and the SW strainer. Putting pennies in the strainer will not cure this problem. SIGH

 

[STB]

I can only offer misery company. Mine clog every few weeks. :-(

 

[OldDan1943]

I can only offer misery company. Mine clog every few weeks. :-(

Divers love me.
I'm on blood thinners so every scrape of my knuckles and forearms yield lots of blood when I pull that 2 ft section of hose. LOL
December through May, not a problem with water flow.