SS AC strainer 2 weeks old - Rusted???

[jefndeb]

Just an FYI,

We replaced our AC strainer basket 3 weeks ago, ordered from sure marine, and it is already rusting...I called sure marine to ask what the deal was and they refered me to their supplier "Marine Hardware".

They said it's made with 304 SS and will rust in salty or brackish water....what??

No help there...they said if I don't like it just return it....wow.

Looks to me it is rusting where the finger loop is soldered or welded to the basket.

Dissimilar metal corrosion?

I wish Marine Hardware offered a plastic basket like Groco does.

Furthermore I wish my Mainship had groco strainers.

Oh well...it is what it is.

Just thought I would share that.

 

[pjtemplin]

Take a look at the "Which Should You Use?" section here: https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/the-differences-between-304-and-316-stainless-steel/ - looks to me like 316 would have been a better choice.

 

[psneeld]

Rust around those and many other tack welded handles is pretty common...not right but common.


After a random number of years they sometimes come off, sometimes not.


I have pop riveted some back on using stainless rivets.

 

[jefndeb]

Ok, well this is three weeks old....seems to be a little more corrosion that one would expect??

There is already a small hole on the bottom..

Geez ..

 

[O C Diver]

If it were me, I'd take some measurements and see if I could adapt a Groco plastic strainer to fit. At the rate yours is deteriorating, it won't last the year.

Ted

 

[BDofMSP]

You should see the hose clamp that I just got this week from a HIGHLY respected source this weekend. Broke when I tightened it - you can see why.

BD

 

[psneeld]

Though this may be way inferior....it may not be.


The ones I have seen look about like that and then just look that way for a long time.


it's only a strainer and a broken handle and a hoe or two doesn't really matter much.


Me, I would just keep an eye on it and have a plan like Ted suggested if it looks like it's headed for total failure.

 

[Alan Mainship]

Try putting a copper wire in the strainer, it will corrode first! Worked for mine.

 

[Lepke]

You can buy perforated 316 sheets on line, cut to size. Not all that expensive. About $30 for a 12"x12". And there are companies on the web that make custom baskets.

 

[Pgitug]

You should see the hose clamp that I just got this week from a HIGHLY respected source this weekend. Broke when I tightened it - you can see why.



BD

When you buy hose clamps that have the tightening tracks cut all the way through the material you know that you are buying “Cheap” Communist China junk. The ABYC certified clamps are a rated stainless and the tightening tracks are embedded

 

[Frosty]

Just backing up pgitug: I wouldn't even look at a clamp with cut slots like that. They tend to cut into hoses. A high quality 316 stainless clamp won't even have those (AWAB, et al).

On the basket: Shame on them for using 304 stainless where it is obviously going to be submerged in saltwater for many boaters. I don't even like to use 304 above the waterline and always ask which it is. 316 is preferable (if using stainless at all).

 

[BDofMSP]

When you buy hose clamps that have the tightening tracks cut all the way through the material you know that you are buying “Cheap” Communist China junk. The ABYC certified clamps are a rated stainless and the tightening tracks are embeddedView attachment 107380

Well I didn't buy the hose clamps. I bought an aftercooler maintenance kit which included o-rings, hoses and clamps, from Seaboard Marine. I trusted that Tony Athens would supply quality components. I did report the broken clamp to them and they replied immediately stating they use these clamps on all of their work and haven't experienced the rust. They sent a new clamp, for what that's worth.

 

[Frosty]

I would have expected Seaboard to use "proper" clamps as well. Given their response, I don't get the feeling they'd be open to suggestions for improving their kit, so if it were me I would buy good clamps and use them instead of the ones Seaboard included.

Even if they were made of 316 stainless (which it sure doesn't look like they are), that perforated band style does not do hoses any favors.

 

[psneeld]

From Defender website


AWAB Breeze 300SS Power-Seal Hose Clamps

Band Width: 1/2", Select Clamping Range (3-1/8" to 12-1/4"')
Material: 300 Stainless Steel
Sold Individually, Slotted Band

 

[AusCan]

From Defender website


AWAB Breeze 300SS Power-Seal Hose Clamps

Band Width: 1/2", Select Clamping Range (3-1/8" to 12-1/4"')
Material: 300 Stainless Steel
Sold Individually, Slotted Band

"300" Stainless Steel is a not a specific type, but a series which includes 316 and 304 grades. I suspect it might be the latter.

This table lists most of them.
https://www.assda.asn.au/images/2016/RMp10_CommonAusteniticSSGradesandTheirApplications.pdf

 

[Frosty]

To the OP and Psneeld: Please accept my apologies for saying AWAB as if they only made solid band clamps. I didn't realize they also made slotted band clamps of apparently random 3xx stainless composition. Now it looks as though it has confused the issue and Psneeld is thinking I meant the clamps he shows. I should not have used a brand name (although in my defense "AWAB style clamps" is uttered by others - no excuse though).

To improve upon my poorly specified post above, I will say that I generally use non-slotted band clamps, I like the ones with rolled edges, I like them to be 316 stainless, and I have used AWAB brand (and possibly another brand with similar initials). The main thing is the style and composition.

I also like the little rubber "tail guards" over the ends (even the shorter tidy ends).

I'm sorry I misled you both, that was my bad. Psneeld, I didn't mean that type of clamp. Hopefully you have not bought any on my recommendation.

Frosty

 

[psneeld]

No, I was just pointing out that AWAB, maybe god's gift to clamps according to some here on TF .....but not all perforated clamps are "Chinese junk" and not all perforated clamps ruin hoses like stated.

I have bought/used perforated AWAB clamps as I think are suitable and the other ones are great in some applications but overkill in others.


Some advice given on TF astounds many pros I deal with.....so I am not alone.

 

[Frosty]

I'd probably better stop posting about these things then. Maybe the "pros" could come give a hand instead of us mere plebes.

(I do try to state what I have done or would do -- and why -- vs. what "everyone" should do, or just "get this, it's best" with no supporting information.)

OP: Sorry for the misinformation; I'd now say go with the clamps Psneeld recommended above.

 

[psneeld]

I'd probably better stop posting about these things then. Maybe the "pros" could come give a hand instead of us mere plebes.

(I do try to state what I have done or would do -- and why -- vs. what "everyone" should do, or just "get this, it's best" with no supporting information.)

OP: Sorry for the misinformation; I'd now say go with the clamps Psneeld recommended above.

I am not saying that...but I am not so bold as some to say only the top of the line is acceptable, safe, the right thing to use....etc...etc...


You did post "I would have expected Seaboard to use "proper" clamps as well.". The pros do sell something that you think is inferior and you stated so.



I have enough experience to know what does and doesn't work...and a whole lot works that isn't always the "top of the line".


I didn't suggest using cheap stuff...but AWAB does make lesser but acceptable clamps.

 

[Frosty]

You did post "I would have expected Seaboard to use "proper" clamps as well.". The pros do sell something that you think is inferior and you stated so.

The Seaboard clamps broke during installation. Is that not inferior?

I would never say everyone should use the best clamps all the time. I mean, it would be great, but people have budgets, and lesser things can work. But here we have a guy coming off a failure of a brand new item and asking how he can improve upon it. I suppose I could have said "try to find a slightly better clamp that won't break right away." I don't know what that would be though so I can't really recommend one with any personal experience. I would be guessing. I do know that I've had good service from the solid band, 316 clamps.

I will consider the clamps you recommended from Defender in future. Now that I know they will do the job, be kind to hose, and not rust... well, that's all I ask.

I do keep a selection of my old, removed "lesser" clamps because any clamp is better than no clamp in a pinch, and too, sometimes I'm setting up a temporary pump or what-have-you, and they work fine for that.

The last thing I want to do is lead people astray, so I will back off on my recommendations. Your experience carries more weight, for sure.

In truth, there is probably no topic on Trawler Forum in which I could hold a candle to "real" experts.

 

[BDofMSP]

I just got back to the boat. For the record, the clamp WAS an AWAB clamp - the Breeze. I thought it was but I wanted to be sure. Also it is perforated. But more importantly, the perforation has zero contact with the hose. So the claim that all perforated clamps are horrible on hoses doesn't make sense.

I feel I was right to assume that Seaboard would use quality materials. Possibly not The absolute best, but still quality. The fact that one of them failed doesn't contradict that - things do happen and sometimes even the illustrious AWAB lets one get by.

 

[BDofMSP]

Sincere apologies to the OP for completely derailing his post with unrelated topics. My bad.

BD

 

[Northern Spy]

Back to the strainer. It is 304 material but corroding at the weld. This is either lower grade filler material, or a bad WPS allowing for a rough surface, not enough shielding gas or too high of temperature making the heat affected zone (HAZ) large and deep. Or both.

If it was made offshore, there likely was no weld procedure and could be the wrong filler too.

It is intergranular corroding as the chromium is tied up as chromium carbide and is not protecting the steel at the weld.

Often times a good cleaning with acid to desensitized the HAZ will help prevent this corrosion.

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Less and less though, as it is easy to make something cheaper without an apparent decrease in quality.

TL;DR It's a crappy weld.

 

[Frosty]

I just got back to the boat. For the record, the clamp WAS an AWAB clamp - the Breeze. I thought it was but I wanted to be sure. Also it is perforated. But more importantly, the perforation has zero contact with the hose. So the claim that all perforated clamps are horrible on hoses doesn't make sense.

In your picture above of the broken clamp (post #6), only the perforated part (perforated all the way through) shows, so you can probably understand why it looked perforated.

Interestingly, the photo of the clamp that Psneeld recommended above (from Defender) (post #14) is also an AWAB Breeze, and it sure looks fully perforated in the photo.

But then the clamps in your post #21 both look different from a Breeze or the broken one in your earlier post.

Presuming it is not as it looks in the two photos (your broken one and Defender's), and that it has a solid band touching the hose, then to my (non-expert) mind, it counts as a solid band clamp. Because what matters (most) (to me) is the part up against the hose, which in this case is solid. Perforations elsewhere aren't going to contact the hose.

I feel I was right to assume that Seaboard would use quality materials. Possibly not The absolute best, but still quality. The fact that one of them failed doesn't contradict that - things do happen and sometimes even the illustrious AWAB lets one get by.

I agree, and it's good you no longer feel as skeptical as you did in post #6. Also, it is good to confirm that Seaboard was sending out good hose clamps. It might have been nice if they'd said "hey, bummer, we'll send you out a replacement," rather than "that's never happened to anyone else" but maybe that is a misunderstanding either on their part or here because we are only getting it second hand. I think of them as a quality outfit and having them around makes me want a Cummins in and of itself.

(Am I the only one who can spend a morning watching their engine start-up videos )

 

[Xsbank]

That strainer (this was a thread about a rusting strainer?) was not passivated after welding. Send it back, with your true feelings about how you feel about the quality, then get a new one and follow the passivating process. Then it should outlast you.

 

[Northern Spy]

Yup.

That strainer (this was a thread about a rusting strainer?) was not passivated after welding. Send it back, with your true feelings about how you feel about the quality, then get a new one and follow the passivating process. Then it should outlast you.

 

[jefndeb]

What is a passivating process?

 

[Xsbank]

Go hunting here: https://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/?

 

[Frosty]

What is a passivating process?

Keep in mind I'm only an amateur and can't compete with the pros here.

But as I understand it, passivating is a chemical process that is applied to the stainless that makes it less prone to rust. Big shops (say Railmakers NW) presumably have vats of chemicals that you and I wouldn't have.

There are some consumer products that claim to passivate stainless. Whether or not they do the job I don't know for sure, but maybe some of the more knowledgeable folks do and will comment.

One I have used is "Spotless Stainless." Essentially you clean your stainless, put this stuff on and keep it wet for X amount of time, and then rinse it off. IIRC, Wichinox also claims to passivate stainless (it's a paste in a tube). With a separate piece it's pretty easy to do (if something is on the boat you have to take some care to not get it on aluminum or etc.)

I don't think that passivating will ever make 304 stainless as corrosion resistant as 316 would be. But then again, either 304 or 316 would probably benefit from passivation.

There may be a way you can make your own passivating solution. It's been years since I read up on it, but I remember it being essentially an acid. In the volume I need, I just went ahead and bought Wichinox and Spotless Stainless.

I have not done anything that stays submerged. I also haven't done any tests where I applied these compounds to half my stainless and left the other half undone, so I don't have any real "evidence."

FWIW,
Frosty

 

[garmstro55]

Jeez, Jeff that looks bad. I bought a replacement basket for my AC from them and I swear they told me it was made of Monel, not stainless. Maybe they offer both?