A/C circulation pump problem

[ScarabChris]

So for a while now I couldn't seem to get much pressure out of the AC circulation pump. I racked my brains going through the system but found no obvious problems.

Today I decided to cut the pipe out between the thru hull seacock where the pump pulls raw water and the pump and this is what I found.

I would never have looked at this first because I just re-piped the system about 7 months ago when I put in a new pump and strainer.

Needless to say its flowing like crazy now. This time I put a quick disconnect at the pump and the seacock so I can pull that section of pipe out to clean it.

Damn Zebra muscles..

Edited September 22, 2009 by ScarabChris

[Chisox]

So, has there been an external strainer invented that keeps the little ###### out?

[ScarabChris]

Yeah there is a strainer/scoop on the hull bottom and there is an inline strainer with a very fine screen. But they didn't get sucked in, they grew in there. They were also all in the strainer and in the pump inlet too.

[Chisox]

So Chris,

That would imply that they kind of deposit their little ones in the surrounding waters, the little ones get washed/sucked up into your intake, take up residence, grow up, and totally F up your AC system...

That would also imply that there is no known preventative measure to keep their infestation from happening...

[ScarabChris]

I would agree with your entire statement.

I heard that these zebra muscles are becoming a real problem. They weren't native to the US but were carried in from other countries on the bottom of ships.

Now they are infesting our fresh and brackish waters.

[Chisox]

http://www.asi-group.com/engineering/Zebra...sel_Control.htm

Chris,

Granted, this control mechanism has to do with water plants, but Chlorine seems to be the method of choice. How to introduce it into your slip and maintain it's presence is another story. How much research have you done?

[eliteftlaud]

in my experience, barnacles and mussels love PVC, i occasionally will still do PVC manifolds, but never any long runs with pvc pipe. a few of my customers have they're boats plumbed with PVC trunk lines thru the hole boat to supply their a/c units, its a nightmare! alot of captains are putting chlorine tablets (for pools) in their sea strainers to help eliminate the growth upstream and in the strainer bowls. - seems to help.

[Chisox]

I know it's off topic, but what boat do those triple Verados belong to, off your port bow forward?

[eliteftlaud]

I know it's off topic, but what boat do those triple Verados belong to, off your port bow forward?

hey Bob, i'm pretty sure that was a 38 Fountain. its at my in/out storage so the scenery changes quite frequently, but there is a few of us that have our boats in the water almost every weekend, and that 38 is usually one of them

Edited September 27, 2009 by eliteftlaud

[CSkipR]

I put 5-6 small chlorine tablets in my ac strainer once a month. Also flush system with muratic acid at least once a year. Now I am putting in the sea strainer some plumbing copper fittings to see if this helps reduce barnacle growth. Just an experiment although copper is an effective ingredient in bottom paint.