Marine Growth in Air Conditioner Water Lines/Strainers

[DCMY #92]

For several years several of my neighbors jump through all kinds of hoops to deal with and attempt to prevent barnacle growth in their boats' air conditioner cooling water hoses, strainers, etc. (Florida salt water). My Hatteras has never had this problem. Most of these problem boats use a single water pump to distribute water to multiple A/C units. My boat was also set up this way in 1982 when I bought her. I changed to a single Marsh pump, through hull, seacock and strainer for each A/C unit for additional reliability. I was in fresh water at the time so marine growth was not an issue.

I'm wondering if higher, consistent velocity in the strainers and hoses with my single pump setup is why I don't have a growth problem and these other folks do.

What are your experiences and opinions?

 

[Pascal]

I ve used both a single punpnper AC and for multiple indont thinknit makes a difference. The problem are the manifolds which splits the flow. The key is to oversized the hoses and manifolds to avoid growth getting trapped in multiple fittings

In any case an annual descale makes sure everything is clean

The growing problem I ve seen in the past few years here in so do are small Mussel shape white shells growing in the AC plumbing. About 1/4" long. When you haul out for paint they die and get piled up in the manifold blocking flow

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Add bromine tabs and there'll be no growth to start with.

 

[PeterK]

Add bromine tabs and there'll be no growth to start with.

How often do you replenish the tablets?

 

[ageless]

Add bromine tabs and there'll be no growth to start with.

Have you use these in (Saltwater flushed) waste lines, as well?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I put bromine tabs in every basket and have for two years. I fill the baskets full. Head strainers go for couple of months. Generator strainer close to same. AC strainer in summer eats them in about 3 week and about two months in winter in Charleston. Bigger tabs are a better value. Was getting them from Walmart. Now the tabs are pellets. Let me know if you find anything close to an inch in diameter.

 

[rustybucket]

I put bromine tabs in every basket and have for two years. I fill the baskets full. Head strainers go for couple of months. Generator strainer close to same. AC strainer in summer eats them in about 3 week and about two months in winter in Charleston. Bigger tabs are a better value. Was getting them from Walmart. Now the tabs are pellets. Let me know if you find anything close to an inch in diameter.

Interesting on the Bromine. I've always used pool tablets, don't recall if they are Bromine or not, will have to look. Are all the pool tablets Bromine? I have a tub, they are 1" tablets. Never ran them in the genset or mains basket, will have to try that. Thanks!

 

[MVCaprice]

I put bromine tabs in every basket and have for two years. I fill the baskets full. Head strainers go for couple of months. Generator strainer close to same. AC strainer in summer eats them in about 3 week and about two months in winter in Charleston. Bigger tabs are a better value. Was getting them from Walmart. Now the tabs are pellets. Let me know if you find anything close to an inch in diameter.

Here is the 1" or so tabs that I have found and used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O5ZZ4W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Interesting on the Bromine. I've always used pool tablets, don't recall if they are Bromine or not, will have to look. Are all the pool tablets Bromine? I have a tub, they are 1" tablets. Never ran them in the genset or mains basket, will have to try that. Thanks!

Chlorine is for freshwater. Bromine is got saltwater. Don't mix them or you'll get scum.

 

[rustybucket]

Chlorine is for freshwater. Bromine is got saltwater. Don't mix them or you'll get scum.

What if the boat is in brackish? Bromine right?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

What if the boat is in brackish? Bromine right?

If you have barnacles go with bromine.