Tricks/tips for through hull cleaning

[PeterK]

Looking for any help in clearing an AC through hull from inside the boat. My diver is trying to get here today but I'm not sure he will get here until tomorrow.

The flow is about 20% of what it should be and my pump is laboring as a result.

On our boat, the strainer is horizontally mounted so it is a right angle to get to the through hull. Coat hanger did nothing and I can't get a screw driver in far enough to clear the barnacles.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[MVCaprice]

Are you sure its the through hull? Does the valve close?

 

[PeterK]

Opens and closes fine. When the valve and strainer open, a fraction of the normal flow. The though hull is less than a foot from the centerline and almost 5' below the waterline. When clear, a gusher comes out!

 

[skater]

Did you try a flexible plumbers fish/snake?

 

[captainwjm]

Try blowing it out with shore water hose. That works if blockage is due to grass on outside strainer.

 

[Fish Tales]

On my 45, my ac sea strainer was right below the engine room light. I always left that light on for safety. Thus became an energy source for marine growth. What I did was go to Walmart and purchase a cheap gun cleaning kit. There are several size copper round brushed that will fit the through hull perfectly. Usually 12 guage. You have to bend the rod a little to go in at the right angle, but it is a cheap kit.

I closed the through hull valve, removed the lid and strainer basket, prepared my rod for plunging, (sounds dirty), opened the valve and started scrubbing. You will get some water in the boat, not that much, and all of the debri scraped out.

When finished, shop vac out the water and debri, and save the rod and brush for next time. ( don't forget to close the valve) . The rod is aluminum and the brush is copper. On larger through hulls, I have doubled and trippled the brushes to get the size I need.

Have a great week,
Tim

 

[SEVEN]

Block off the through hull and pour barnacle buster in and let it sit for a few hours. If that doesn’t clear it up you will need to flush barnacle buster through the complete system. I bet that’s what you will need to do.

 

[Pascal]

Most of the time it s either a plastic bag outside on the scoop or it s blockage in the hose.

If it s a plastic bag the only solution is to go for a swim.

If it s a blockage in the hose, you have to close the sea cock, and pull the hose off the sea cock and strainer. Clean and re instal. Plunging, coat hangers etc isn't going to do anything to barnacles

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

To reiterate past postings, I fill strainer baskets (all of them) with bromine tablets. This keeps the baskets clean. When the pumps are running, some of the bromine has to leach back. I know this won't clear a blockage, but maybe it'll prevent one going forward.

 

[Pascal]

Whatever you put in the strainer isn't going to prevent growth in the hose upstream

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Whatever you put in the strainer isn't going to prevent growth in the hose upstream

Well it certainly does. Try it and see for yourself.

 

[RonNP]

I can imagine it does prevent growth of alage as it would in a pool among other things. What I would worry about would be running bromine water through our iron Detroit Diesels. I'm not a chemist by any means but I would surmise that Bromine would take an electron from Iron and speed up the process of rust. I may be way off but in the past when using Bromine in my hot tubs I always saw rust stains. Just a thought.

 

[PeterK]

Upshot: My diver made a trip up here (was working in WPB). Clamshell was shockingly covered with all types of muck, soft and hard growth. Had to pull it off, wire brush/chisel and reinstall. Hated taking it off while in the water but gotta do what ya gotta do... as soon as he pulled it, a gusher came out of the through hull. .

Need to haul soon for a C&V (and a shout out to boatsb for the referral to his agent! Will be saving me several boat bucks on insurance.). Will tune props, Naiad seals and fresh bottom paint. I'm thinking hinged exterior strainers are going to be on the list too...

Thanks to all for the great suggestions and assistance! You folks are the best!

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I can imagine it does prevent growth of alage as it would in a pool among other things. What I would worry about would be running bromine water through our iron Detroit Diesels. I'm not a chemist by any means but I would surmise that Bromine would take an electron from Iron and speed up the process of rust. I may be way off but in the past when using Bromine in my hot tubs I always saw rust stains. Just a thought.

And that maybe valid. Since I have screens that isn’t a worry for me. Either way, the bromine doesn’t cause rust. As you say, doesn’t remove it either.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

And that maybe valid. Since I have screens that isn’t a worry for me. Either way, the bromine doesn’t cause rust. As you say, doesn’t remove it either.

Meant to add that there is zero barnacle formation in bromine treated systems.