Intake Strainer

[joe_db]

It seems like a nice idea to keep misc. fish and things out of my new heat exchanger. Anyone know any reason these would not work?

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/shurflo--raw-water-strainers--P011_332_001_503

* I actually did have to remove a fish from the water pump once.

[Dave Neptune]

Joe, I'm raw water cooled and use a Shurflo like those. Been very good and I have only had to clean it a couple of times doing routine maintenance. It has never "plugged" underway but reduced water flo and I had to slow a bit to make my destination. I do run in So Cal waters with no problems.

Dave Neptune

[HOTFLASH]

Cautionary tale of being crazed bc of alcohol

A number of years ago I installed that kind of strainer in my boat that previously had none. I later learned the hard way, after much research, that the cups in that type/sized strainer (no matter the brand of the strainer) are made the same, by the same manufacturer of the same material--basically they are the same. In addition, and more importantly, they are made of a plastic that degrades and becomes crazed and translucent white by alcohol --the active ingredient in the antifreezes many of us use. Therefore if you put an alcohol antifreeze through the strainer, made sure that the strainer is emptied and cleaned out, that none is left in the cup for the winter.

To the credit of the products offered by a number of brands, the instruction sheet warns not to use with alcohol. I forgot that antifreeze had alcohol.

I also learned that the expensive Groco and other bronze strainers use a different proprietary material--like Lycan or maybe lycra? for their cups that does not become crazed by alcohol. That is what I now have.

[joe_db]

There is alcohol in propylene glycol?

[romantic comedy]

Joe, I think HF is referring to the RV (pink or non toxic) anti freeze that is used for winterizing. Some of that has ethanol.

[Ajax]

LMAO...I thought Hotflash meant that HE was crazed with alcohol, and to take his story with a grain of salt!

So, when you winterize your HX make sure you get all the pink antifreeze out of the strainer is what he's saying.

Joe,
I'm glad you found this. I've been searching for an alternative to those huge, expensive Groco strainers. They have cheap, plastic petcock at the base that routinely snaps off inside the strainer, making the whole expensive assembly useless.

Ima get me one too!

[TomG]

I use those on both my raw water intakes for my A-4 and my air conditioner. I have clogged the air conditioner strainer a few times, mostly with nettles. I think it's a great idea.

[HOTFLASH]

Small strainers' cups , and alcohol based antifreeze

This is no joke. There is a recent highlighted blog or post regarding this issue in either Practical Sailor or on Sailnetl with a photo. I will try to track it down and provide the link here.
Mary

[HOTFLASH]

Photo and reference made good

From Mailport Jan 2016 in Practical Sailor.

"Certain hard plastics, like those used in raw-water strainers, are prone to crazing with propylene glycol.

We suggest winterizing head and engine systems with ethylene glycol, not propylene glycol. Both types of glycol are equally recyclable, have equivalent marine toxicity, and are equally biodegradable......"

PS should note, but does not, that the bronze Groco, Perko, etc strainers use different materials for their bowl and do not craze.

See photo of crazed bowl clicking link below.

http://cdn.practical-sailor.com/media/newspics/300/p1a6mdel92h0r1240ce5leq16l87.jpg

Mary

[JOHN COOKSON]

Please delete

Mary
Go to edit and you will see the delete button.

TRUE GRIT