Seaweed Clogged in generator intake

[Happy Place]

My 2014 R-31 CB has what looks like a 1" ID water intake that leads up to a 90 degree elbow above the seacock which then steps down to roughly 1/2" nipple, then back to a 1" hose that leads to the strainer.

This seems like a recipe for trouble and led to a clog for me last night....a large clump of seaweed jammed into that elbow exacerbated by the step down in diameter after the elbow.

My question is this: Has anyone found a way to fix this problem? I feel that if the tube went directly from the seacock to the strainer, bypassing the elbow and step down to smaller diameter, it would allow debris to accumulate in the strainer where it would be easier to clean out.......without having to lay on the engine to remove and clear the elbow.

Has anyone done this?

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

When this has happened to a boat of mine here’s what I’ve done: close the seacock, take the hose off that connects to the sea strainer. Get a water hose with a high pressure fitting connected to it and insert into the disconnect hose. Open the seacock and blast water into the hose, forcing the clogged debris out. Close seacock, turn water off n pull any excess out by hand. Open seacock to check on water flow, repeat process as needed. If in salt water be sure to rinse the bilge with fresh water. Reconnect the hose, open seacock and you should be good to go.

Jim

 

[BB marine]

My suggestion is plumb it differently. The use of 90's, street elbows, nipples is a weak link in a raw water cooling system. It is a flow restriction even when it is clean. The more fittings the more places for a fouled system. If I was in ABYC service training and I plumbed a raw water system like that I would have failed that segment of training. Any traps before the strainer are frowned upon. The best solution is install a longer 1" hose from the seacock to the stainer. Longer so you can get a good radius bend. A proper radius in a hose will not collect debris. It will have much less flow resistance compared to pipe fittings. Best of all it is the proper way to install the system. I realize it is hard to do in the confining engine compartments of the Rangers and Cutwaters but a little more thought in the install location of the through hull and the strainer would have been a good idea! If you don't want to do this practice Jims method of cleaning it each time it fouls.

 

[Happy Place]

Brian,

But...is there some reason for that flow restriction, engineered into the system? If I just go direct from the sea cock to the strainer, will I introduce too much flow?

I have to believe they did it for a reason.....

 

[BB marine]

No reason for a restriction. There should never be a restriction installed in the suction or discharge of the pump. A restriction lowers the efficiency of the pump and causes cooling issues. The restriction is do to the install not a engineering Item. Actually if it was an engineering design it would have no restrictions.