420/44 DB Owners Club

Love your garage floor too!
 
Steve,

Slick setup, but man what a size of this thing :grin:. Are you transporting illegals in this can? :lol:........Sorry my friend, but I couldn't resist the moment I saw this monster. I have very similar setup just about 1/2 or 1/3 the size with fitting for garden hose. You might have a pickup, but I picked smaller size to make it easier to transport. As you can imagine, my regular size SUV gets full of stuff on every trip to/from the boat.

Now that you mentioned 3" cap size for mains I recalled that when I went to HD I took the A/C strainer cam with me, since it was more of the concern b/c I needed to hook up the priming pump. Upon return I looked at the mains and they are larger, so 3" sounds right.

You mentioned about not having any mess of pink spilling in the bildge. I don't mind it b/c this is the time when I need some spilled pink by the bildge pumps. I'm not sure if you do it, but I actually block an area around the pumps and pour some antifreeze and trigger each pump. This way I ensure that my pumps will be flushed with pink and won't get frozen over winter. I'm almost positive that marinas don't do this and it could be the reason why I had to replace two bildge pumps last spring.
 
That's just a shed for boat supplies. You haven't seen Steve's garage yet.:lol:
 
Rough crowd today! The pale actually looks bigger in the photo. Its about half the size of a normal garbage pale at waist height.

Alex, interesting about the bildge pumps. I make sure the bildge is completely dry but its not to say that there could be water in the hose as you suggest. I do notice the hose will slowly drain back into the bilge , even after quite a bit of time has passed after it has pumped out so I'm thinking the check valves may not be keeping a tight seal. I haven't had any problem with this boat or any others but I also keep the boat in the water with a bildge heater. The heater rarely goes on as the bilge is 3-4 feet below the surface of the water and seams to maintain an above freezing temperature all winter long. Last year I would always check and the heater would not be running and showed the bildge temp at around 43 deg. I set the heater temp at around 40 deg. But better safe than sorry, makes sense to dump some antifreeze and pump it.
 
Steve,

I don't know you store in water with bildge heaters on. This obviously minimizes any risk of freezing. Since I store on land, I'm positive that any water left in any kind of pocket will be frozen. So, this is my way avoid any issues with pumps. Obviously the same goes for the shower pump. The only pump I leave alone, is the one by the washer/dryer b/c it's dry and I never saw any water in there. All others have been triggered due to presents of water, so I have to protect them.

In your case, I would still do it. You always have to think of possible failure and have plan B. For example, what if we have a snow storm and marina looses power for 5 days? The temp is the bildge will drop below freezing and $10 savings for couple of gallons of pink will now cost hundreds to replace all those pumps (you have at least 3 in the bildge), in case if they'll get damaged by the iced water in some non-visable pockets. Same goes for all those checkvalves.

Another benefit of having pink in those components (as you know) is tha fact that it adds some level of lubricant. I'm thinking that your leaking checkvalve could be result of a freeze or lack of lubricant, or it just when bad due to end of it's service life.
 
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Alex,
Your absolutely right, not worth the risk. I keep the boat behind the house and I am on it so much even in the off season checking it, that my wife refers to it as my "man cave". Thanks for adding this item to my "to do list" lol.....
 
If your bilge pumps do not have check valves, they usually can be back flushed from outside the boat. Once you see pink coming inside the bilge, you know you're good to go. By doing this, you avoid having to flood the bilge area in order for the pump to operate.

Doug
 
douglee25 said:
If your bilge pumps do not have check valves, they usually can be back flushed from outside the boat. Once you see pink coming inside the bilge, you know you're good to go. By doing this, you avoid having to flood the bilge area in order for the pump to operate.

Doug
Click to expand...

Doug,

As far as I know all bildge pumps are supported by a checkvalves in the hose, otherwise you'll have quite a bit of water rushing back. If you can backflush them, it only means that it's time to replace your checkvalves. Their job is to stop water from returning.

checkvalves.jpg
 
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I'm thinking the check valves may not be keeping a tight seal.
Click to expand...

Alex, I think Doug was referring to Cod's comment that his bilge pump check valves may be faulty. Which is why Doug suggested backflushing them from the discharge. Prevents the need to "flood" the bilge with pink.
 
Oh, maybe I misunderstood. In any case I would replace the checkvalve. Backflushing fix sounds like a bandaid to the problem. I don't think bildge pumps is something you want to bandaid.

Just my .02c.
 
rondds said:
Alex, I think Doug was referring to Cod's comment that his bilge pump check valves may be faulty. Which is why Doug suggested backflushing them from the discharge. Prevents the need to "flood" the bilge with pink.
Click to expand...

Alex F said:
Oh, maybe I misunderstood. In any case I would replace the checkvalve. Backflushing fix sounds like a bandaid to the problem. I don't think bildge pumps is something you want to bandaid.

Just my .02c.
Click to expand...

Actually Alex was correct. I know some boats have check valves on their bilge pumps while others do not. Some people don't like the check valves and remove them because the bilge pump can have difficulty overcoming the release pressure of the valve if they get 'gummed up'.

Doug
 
Has any of you consider putting this on the bridge or would this clearly classified as a Hillbilly version?

I wander where the exhaust hose goes. It looks like nothing is keeping the unit secured in place. It'll be a lot of fun catching it when riding in the ocean.

portable_AC.jpg
 
OMG Alex, tell me you didn't....funny thing is I looked at that type unit and thought of running the condensate hose along the floor on the starboard floor of the bridge and out the drain hole at the sten end of the bridge, otherwise you'd have to get the drain line into the arch and snake it down to the engine room.
 
Oh no...no...no. This is just a picture I took from boats on the market. I want to install the built-in (the normal) bridge A/C unit, I'm actually looking at the new TURBO 16000BTU units. This is something that i found as an interesting alternative, but I don't know how practical it is to have one of those portables. I'm more concerned about the exhaust 4" hose than the condencation hose, which is about 1/2" and of course the looks and space it requires. It might be a good idea when docked, but underway I don't think it's a good idea. So, I just wondered if anyone has done anything like that on their bridges.
 
I think that would qualify as a "cool mod." ;-)
 
Honestly, they work. I listed a boat that has one on its aft deck and it cools nicely on hot days. Here is what he did with his canvas to make it work properly.

You cant tell from this picture but there is a velcro flap on the other side.

3767005_-1_20111025073406_11_0.jpg
 
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