Manufactured by Marsh Marine...Tank Cleaning Professionals         “Our experience is your protection since 1966”

Made with Xara

Marine AC...Keeping it Cool Continued: N ext,   locate   the   raw   water   pump.      Near   it   you   should   find   an   intake   sea   strainer.      Close   the   seacock,   open   the   strainer, and   see   what   you   may   have   collected.      Often   the   problem   is   trash   or   debris   plugging   the   basket   screen.      Don’t   be surprised   to   see   a   colony   of   various   sea   creatures   growing   in   the   strainer   and   connecting   hoses.      Barnacles   and   marine plants   love AC   lines.      The   constant   flow   of   water   brings   food   nutrients   right   to   them.     As   they   grow   larger,   water   flow through the lines is diminished.  Marine growth & scale build-up are major causes of AC failure. A lright,   so   you’ve   discovered   the   lines   are   plugged   with   marine   growth,   how   do   you   clean   them   out?      The   problem   is usually   more   extensive   than   one   might   first   conclude.      The   growth   can   extend   completely   through   the   system, including the condenser’s heat exchanger coil which is nearly inaccessible. U ntil   recently,   cleaning   meant   having   your   AC   technician   flush   the   system   with   Muriatic   acid.      For   those   of   you unfamiliar   with   this   nasty   stuff,   Muriatic   acid   gives   off   a   pungent,   burning,   eye   and   throat   irritating   vapor   which   is especially   dreadful   in   the   confines   of   a      boat   or   worse,   the   engine   room.      Additionally,   it   is   extremely   corrosive   and will   eventually   damage   components   in   the   AC   system.      It   is   so   bad   that   the   Environmental   Protection   Agency   has banned   its   discharge   into   waterways   and   listed   it   as   a   health   hazard.      Another   dismal   method   uses   lengths   of   wire   to probe   out   the   lines.      Of   course   this   is   limited   to   however   deep   one   can   cram   the   wire   into   the   lines…generally   not   very far! A ll   this   has   now   changed,   thanks   to   the   development   of   a   new   product   from   TRAC   Ecological   Marine   Products   of   Ft. Lauderdale.      TRAC   developed   Barnacle   Buster ™   to   save   us   from   these   AC   blues.      Barnacle   Buster   is   a   safe,   non- toxic,    and    biodegradable    chemical    that    efficiently    and    economically    dissolves    scale,    barnacles,    zebra    mussels, calcium,   rust,   lime   and   other   mineral   deposits.      It   also   loosens   plant   growth   so   it   can   be   flushed   from   the   lines. Actually,    Barnacle    Buster    will    safely    clean    engine    heat    exchangers,    air    conditioning    systems,    piping    systems, outdrives,   outboards,   or   just   about   anywhere   marine   growth   is   found.     There   is   no   unpleasant   odor   (it   smells   like   an   air freshener); it will not harm AC components; it is EPA approved; it is affordable; and most importantly, it works! T he   cleaning   process   requires   minimal   dismantling   of   the   AC   raw   water   lines   and   the   re-circulating   of   the   Barnacle Buster   chemical   for   several   hours   through   the   system.      Once   completed,   the   strainer,   the   water   pump,   the   water   lines, and   the   condenser   heat   exchanger   are   all   clean.      It   does   take   some   custom   equipment   to   pump   the   chemical   and   pH meter   monitoring   during   the   procedure,   so   it   is   not   an   easy   do-it-yourself   thing.      But,   most   boats   can   be   completed within   4   hours   by   a   service   technician.      We   at   Marsh   Marine   have   had   wonderful   results   using   Barnacle   Buster.      We are   providing   the   service   on   both   an   as   needed    basis   and   on   an   annual   maintenance   contract.      Like   diver   bottom cleaning,   AC   cleanout   is   just   another   periodic   maintenance   task.      For   many   of   our   clients,   we   are   installing   quick connect   taps   and   valves   at   each   end   of   the AC   raw   water   lines.      This   makes   the   clean-out   service   faster,   and   cheaper, when   needed   again.      Because   this   fouling   problem   is   so   universally   severe,   many   boat   builders   are   adding   these taps   on   their   new   boats   or   offering   them   as   an   option.      If   you   want   further   information,   please   contact   me   at   the address below.

Deck Fill Protection Device