Barnacle Buster

SeaRenity

Member
Mar 31, 2008
200
chesapeake bay / Back river
Boat Info
320 Sundancer 2005
Engines
350 Mag hor.
Has anyone used barnacle buster thru " sea flush" system? I have Horizons and I am concerned with clogging sea water pump etc..-- should I be concerned? Do not have any issues but as maintenance I thought running this solution thru heat exchangers and raw water systems would be beneficial.Any thoughts would be appreciated
Thanks
Rich
 
I used it last summer, but did the other method. Run the stuff through (just like if you were winterizing it), kill the engine and let it sit overnight. The next day I started up, and you can watch all the cr@p flow out the water discharge. I used that method for the 2 engines, genny, and AC. Very happy with the results. I pulled the end cap off my genny HE before doing it and it was a mess with buildup. After I barnacle busted, it was nice and clean. Great stuff. After I did it, half of my dock did it too. It's amazing to see all the "stuff" that comes out of the water discharge.
 
I have not used it but communicated with others on other websites and have spoken to rydlyme, the Other supplier similar to barnacle buster.


This stuff appears to work very well for the entire raw water system including hoses and all of the heat exchanger elements.


But be careful, there are certain dos and donts such as making sure that you remove all of your zincs, and the impeller. The solution needs to be pumped through, and it appears recirc for a few hour is best.


Google YouTube for some good barnacle buster video.
 
It really works well. I have a circulating system and do both motors' raw water loops, generator raw loop, and AC loops every year when the anodes and impellers are changed. Down here in Florida the marine growth is very bad and this product is the ticket... You should, however, be very cautious about filling the boat's systems and leaving for any significant time due to the chemistry's tendency to remove copper. I find that circulating the engines for two hours each does the job.
Tom
 
It really works well. I have a circulating system and do both motors' raw water loops, generator raw loop, and AC loops every year when the anodes and impellers are changed. Down here in Florida the marine growth is very bad and this product is the ticket... You should, however, be very cautious about filling the boat's systems and leaving for any significant time due to the chemistry's tendency to remove copper. I find that circulating the engines for two hours each does the job.
Tom

Did you make your own tank and pump system, or buy a complete set up?

Do you find the Rydlyme and BB solutions are essentially doing the same thing, or is the BB geared more toward the harder growth species that you get in FL?

I am surprised to find more people are not doing it here in so-cal. My engines are only 2.5 years old, but all of the coolers are already starting to show some signs of calcium carbonate build up. This product appears to clean these out very well, and if done annually, possibly even avoiding pulling coolers. I am not saying its better than boiling the coolers, but the fact the solution runs through the entire system is a bonus.
 
I used Barnacle Buster on my main engines, generator and AC system. I used the "let it sit overnight" method and found that it worked well, particularly on the AC system. The AC lines were almost clogged shut at one point with growth and BB cleaned it completely out. I also used it on my small outboard (mid 90's 3.5hp Nissan) by running it a bucket full of BB. That was almost like magic! Before I did it I was getting barely any flow out of the discharge hose at the top of the engine. As the engine was running in the bucket of BB, I could see the drips getting faster and faster, then becoming a steady stream, then a full flow of water.

As others have said, you need to remove the zincs because the BB will dissolve them. I have not seen any issues with the impellers on any of the engines I have used the product in, even the outboard.
 
Bill,

I bought Rydlyme but have not used it yet - although I have poured some in a small container. From my observation it appears to contain a media which seems to be confirmed by the sticker on the container which advises to "agitate before use". I would suspect the media might cause issues with a raw water impellor if it was run through the system using the raw water pump. I think most folks go about setting up a small pump in a reservoir (bucket) filled with the solution to circulate through the system post the raw water pump for a couple of hours.
 
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Did you make your own tank and pump system, or buy a complete set up?

Do you find the Rydlyme and BB solutions are essentially doing the same thing, or is the BB geared more toward the harder growth species that you get in FL?

I am surprised to find more people are not doing it here in so-cal. My engines are only 2.5 years old, but all of the coolers are already starting to show some signs of calcium carbonate build up. This product appears to clean these out very well, and if done annually, possibly even avoiding pulling coolers. I am not saying its better than boiling the coolers, but the fact the solution runs through the entire system is a bonus.

I thought about buying the system however ended up making my own. 5 gallon bucket, a cheap submersible high flow sump pump, 1" ID hose, and fittings and adapters.
This is the pump I got - http://www.harborfreight.com/16-hp-submersible-utility-pump-1350-gph-68422.html
Regarding removing the engine's impeller - it must be removed otherwise the product cannot be circulated through the pump.
Again, I would be very cautious letting BB remain in any engine overnight... It will attack any copper which is in brass, bronze, and other alloys.

As an edit - The BB solution gets pretty darn warm when circulating; I wouldn't leave it unattended for any length of time.... Probably the chemical reaction when dissolving the calcium deposits.
Rydlyme was specifically developed for cleaning industrial steam boilers; I've heard many using it but I have no experience with it. I would expect the chemistries to be essentially the same as they both de-calcify.
 
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I use a cheap bilge pump like this one:

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/rule-...h-12v-bilge-pump-3-4-port--375196?recordNum=3

I connected the wires to a cigar lighter plug. I flush the pump with fresh water after use. No damage to the pump after 4 years of use.

I have used both Rydlyme and Barnacle Buster, they are essentially the same. I would buy whichever is cheaper or more readily available. Don't let the "guys on the dock" talk you into using swimming pool or muriatic acid.

I would be hesitant to use this product as a substitute for removing and cleaning a raw water cooled aftercooler. Barnacle Buster will not clean the air side, and if you have any kind of leak in the aftercooler, you risk getting acid in your motor.
 
Interesting. Glad to hear it is working well. As I noted, I am surprised this has not caught on more. I don't know a single person in so-cal that does it.

Has anyone flushed their raw water systems at the dock, with drives, where the pick up is in the water? Everything I have seen has involved shaft boats, and the seacock for the raw water intake is closed.
 

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