I'm confused... What's the difference between the groco inline flush thing with a garden hose attached to it and putting a hose barb on top of a strainer cap with a garden hose attached to it?
a/c strainer flush cap
- Thread starter jackson
- Start date
- Oct 4, 2006
- 2,344
- Boat Info
- 2006 300DA Sundancer
- Engines
- 350 Mags / Bravo III
From experiences with my boat, when you loose the water (prime) between the seacock and the inlet of the strainer, it is a bitch to reprime the the AC water pump, even if the strainer bowl is full. I presume water is lost in the inlet line when the plug is removed for the garden hose connection.
In past years, I disconnected the hose at the seacock (lost the water to the inlet), placed a funnel in the hose and poured AF in. Even then it wouldn't reprime. When I drain and refill my bowl after service to the strainer, it primes every time......my logic was to close the seacock, service the strainer, refill the bowl with AF, place the cap with the hose barb and a short length of hose on the strainer, and pour in the AF. When finsihed replace the modified cap with the permanent one. After the boat is hauled for the season, I make certain the seacocks are opened to drain the water in the inlet hoses.
I like your method, Groco shows them being used with a pump to push the AF through the system. I have considered buying a pump, but I chose to give this a shot first.
In past years, I disconnected the hose at the seacock (lost the water to the inlet), placed a funnel in the hose and poured AF in. Even then it wouldn't reprime. When I drain and refill my bowl after service to the strainer, it primes every time......my logic was to close the seacock, service the strainer, refill the bowl with AF, place the cap with the hose barb and a short length of hose on the strainer, and pour in the AF. When finsihed replace the modified cap with the permanent one. After the boat is hauled for the season, I make certain the seacocks are opened to drain the water in the inlet hoses.
I like your method, Groco shows them being used with a pump to push the AF through the system. I have considered buying a pump, but I chose to give this a shot first.
Dancin Dave
Active Member
I havent had a problem with the pump priming. I remove the seacock inlet hose and clamp on the hose of a 5 gal fill jug, turn on the a/c and the gravity and pump do the rest. Dominics system is even better, I think his hold at least 20 Gls.
osd9
New Member
J Levine
New Member
- Oct 5, 2006
- 753
- Boat Info
- 1995 Sea Ray 370 Sundancer
- Engines
- Mercruiser 7.4L Blue Water inboard V Drives
Dom,
Great minds think alike. I made up the a very similar set up for my boat a few years ago. I put Bronze "T"s on the inlet side of all of my sea strainers. I just keep a pipe plug in the "T"s during the season. To winterize I close the sea cock, remove the pipe plug and thread in a hose adapter. I then took a large clear plastic storage container, drilled a hole in the side at the bottom and installed a gate valve set up connected to section of 6' clear plastic tubing. With the clear container and clear tubing I can actually watch the AF flowing. I also put a hose inlet with a gate valve on the bottom of the container so I can connect a garden hose and either run AF or water through the system depending on what I want to do. I actually use the set up also in the spring to run the engines while still on the hard.
Great minds think alike. I made up the a very similar set up for my boat a few years ago. I put Bronze "T"s on the inlet side of all of my sea strainers. I just keep a pipe plug in the "T"s during the season. To winterize I close the sea cock, remove the pipe plug and thread in a hose adapter. I then took a large clear plastic storage container, drilled a hole in the side at the bottom and installed a gate valve set up connected to section of 6' clear plastic tubing. With the clear container and clear tubing I can actually watch the AF flowing. I also put a hose inlet with a gate valve on the bottom of the container so I can connect a garden hose and either run AF or water through the system depending on what I want to do. I actually use the set up also in the spring to run the engines while still on the hard.
