Arid Bilge

A lot of the live a boards around here have similar systems and also swear by them. It makes sense.
 
Installed this one this season.
I have a 2 zone Arid system. One pick-up in the forward and one in the most rearward part of the ER.
I retained the standard stuffing boxes on the main engines shafts.
It’s expected to have a small amount of water in the bilge while running or after running. It’s a fail safe proven design but, the bilge pumps can’t evacuate small amounts of water. The Arid Dry Bilge System can and does..
Other friends also have had this system for years and love it.
Only down side is..cost.
 
My main reason for this is to remove the water that seems to pool in the cabin bilge. It bothers me that I can't permanently fix the problem but not having water there is more important.
 
I’ve got a small rain water leak in my forward section so this thread is well timed. I just read the write on the DIY as well. I’ve ordered the parts on Amazon, about $45 for the pump and timer. As soon as I get the pump I want to see if some of the blue ½” PEX and fittings I already have can be re-purposed for discharge line.

I do need to think about how to attach the sponge plates. I’m not keen on drilling into the hull with screws that need to be periodically removed. I’m think about fabricating the mounts from PVC stock left over from some siding and trim work on the house this spring. I think I can 5200 mounting blocks to the hull and then screw the sponge holders to those. I’ll post pictures as it goes along.
 
Let me pose this question though. The arid system is designed to ensure a dry bilge. The aftermarket set up with a timer system will still allow water to pool until the timer sets of the pump. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
 
JPGator said:
Let me pose this question though. The arid system is designed to ensure a dry bilge. The aftermarket set up with a timer system will still allow water to pool until the timer sets of the pump. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
Click to expand...
Arid Bilge is no different. It runs each zone on a 3 hour cycle, not by detecting water level.
 
Henry Boyd said:
I’ve got a small rain water leak in my forward section so this thread is well timed. I just read the write on the DIY as well. I’ve ordered the parts on Amazon, about $45 for the pump and timer. As soon as I get the pump I want to see if some of the blue ½” PEX and fittings I already have can be re-purposed for discharge line.

I do need to think about how to attach the sponge plates. I’m not keen on drilling into the hull with screws that need to be periodically removed. I’m think about fabricating the mounts from PVC stock left over from some siding and trim work on the house this spring. I think I can 5200 mounting blocks to the hull and then screw the sponge holders to those. I’ll post pictures as it goes along.
Click to expand...

Is there a fitting to which you can zip tie to hose to the sponge, and that would hold it down?
 
I looked at the Arid Bilge at a boat show and really liked the function. But I just can’t get past the price. It’s crazy expensive.

If they dropped the price to a more reasonable level I bet they would sell a lot more. Especially with other competitive products being available.
 
In my last boat I would have jumped all over this project. This boat I really don't have a need. I am looking forward to hearing from all of you that tackle this project to hear the results.
 
I got a deal on the Arid or I’d have built a system myself.
Arid is expensive and noisy.
I use it’s sound to gauge if it’s working or if I have a problem. Kinda like the fresh water pump...
Fixing any leaks is key or your just complicating the issue.
But, sure is nice to have a “guard” on duty to remove that little annoyance of water.

I look forward to the solutions that you guys come up with :)
 
JPGator said:
Let me pose this question though. The arid system is designed to ensure a dry bilge. The aftermarket set up with a timer system will still allow water to pool until the timer sets of the pump. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
Click to expand...
Arid bilge is also on a timer. It cycles every 3 hours.
 
Henry Boyd said:
I’ve got a small rain water leak in my forward section so this thread is well timed. I just read the write on the DIY as well. I’ve ordered the parts on Amazon, about $45 for the pump and timer. As soon as I get the pump I want to see if some of the blue ½” PEX and fittings I already have can be re-purposed for discharge line.

I do need to think about how to attach the sponge plates. I’m not keen on drilling into the hull with screws that need to be periodically removed. I’m think about fabricating the mounts from PVC stock left over from some siding and trim work on the house this spring. I think I can 5200 mounting blocks to the hull and then screw the sponge holders to those. I’ll post pictures as it goes along.
Click to expand...


Can you post up the specifics?
 
dtfeld said:
Can you post up the specifics?
Click to expand...

The rain water leak, or the micro bilge system? The first beats the heck out of me, and the second is presently a work in progress.

We are presently getting serious rain and I am search for the water source as I write. It’s definitely under the galley, and there is no way I am ripping out the cherry cabinetry and teak sole, so I need to id it as best as possible.

I have decided to use PEX and the push to fit type fittings. The original stuff looked just too much like an aquarium set up. That change has increased the cost, but even so still less than an order of magnitude of the Arrid cost. I’ve also added a small micro strainer because I plan on outputting to the shower sump box. The section I am doing is forward of the ER under the gallery, head, salon and staterooms and sealed from the engine space so oil contamination is not an issue.

Because I’ve gone to ¼” PEX all I need to do is drill a ¼” hole in the foot that will secure the sponge and trap a push to fit threaded end fitting and cover with sponge. I have one spot where I can’t use the electric switch plate as a sponge holder and need something round. I’m still sorting that out.

I was planning to use an existing power & ground terminal block In the sump box section I thought it was for the sump box, but it turns out it’s the power to the macerator pump does I need a power plan B. My current thinking is to splice into the sump pump power feed, insert a two pole terminal block, and feed both sump and micro pump
 
Henry Boyd said:
The rain water leak, or the micro bilge system? The first beats the heck out of me, and the second is presently a work in progress.

We are presently getting serious rain and I am search for the water source as I write. It’s definitely under the galley, and there is no way I am ripping out the cherry cabinetry and teak sole, so I need to id it as best as possible.

I have decided to use PEX and the push to fit type fittings. The original stuff looked just too much like an aquarium set up. That change has increased the cost, but even so still less than an order of magnitude of the Arrid cost. I’ve also added a small micro strainer because I plan on outputting to the shower sump box. The section I am doing is forward of the ER under the gallery, head, salon and staterooms and sealed from the engine space so oil contamination is not an issue.

Because I’ve gone to ¼” PEX all I need to do is drill a ¼” hole in the foot that will secure the sponge and trap a push to fit threaded end fitting and cover with sponge. I have one spot where I can’t use the electric switch plate as a sponge holder and need something round. I’m still sorting that out.

I was planning to use an existing power & ground terminal block In the sump box section I thought it was for the sump box, but it turns out it’s the power to the macerator pump does I need a power plan B. My current thinking is to splice into the sump pump power feed, insert a two pole terminal block, and feed both sump and micro pump
Click to expand...
Sounds great look forward to hearing your success story on the DIY... Post pics of the install progress as you make it.
 
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