Using blue RTV

[Four Suns]

I carry a tube of blue RTV gasket maker goop for emergency use. The night before we left on our trip to Nantucket two years ago, I was cleaning out one of the strainers for the AC system. The thing gets barnacles in it like there is no tomorrow so I pulled the clear plastic base off and was scrapping it out and cleaning it and the damn o-ring fell into the drink. We needed to leave for our trip early the next morning. My emergency fix was to put a ring of RTV on it and seal it up for the night.... it worked... well... it didn't leak...

So today I decide I need to clean that hack job mess up and pull the Groco 1000 ARG strainer off the bulkhead.... undo the screws for the bottom glass... and the damn thing won't come off. The RTV is really sealing it up. I finally get it off (hammer) and the RTV stuff is NOT coming out of the groove for the o-ring... The thing is basically destroyed:

So... lesson #1 is always carry a minor rebuild kit on board for the strainers so when small parts go in the drink, it's not a big deal ($10). Lesson #2 is if you use RTV on this stuff, it ruins it... $75 for a new sight glass... but hey... the cruise wasn't delayed...

I needed a new one anyway... I've scraped so many barnacles out of it and it is so scratched up... looks like crap.

 

[fc3]

Better living through chemistry.

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/8260.html

Or

http://www.mgchemicals.com/downloads/appguide/appguide0104.pdf

or

http://www.ellsworth.com/display/displayFile.aspx?docid=50&filename=/Public/Vendor+PDFs/Dynaloy.pdf

This is my favorite line "They will not attack acrylic or polycarbonate when not contaminated with water."

 

[Stray Cat]

Polycarbonate bowl, a hammer, and no blood! Way to go! :grin:

 

[Lake Erie Boater]

I needed a new one anyway... I've scraped so many barnacles out of it and it is so scratched up... looks like crap.

While I would love to be able to play in the waters of the coast, this gives me a renewed appreciation for being landlocked in "Fresh Water"

 

[carterchapman]

I carry a tube of blue RTV gasket maker goop for emergency use. The night before we left on our trip to Nantucket two years ago, I was cleaning out one of the strainers for the AC system. The thing gets barnacles in it like there is no tomorrow so I pulled the clear plastic base off and was scrapping it out and cleaning it and the damn o-ring fell into the drink. We needed to leave for our trip early the next morning. My emergency fix was to put a ring of RTV on it and seal it up for the night.... it worked... well... it didn't leak...

So today I decide I need to clean that hack job mess up and pull the Groco 1000 ARG strainer off the bulkhead.... undo the screws for the bottom glass... and the damn thing won't come off. The RTV is really sealing it up. I finally get it off (hammer) and the RTV stuff is NOT coming out of the groove for the o-ring... The thing is basically destroyed:

So... lesson #1 is always carry a minor rebuild kit on board for the strainers so when small parts go in the drink, it's not a big deal ($10). Lesson #2 is if you use RTV on this stuff, it ruins it... $75 for a new sight glass... but hey... the cruise wasn't delayed...

I needed a new one anyway... I've scraped so many barnacles out of it and it is so scratched up... looks like crap.

Maybe we can read about a better way to do this on "another forum"...if you know what I mean...