Spectra Bio-Guard Experiences ?

[Beausoleil]

Anyone here have any before/after experience with Spectra's Bio-Guard system to treat raw water systems for A/C and refrigeration (reduce the growth of algae, barnacles, etc.)?

Does it perform better than a simple short length of copper pipe placed in the basket of a raw water strainer? What about a fat copper pipe with lots of holes drilled in it (exposing more Cu surface area to the water)?

[jglauds]

Hi -- Not sure if you mean their Z-Brane system, deployed on their watermakers ... if so, very favorable on my Cape Horn ... I have left the system sit with just a Z-Brane for a month or more, and no problem ... very low amperage, very high voltage ...

Sorry if off point.

/jon

[Auspicious]

After three years of annual back-flushing and some acid washing to keep my two A/C units running I added a Bio-Guard. I got two-and-a-half years before one unit started to overheat and I flushed both units again. I'm pretty happy with the improvement in maintenance cycle. I haven't had to replace the catalytic element yet.

I can't speak to the alternatives you suggested.

The fine people at Annapolis CruisAir suggested putting swimming pool type chlorine tabs in the stainer.