My Bilge Stinks

[Sailmonkey]

It’s not cheap, but it does work to keep the bulge dry.

http://www.aridbilge.com/site/498557...ions.html#3093

[sagablu]

Isn't there an issue with bleach causing stainless steel to corrode? Not so great for your keel bolts [URL="https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/bleach-stainless-steel-87018/"]https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/bleach-stainless-steel-87018/[/URL

[a64pilot]

AC pan tabs, never heard of them. I’ll look them up.
I had even thought about pool chlorine tabs, but figured that would be bad as it would be real strong right where the tab is. And not enough water for a floating container like in a hot tub.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Ah, thought it was a sump.

I wish there was a sump, that would make it too easy.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Go to the hardware store, or Amazon, and get some Air Conditioner Pan Tablets.

I use bromine tablets, same idea as chlorine but safer on equipment. They're used in spas and hot tubs. I've found them at WalMart and home improvement stores in the pool chemical section. If that fails, any pool and spa outlet will carry them year-round.

[sailorboy1]

Bromine may be safer than chlorine (it depends), but it's still corrosive.

I spend 15 years doing chemical water treatment. but I'm not calling myself an expert!

[Tayana42]

a64, if you never had this problem with saltwater in your bilge have you considered adding salt?

[Cheechako]

It takes very little bleach so should be fine to do. Even if you have a gallon in there a few drops of bleach will kill the stuff.

[zeehag]

vinegar is much better than bleach as it negates the steenk not cover it. also less caustic for bilge pumps. each shower, rinse then use vinegar to negate steenk of dying skin cells.

[Eder]

I also have a real bilge on my IP.I put a hose on my salt water washdown pump and run it through the bilge once every 2 weeks for an hour or so....I put a nozzle on it to wash any goop off the pump & emergency pump...no smell ever.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Five gallons is a SWAG, bilge is I’d guess about eight Ft long and maybe a Ft wide and has two or three inches of water in it? It’s about five Ft deep, maybe four Ft.
I can wet vac it out, have thought to do that, just never have. If I do it’s a temporary measure as of course water will find its way back. I may have some air conditioner condensate spilling in.

If you vac it out, you may notice some growth hiding down in there, useful to clean that.

Identifying the water source -- and eliminating if possible -- would be the best thing...

For example, AC condensate can be drained overboard, or routed to a shower sump, etc. Stuffing box leaks can maybe be eliminated with dripless shaft seals or Gore packing, etc. Leaking hull joints might be a source, and you'd want to know about that. And so forth.

-Chris

[zboss]

We are big fans of StarSan foaming sanitizer which is food grade phosphoric acid. You need very little, it’s safe to use on stainless but not aluminum, and when it dries it leaves a behind a coating which prevents future growth of microorganisms. It will safely clean your stainless of rust. It’s safe for most pumps. We use it in our bilge and our water tanks once or twice a year.

[a64pilot]

I have ordered the AC tabs off of Amazon, I like that idea, plus I know of SB’s past, he has let it slip before when he bought up sessile colonies on water pipes before.
Doing some reading on the AC condensate issue and some there use vinegar, of course it’s a shock treatment and has no residual effect, hopefully the tabs slowly dissolve.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

a64, if you never had this problem with saltwater in your bilge have you considered adding salt?

Yes, that is why I brought it up. I think the wooden boat guys add epsom salt to prevent rot, I guess fresh water will cause rot, and salt not?
However I don’t know how much is too much etc.

I think the AC tabs will do it, and I think my front AC condensate hose is no longer draining into the shower sump, and that is likely the source of a lot of the water, I guess I need to pull it back into position, and this time zip tie it into place.

[a64pilot]

MSDS for what I ordered, it claims to be non corrosive.
http://www.nucalgon.com/assets/SDS/E...60_SDS_ENG.pdf