Ozone Generators - pros/cons

[senormechanico]

My nose works just fine, thanks for your concern.

[Mike Banks]

An Ozone generator will probably not fix your problem-which can be caused by anything from defunct cockroaches to a deceased rodent--or some long departed marine critter long time no sea.

The only way to remove the stench is by getting to the hull and thoroughly cleaning it. I recommend using a high-pressure washer such as a GERNI and then apply a hospital grade detergent and antiseptic to finish. THEN you could use your ozone generator to oxidise anything remaining.

Ozone is both poisonous in large quantities and very supportive of combustion. Being heavier than air, it will remain in your bilges unless you have forced bilge ventilation.

AND--therein lies another solution to your problem. On my vessel I ran PVC tubing into the stale-air parts of the boat end extracted air from them using axial blowers. They are small fans which draw only small amounts of current, can be run on a small battery plus solar panel, and will by drawing air from your bilges, keep your entire vessel much fresher. Diesel fumes, paint fumes, organic smells, anything like that gets expelled via a duct. On a monohull one could use the mast or take it out via the chain hawse outlet of the anchor chain locker, which is another place for smells from marine mud etc.

[crooks]

I am not appreciative of the ground level ozone that is produced in Atlanta when the summer heat combines with the automobile fumes.

On the worst days we are advised to avoid outdoor exercise in the late afternoon.

If the air doesn't comply with the clean air act now, why do we keep adding more cars?

[B-Baysailer]

My father used one on the boat along time ago to get rid of some diesel smell it changed the color of the teak to a orangish color he left it on to long

[Diesel Bill]

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

Having grown up in the LA basin in the '40s and '50s, I can guarantee that ozone (smog) is NOT your friend.

Back in the 70's I used to do smog checks in the Bay Area. I remember the brown haze that would burn your eyes and ruin the view of the mountains.
That was NOX. oxides of nitrogen. Caused by burning of fuel with a high compression engine with good spark advance making efficient power at the expense of air quality. Gov. mandated pollution laws required lower compression engines with retarded timing. Any one remember E.G.R. valves and air injection pumps? Then tetra ethel lead was removed from gasoline. It seems to have really helped. Now with modern computer controls cars run very clean. I.E. my 02 Vette had a good street tune and when smogged was way below allowable levels of CO and NOX.
When I worked for Arco Marine Inc. we had a fleet of 10 oil tankers, all were equipped with a commercial ozone generator mounted in the walk in vegetable lockers. I used to service it every month. Mostly this consisted of cleaning the grids as they got coated with a film of light corrosion on the aluminum fins, and cleaning all electrical connections and contacts.
Any time I worked in the walk in lockers I would power down and secure the ozone generator as the ozone was an irritant to breath.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by crooks

I am not appreciative of the ground level ozone that is produced in Atlanta when the summer heat combines with the automobile fumes.

On the worst days we are advised to avoid outdoor exercise in the late afternoon.

If the air doesn't comply with the clean air act now, why do we keep adding more cars?

It is my belief that smog from automobiles and ozone are two totally unrelated events, please can you elaborate.

[a64pilot]

Ozone is tracked as a health risk, usually in cities and usually in Summer and automobile exhaust is a very large contributor.
https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozo...sics#formation

[A4Dit]

Originally Posted by StoneCrab

Please tell us more about what a certified ozone shock technician does.

Sure. In a nutshell, as an Ozone Shock Technician, I carry my own ozone equipment and I offer services for this exact purpose; to remove unwanted odours from cars and enclosed spaces, often dark and damp spaces. A house that has been subject to smoke damage from fire, or cigarettes will do well when treated with ozone. Obviously, commercial machines produce more ozone per hour and thus are more dangerous and, at the same time, are more effective for residential applications. Smaller machines can perform well in smaller spaces.

I will add that I run a home inspection business and that I offer mold inspection, air testing, and ozone treatment services as well. The above-noted service protocol is what would be sent to a client prior to my arrival and before running the ozone machine in a residential dwelling.

[sailorboy1]

Wonder why every time ozone comes up it goes the same way and why the direct experience of those that use the generators is disregarded over those that don’t?

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Ozone is tracked as a health risk, usually in cities and usually in Summer and automobile exhaust is a very large contributor.
https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozo...sics#formation

Thanks, the article has expanded my knowledge.

[TrentM]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Wonder why every time ozone comes up it goes the same way and why the direct experience of those that use the generators is disregarded over those that don’t?

It's not just ozone...it's just about every topic on CF. There's so much good information on CF but man it does get tiring reading all the nonsense to find the few pearls.

I first learned about ozone when the hot tub I bought came with an ozonator instead of chlorine. I've done a lot of research since then and concluded it was safe and effective.

I use it to deodorize my hockey gear and my car. But the best use has turned out to be for my scuba gear. I'll relay just one story. Coming back from Galapagos through Panama City, my scuba luggage got lost in Panama. After diving for a week in a humid place like Galapagos your gear is far from dry when you pack up and fly home. My scuba gear marinated for a week in some non-air conditioned part of the Panama City airport. They eventually found it and got it to me. But man you didn't not want to smell that suitcase when it showed up.

No problem. Leave the suitcase outside, insert the ozonator hose into the suitcase, zip it back up. Let the ozonator run for 15 minutes. Open the suitcase, shuffle stuff around. Repeat. The week of funk is now gone!

Ozone is an irritant to your lungs if the concentration is high. Be smart. Be safe. I use the ozonator outside. For my car, I use it while it's empty. And when it's done I open all 4 doors for a couple minutes to let the ozone escape and fresh air replace it. Anyone using an ozonator on a boat will likely do something similar. They're not going to seal up the boat and sit there and breath ozone as some people have suggested. Ozone is perfectly safe as long as you act smart.

[transmitterdan]

The magic number of posts is 42. That post contains the correct answer to all the ultimate questions about life, the universe and cruising.

After post 42 the answers become wrong or diverge away from the original post.

[Malabarista]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

The magic number of posts is 42. That post contains the correct answer to all the ultimate questions about life, the universe and cruising.

After post 42 the answers become wrong or diverge away from the original post.

Like this one

[az_r2d1]

Can't believe all the comments from people knocking it who don't have a clue how they work, when you use them,etc etc.

Yes Ozone generators work, and they work well !
Couple things to keep an eye on;

Don't get a big ozone generator. The 40 dollar amazon model is fine.

Don't be in the boat when you run it. Simple. People who say it's bad for your health have NO CLUE. Yes, it's bad for you if you stay in the boat.. duh.

Don't run the generator for ever. It comes with a timer for an hour or two but can also run continuous. Start with short runs.

Only the high power generators could damage equipment or even furniture. Not an issue with the smaller one unless you run it 24/7 for weeks.

air out the boat before you go in if it's run recently (within last hour).

These things work WONDERS in cars. I never used it in a boat but I Don't see any reason why not to.

[RGN]

So much bad or distorted info in this thread.


Ozone smells good in LOW levels but once you go past a low level it becomes irritating, you WILL know.



Yes concentrated O3 is bad for you as it is a strong oxidizer, which is why is is so effective. However:


Ozone cannot collect in your bilges and support combustion unless you really want it too, It will dissipate rapidly once you open the boat it will also continuously be oxidizing into oxygen when it contacts almost anything organic, which again is how it works.


You can smell a strong ozone smell long before it is strong enough to damage your lungs, eyes etc. You are not going to be able to stay in an unsafe amount of ozone, let alone sleep in it.


Ozone can and will destroy black mold given enough time to seep into all the nooks and crannies the mold seeped into. It took the mold time to get in there, it will take the ozone some time also.


Anyone thinking that using bleach or a chlorine product is safe has not seen the horrific permanent damage chlorine does to lungs.


Like all tools Ozone is a tool to be used with common sense. Another tool, a lowly hammer can do lethal damage if used indiscriminately.


Yes, I use a small O3 generator in my boat and cars and NO, sorry, they are not death incarnate.


As an afterthought Ozone(O3) is simply Oxygen (O2) with an extra ion the extra ion is rapidly lost in contact with organics or some iron based metals.
Ozone usually decomposes into O2. Oxygen is also an oxidizer and in not much higher concentrations than found in the atmosphere is also bad for you, one reason oxygen tents are avoided except in extreme cases as blindness can occur.




Use whatever tool you think you should but let others do the same. Enough Doom and Gloom