Flush connection question

[marks737]

Hello. I’ve enjoyed all the posts about fresh water flushing. I currently have flush connections on my strainers that I connect the hose to directly. I’d like to add a ball valve and quick disconnect to avoid having to screw the hose connection on and make it much quicker. Just wondering if you guys see any issues with a quick disconnect type connection?

Also, after shutting engine down and the fresh water is still on, does the excess fresh water just run out of the through hull? Usually it’s just a few seconds. Thanks.

Topic

[Tony]

Thanks heaps Russ! Looks like it was time well spent. Great setup.

Cheers

Tony

[Russ]

Tony, sorry for the delay, had to go to the boat and get pics. They are hopefully self-explanatory but let me know if you want any more info. BTW, had a buddy with a very nice set up drill and tap the strainer lids, some piece of equipment that measures in 10,000th of an inch. WAY beyond my wheel house. Otherwise nothing special needed. The mains T is visible upper left of the mains pic and also in the STBD pic. The S bends enable removal of the strainer lid and for it to flop out of way without having to disco anything.

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Tony

[Tony]

Hi Russ

Sounds good. Do you have any photos by chance??

Cheers

Tony

Russ wrote:

I started in the lazarette with an inexpensive plastic quick disconnect that has a shut off on both sides and is easy to access. From there I routed hose, clamped to the bottom of the cockpit sole out of the way, to a T near the geny then on to a T between the sea strainers. I tapped all 3 strainer caps and installed ball valves. Each outing when we return to the dock I put 1 side of the disconnect on the dock hose, turn it on, connect it and open both quick connect valves (after insuring the ball valves are all closed).

I can then open 2 of the strainer ball valves, shut one thru hull and start that side. Puts nothing but fresh water to the running engine and gives pressure relief out the other strainer even when I shut it down. I run the mains for 5 minutes and the geny for 3. Probably overkill but after 3+ years and 650 hours I serviced the aftercoolers (purchased new, pre-serviced, from Seaboard when I bought the boat) and there was minimal build up on bottom of a couple of the tubes in the bundles which slid right out. This is despite the not having installed the flush system until 2 years in with 470 of the 650 hours on them.

Bonus: It insures I do a post cruise check every time, with 5 minutes per engine to crawl around and exam things. And when I do pull zincs (which last way longer) to check them you can barely detect a brackishness to the water sitting in the after cooler. I am definitely glad I spent the time and took the effort to install this!

Thx Tony and crew for all the great tips and tricks you share with us!

[Russ]

I started in the lazarette with an inexpensive plastic quick disconnect that has a shut off on both sides and is easy to access. From there I routed hose, clamped to the bottom of the cockpit sole out of the way, to a T near the geny then on to a T between the sea strainers. I tapped all 3 strainer caps and installed ball valves. Each outing when we return to the dock I put 1 side of the disconnect on the dock hose, turn it on, connect it and open both quick connect valves (after insuring the ball valves are all closed).

I can then open 2 of the strainer ball valves, shut one thru hull and start that side. Puts nothing but fresh water to the running engine and gives pressure relief out the other strainer even when I shut it down. I run the mains for 5 minutes and the geny for 3. Probably overkill but after 3+ years and 650 hours I serviced the aftercoolers (purchased new, pre-serviced, from Seaboard when I bought the boat) and there was minimal build up on bottom of a couple of the tubes in the bundles which slid right out. This is despite the not having installed the flush system until 2 years in with 470 of the 650 hours on them.

Bonus: It insures I do a post cruise check every time, with 5 minutes per engine to crawl around and exam things. And when I do pull zincs (which last way longer) to check them you can barely detect a brackishness to the water sitting in the after cooler. I am definitely glad I spent the time and took the effort to install this!

Thx Tony and crew for all the great tips and tricks you share with us!

1 user thanked author for this post.

Tony

[marks737]

Update. Valves installed.

Here’s pics of the ball valves with quick disconnects installed. Now my only concern is that there’s no cap on ends so the valves are the only thing keeping water out. Should I be concerned? I don’t think they can open while under way but would feel better if there was some kind of cap or maybe a safety bungee preventing handle movement. What do you guys think?

[Philip]

Correct on the fresh water just going out the strainer/intake when engine is shut down.

Always good to exercise the thru hull valve several times a year.

Phil

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marks737

[marks737]

As Rob mentioned. I flush with my seacocks open. Much safer that way. I just wanted to confirm that with them open the fresh water would be forced out of the seacock when the engine was shut down after flushing.

[Rob Schepis]

Based on his second paragraph it “appears” that he never closes the seacock…

[firehoser75]

Marks737,
Do not run pressurized dock water into your engine through the sea strainer with the engine off and the thru hull closed.
Either first reopen the thru hull before shut down so the pressure can exit the system via that route, or shut the freshwater off just before shutting down the engine. This last one can be done easily if you have a helper, or if you can access your engine shutdown quickly after turning the water off. Running a few seconds with no new water should not damage your impeller, but I try to utilize a helper myself.

[marks737]

Yes

[Philip]

I have not had good luck with Home Depot variety quick disconnects lasting in the damp salt water environment. Maybe you will have better luck. Definitely keep the disconnect greased to prevent the little locking balls from corroding. I have since gone back to the screw fittings.

I had no performance issues with the disconnects as to flow etc.

Phil

[Rob Schepis]

Ball valve on the strainer, then the quick connect on the ball valve, right?

[Author]

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