Air conditioner strainer cleaning

[Vegas]

Gonna finally get around to cleaning my air conditioning seawater strainer....see picture.

Any tricks to it? Is it a typical strainer screen inside where you just clean it, reinsert it, put petroleum jelly on the o-ring, and snug it up?????

 

[justsomeguy]

Gonna finally get around to cleaning my air conditioning seawater strainer....see picture.

Any tricks to it? Is it a typical strainer screen inside where you just clean it, reinsert it, put petroleum jelly on the o-ring, and snug it up?????

Pretty much. I guess I'd close the through hull just in case.

 

[thinwater]

Yup, have that model on my head intake. Be careful not to bend the strainer when reinserting (it can crush against the top).

Really, this is something that should be cleaned every few days to weekly when running AC hard. I guess it depends on the location. But let it go and you are over-straining the AC and cavitating the feed pump.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Pretty straightforward like you'd expect. Thinwater is right about being careful not to crush the top of the screen, especially because the angle the strainer sits at makes it a little hard to access without interfering with the floor pan.

Afterward you'll need to prime the pump to purge air from it. There should be a petcock just forward of the pump under the port cabin seat. Open that petcock and hold a jug under the attached drain hose while the pump runs for 15 seconds or so and you should have a good stream of water. Then close it and check outside to make sure water is flowing smoothly.

I'm hoping Thinwater's estimate of cleaning frequency depends on where you sail. I usually clean ours twice a season, and even then it usually looks pretty clear except for some slime buildup.

 

[helmfam]

Those strainers do have an o-ring and a screen. Be careful, I lost that screen on mine once while cleaning it on the dock with my hose. Had to buy a whole unit to replace the screen. Expensive mistake.
BTW my 16000 BTU A/C has a quart size strainer, just like the strainer on my raw water intake for the diesel.

 

[thinwater]

...I'm hoping Thinwater's estimate of cleaning frequency depends on where you sail. I usually clean ours twice a season, and even then it usually looks pretty clear except for some slime buildup.

I'm sure it does. I've sailed places where daily was a good idea, and that is with an external strainer. A my home marina, twice a season is enough. Just look a the discharge stream.

 

[kloudie1]

The other thing that can be done usually is to increase the opening size in the strainer itself. Since the smallest passageway in most systems is about 1/4", the hole size (mesh #) of the screen can be changed to (to around 1/16") let the tiny stuff pass and not harm anything.. In my system, the smallest passage is the cooling loop in the winding coil of the pump.. I changed to a 20 mesh a few years ago and my cleaning frequency has gone down to twice a year.. The system runs constantly on air/heat when we are there and on dehumidify when we are not there..

 

[BigEasy]

During summer months you will likely need to clean it weekly or every other week if you run the AC often.
In off seasons, you rarely need to clean it. Kloudie's suggestion to increase the mesh size is a good one. Think that I would prefer to use glycerin or synthetic grease on the O ring instead of petroleum jelly. And, just as Helmfam cautioned, I lost a screen off the dock when I was hosing it clean! Might want to get a small container to empty the water from the screen housing and place the screen in as you take it topside to clean---that is some foul smelling stuff! I have a Groco filter on mine that rarely needs to be cleaned; also has an adaptor plate that can be substituted for he regular cover plate. The adaptor plate has a female hose fitting to allow connection to a water hose to enable one to flush the system and to purge air from the system after it is opened for cleaning and when I forget to close the thru hull valve before sailing.

 

[SG]

Beyond the observations above, if you live in FL and can get by with that small a strainer you should buy lottery tickets. We have Groco strainers that are much bigger in cooler waters with less gunk.

Have you used you AC often for periods of time? I'm amazed you haven't had issues.

 

[Vegas]

I've owned the boat 3 years, and during our brutal summers, probably run it on the average of 2 days a week while I'm staying aboard. During the rest of the year, I probably average less than 1 day per week. A/C use has always been in Naples Bay waters. Water discharge from the system has always been strong. I've never had an issue, but will now put strainer cleaning on my regular maintenance schedule.

Thanks, everyone, for your input.

 

[seadaddler]

WOW must be the area or water where you keep your boat at and keep the dehumidifier on 24/7
12 monthsa year and yes sometimes some green strips may be found in the strainer but clean maybe once a month but gone for 3 months in the hottest months here in Florida and don’t do any thing until I return.
Nick

 

[BigEasy]

During summer months on Gulf Coast, water temps reach mid to high 80’s. Water strainers with small wire mesh screens get clogged with a green algae like substance. Seaweed and trash is not a problem; however, the algae is nasty stuff

 

[natep]

I have a 2002 411, just purchased it in January of this year and High pressure code appeared, so I want to clean the AC strainer but had a hard time getting a good grip on them. Is there a special tool that can be used to get a better grip around the strainer? It is in a tight. Perhaps something like what you use when removing the oil filter from your car.

 

[kloudie1]

something like this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/2-pc-rubber-strap-wrench-set-69373.html
but be sure to not put force on the hose or the seacock as you loosen the filter..