Raw water hose for cooling

Black_Diamond

The hose from the sea strainer to genset (5e) is showing signs of strain/cracking.  Likely due to the tight radius bend from the strainer thru the stringer.  I was thinking of upgrading the strainer or moving it as it is really hard to get at on my 342, mounted way too low in the bilge.  In addition, I was wondering about replacing the rubber hose with a braided stainless steel around rubber hose like this:

http://www.hosecraftusa.com/uploadedImages/HOSECRAFT AG1.pdf

The female connection is a hose/gasket type but thinking this might be OK since it would be mounted on the high/generator side.  Any thoughts?

Michael T

Hey BD, I think you saw the pictures I posted of the new strainer I installed this Fall for my generator. It is super rugged. It is a Forespar 150. You can get different mesh sizes and the mesh filter edges have rubber rims, so they are very durable. It also comes with an HD rubber bracket that you can mount and the strainer snaps into it - easy on, easy off. These strainers are OEM for Mastercraft boats and are super rugged. As well, they are high flow so the genny will get super water flow to it. As for a braided hose I would think that any decent HVAC supply could make you braided hose with whatever fittings you wanted on the ends. Mine is mounted low in the bilge too. I considered having an aluminum bracket made to screw to the underside of the cockpit floor and hang the strainer on it but stayed with the original mounting area.

Black_Diamond

Does the bowl on that unscrew reasonably easy?  The strainers on my 342 are a pita to unscrew even when not really tightening them a lot and silicone grease on the gasket/threads. 

Michael T

@BD, VERY easy its a huge bowl with big threads. Everything about the strainer is better - much bigger and sturdier unit, more flow, bigger better built strainer with rubber end caps, snap-in holding clamp. Groco and Raritan also make a couple of decent models but IMO no one makes a better non-commercial (read that bronze etc.) strainer unit. I'll take a couple of pics of the bowl and strainer and post them as it's off for the winter. *****I take my strainer bowls off for the Winter and clean the anti-freeze from inside them to avoid "fogging the plastic".....pics coming when I get a minute!

Michael T

@BD, here are the pictures of the Forespar 150 with 50 mesh. I will be ordering a 40 mesh for waters that have smaller debris - algae. As you can see it is very sturdy. I took one with a ruler for scale then remembered I had a replacement strainer for the original genny and dug it up for a comparison shot. If you are interested in Forespar they have a good website. As I mentioned Groco and Raritan make decent strainers but IMO there is too much plastic on their strainer bodies which makes them too flimsy, IMO. The Forespar is made of Marelon which is almost indestructible and they are made to high standards for Mastercraft. BTW I do not like the older Forespar strainers that look flat with a removable top. I think the model number is Forespar 906066. I heard that Mastercraft had trouble with these and switched to the Model 150 that I have and all's well. Good luck BD!

Black_Diamond

Thanks!  Much bigger unit and I like the seals on the screen too. 

Michael T

@BD, agreed someone was thinking re those seals on the screens, as I'm sure you've found-out the "regular" screens get beat-up and distorted fairly quickly. Also the bigger bowl is much easier to grip.

Black_Diamond

Looks a lot more robust. Bonus if you can get the screens separate too. 

Michael T

@BD I believe their website has a parts order section for screens, bowls, rubber (buna) gaskets - I think as individual parts and/or kits. It was quite user friendly last time I visited.