I vote for it. My '88 did not have one from the Ericson factory. Whether ingesting seaweed in salt water or leaves and grass in the fresh water area I now sail in, I like the idea of keeping "stuff" out of the hoses, pump, and heat exchanger tubes...
A picture of my installation is further back in this forum, dated 10-19-02.
You did not ask, but the Forespar Flushing Type valve I changed to is really slick. If you do not need to winterize your raw water system against freezing, this would not matter, tho.
Best,
Loren in PDX
A picture of my installation is further back in this forum, dated 10-19-02.
You did not ask, but the Forespar Flushing Type valve I changed to is really slick. If you do not need to winterize your raw water system against freezing, this would not matter, tho.
Best,
Loren in PDX
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Jim Baldwin
Member II
STRAIN IT!
Just a little piece of latex rubber or a bit of plastic, sucked up and lodged in the impellar can kill your engine quick unless you just happen to notice the little red idiot light and shut it down. Then all you have to do is break out the tools and start taking things apart until you find the problem. You will be bobbing around for quite some time while your family and friends make cracks like "nothing works on an old boat except the skipper."
Do I know what I am talking about?
I have now installed a Vetus raw water strainer with a clear plastic lid that unscrews to allow removall of foreign objects like seaweed or condoms.
Just a little piece of latex rubber or a bit of plastic, sucked up and lodged in the impellar can kill your engine quick unless you just happen to notice the little red idiot light and shut it down. Then all you have to do is break out the tools and start taking things apart until you find the problem. You will be bobbing around for quite some time while your family and friends make cracks like "nothing works on an old boat except the skipper."
Do I know what I am talking about?
I have now installed a Vetus raw water strainer with a clear plastic lid that unscrews to allow removall of foreign objects like seaweed or condoms.
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I'll join the chorus for raw water strainers. I've cleaned mne out often enough to know that I'd rather do that than repace an impeller or flush out a heat exchanger. I also installed one between the raw water pump and the heat exchanger to catch stay impeller vanes before they get to the heat exchanger.
Ray
Ray
Lauren -
I looked at the pic you provided.
Can you describe the installation?
On the E28, the raw water intake is under the sink portside, crosses under the engine, and up to the pump, which is mounted on the engine on starboard.
Given this arrangement, where is the best location for the intake strainer?
Thanks
I looked at the pic you provided.
Can you describe the installation?
On the E28, the raw water intake is under the sink portside, crosses under the engine, and up to the pump, which is mounted on the engine on starboard.
Given this arrangement, where is the best location for the intake strainer?
Thanks
"Straining" for a better answer...
Ericson must have really liked putting the engine intake valve under the galley sink...
That's where ours was. This was on starboard side, and the hose had to go under the sole and to the raw water pump on the engine on same side.
There was no real room for a proper strainer under the sink area, so I had the intake moved to where you see it in the photo, under the quarterberth in the aft cabin. Lots of room there for a proper strainer, and the hose could run forward to the front of the engine on the Starboard side to enter the raw water pump.
Only you can determine where the best place for a strainer would be in your particular model of Ericson. Note that if you have the height to spare, Groco makes a nice combination seacock and strainer, all bronze. I did not have the height available under the berth. Besides, I really like the Forspar Marlon intake valve unit -- no electrolysis worries.
Note two: moving the intake involved filling one hole and creating a new one -- "moving holes" is somewhat consuming of time and money...
Best,
Loren in Portland, OR
Ericson must have really liked putting the engine intake valve under the galley sink...
That's where ours was. This was on starboard side, and the hose had to go under the sole and to the raw water pump on the engine on same side.
There was no real room for a proper strainer under the sink area, so I had the intake moved to where you see it in the photo, under the quarterberth in the aft cabin. Lots of room there for a proper strainer, and the hose could run forward to the front of the engine on the Starboard side to enter the raw water pump.
Only you can determine where the best place for a strainer would be in your particular model of Ericson. Note that if you have the height to spare, Groco makes a nice combination seacock and strainer, all bronze. I did not have the height available under the berth. Besides, I really like the Forspar Marlon intake valve unit -- no electrolysis worries.
Note two: moving the intake involved filling one hole and creating a new one -- "moving holes" is somewhat consuming of time and money...
Best,
Loren in Portland, OR