strum box screen

[wheelerwbrian]

I need to replace the screen on my bilge strum box, but haven't been able to come up with a durable material. The box is bronze and similar to the attached, but the screen has corroded and cracked. Any thoughts on a source?

 

[Guy Stevens]

call perko, they have the replacement part

Call Perko, they sell replacement parts.

http://www.perko.com/catalog/category/underwater_hardware/product/286/ is the part, if you call them with the part number they can ship a replacement screen.

Alternately get a piece of bronze cut ti to fit, and drill some holes in it.

Also a piece of plastic cut with holes drilled in it would work fine too, just get the right thickness.

Also short term put a sock over it! (The whole thing that is). But be careful nothing is so permanent as a good temporary fix!

Guy

 

[wheelerwbrian]

Thanks - I was thinking of trying panty hose, but sometimes things in the bilge are out of sight out of mind especially when they're under something else. I'll double check to make sure its perko and give them a call.

 

[Glyn Judson]

New bronze screen.

Brian, Guy is spot on yet again. I had that same problem with mine and had a small piece of bronze sheet the same thickness that I made a new one from. I used what was left of the old one as a template for the hole pattern. It was a mater of minutes to drill all the holes and I was done. As an aside, I went a step further by cutting the tube on a 45° angle and had it brazed into a 90° angle. Now it sits flat on the bottom of my small bilge bottom with the hose leading straight up from it to the strainer and diaphragm pump. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA

 

[Glyn Judson]

Strum box maker.

Brian, If yours has barbs like the photo you attached I guess it's made by Perko. If it's smooth like mine, it's an old Wilcox Crittenden. Either way, it'd be easy to make a replacement if you can't buy one new. I like Guy's plastic screen idea. Glyn

 

[Joliba]

I have two of these bronze strum boxes in my boat, one in the bilge and another in the shower sump. I replaced the sump strainer with plastic cut from a bleach bottle, multiply drilled, and the other with a piece of polycarbonate (Lexan) drilled. They both look fine and are functioning well after 4 seasons. Cut or sand the plastic so that it fits tightly between the retaining tabs/feet, but can be removed if needed for cleaning. The original metal strainers all eventually crumble, but the boxes last for decades.