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Weed Filters


fishfoxey

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Hi can someone please tell me if the weed filters pictured are standard or as I am thinking a cheap botch, all the pics I have seen are of a basket type arrangement rather than a tube of mesh. When I took them out today all the rubbish just fell into the bod, if I hadn't had a good wet vac I would have struggled to get it out   thx

20201031_211810.jpg

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I have a filter like that on my Collins, although the cap is a screw fit.Quite standard in their day. The bronze filters are difficult to find, so look after it. I don't find that the weed drops back into the body, rather than it gets stuck in the body if the filter is full. Happens frequently on a trip to Coltishall and back. Just carry a length of plastic tube to push down the body and out of the hull.

 

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I actually prefer the old fashioned filters as per Fishfoxey’s photo.  It’s not unheard of for the actual inlet to become blocked so it’s easy to push something long down the tube to unblock it.  With a basket filter you have to remove the hose to clear this type of blockage, this is normally below the water line which creates more issues !

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Agree with Neil - the top of the bronze fitting should be above the waterline, even if only just, so a quick shake will enable all the crud to drop back into the river!!!

Not sure I like the newer type system - not much to go wrong and if the valve failed, it still did not flood the boat!!!

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7 minutes ago, NeilB said:

I actually prefer the old fashioned filters as per Fishfoxey’s photo. 

So do I but what I prefer even more is the traditional Broads tube filter which is simply an extension of the hull fitting and extends up above the waterline, so you have no need to close the valve, or even stop the engine, to clean the filter.  You will also have no problem with air locks, since there is nowhere for the air to get in!  The system is "hirer proof" since if you drop the screw cap in the bilges, it doesn't matter!

Cambridge Cabby's photo is the Vetus type filter which is designed with a transparent cap so that you can check it for weed just by looking in it.  But to enable this, it has to be high up in the bilge, so that you can look in it!  This means the pump has to lift the raw water up there, before it goes to the engine.  This also means that a small mistake in putting the cap back on and screwing it down will let air in, and the pump will run dry.  The little butterfly nut is separate and is very easy to lose in the bilges.

The Vetus type filter should always have plenty of water pump grease smeared onto the rubber lid gasket to avoid air leaks.  it is also important to make sure you have the lid exactly placed centrally in its seating, before screwing down the fixing nut.

These Vetus filters are not "hirer proof" and you will not find many of them fitted in hire boats.

 

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6 minutes ago, marshman said:

I think Vaughan, the old fashioned Broads ones may no longer be available - mores the pity!!

ASAP in Beccles have complete bronze/DZR strainers and plastic inserts - we fitted new inserts a couple of years back when the metal ones disintegrated but the original strainers are still going strong.

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1 hour ago, NeilB said:

I actually prefer the old fashioned filters as per Fishfoxey’s photo.  It’s not unheard of for the actual inlet to become blocked so it’s easy to push something long down the tube to unblock it.  With a basket filter you have to remove the hose to clear this type of blockage, this is normally below the water line which creates more issues !

NOT if you leave the old, original filter stack in place and just remove the filter.....

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2 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

We have just had those converted to the basket type of filters as I found them a pain .

They removed the old fitting and fitted new hoses , cost us c.£300 all in (for two of them)

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Start to worry. Seriously. 

What you have here is NOT a Vetus filter. It's a cheap Osculati one. The inlet of these (the bottom centre) has a turreted centre standoff where the wingnut stud is fixed. This turreted area will block with river weed and prevent cooling, stripping your impeller of blades and causing an overheat. 

We used one of these ages ago and it caused no end of problems. I recall reading the specs at the time which stated they were NOT suitable for engine cooling though this seems to have changed.  Got a close-up photo of the inside of that basket?

The good Vetus ones are £100 a pop, these are £30 or so. If the design hasn't changed, I would not recommend them at all. 

 

 

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I'll second what Andy said, it's what I had on my last boat and most crud gets stuck in the inlet under the stud, crap design, there's 2 in my shed if you want them.

I also have a couple of the bronze filter stacks in the original post one with new screen if anyone is after one.

Vetus filters have the whole lid screw off with the thread around the outside and don't obstruct the inlet, I have a few coloured plastic balls in mine so the flow is easier to see through the lid, they make for easy winterising too.

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Hi I fully agree with Vaughans statement i would add that if the weed drops out of the tube it just goes back in the river unless your silly enough to still be running the engine you don't remove the tube screen with engine running you can however push the weed down into river with a suitable rod, it does however take care when first fitting to hull as the trick is to have the top of tube level with water line so when cap is removed very little water flows into bilge or turn gate valve/ball valve off if below water level absolutely idiot proof. John

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2 hours ago, FreedomBoatingHols said:

Start to worry. Seriously. 

What you have here is NOT a Vetus filter. It's a cheap Osculati one. The inlet of these (the bottom centre) has a turreted centre standoff where the wingnut stud is fixed. This turreted area will block with river weed and prevent cooling, stripping your impeller of blades and causing an overheat. 

We used one of these ages ago and it caused no end of problems. I recall reading the specs at the time which stated they were NOT suitable for engine cooling though this seems to have changed.  Got a close-up photo of the inside of that basket?

The good Vetus ones are £100 a pop, these are £30 or so. If the design hasn't changed, I would not recommend them at all. 

 

 

Will have them checked 

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Very handy having a tame engineer for a son. Middle lad is in the process of refurbing the raw water inlet or my Elysian. New seacock and a new weedfilter made by him.

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Above shows old and new. Following shows new body and filter element.

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I use a length of 20mm pvc conduit to rod out the weed. Much needed on the Old West section of the Great Ouse in summer. If the lockdown isn't too ongoing, the boat will be coming back to the Broads next year.

Getting too old to faff about with the locks on the Gt Ouse, Middle levels and Nen!

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