Practical Sailor · video

What this video covers

Moisture intrusion in diesel tanks, lockers, and bilges drives three DIY fixes covered here. Nigel Calder, citing his work on marine diesel engines, identifies contaminated fuel as the top cause of diesel engine problems — a problem worsening as bio-content and surfactants in modern fuel trap water, encouraging bacterial growth that clogs pickup tubes and filters and stalls engines at the worst moments.1:13 His recommended solution is an AVD Plus H2O air vent dryer, a small canister of absorbent material that installs on the tank vent line with hose clamps; air entering and leaving the tank passes through it, stripping moisture before it reaches the fuel.2:51 The same company makes a locker-sized canister for damp hanging lockers and other enclosed spaces; Calder tested one in a malfunctioning refrigerator and it defrosted an iced evaporator plate overnight.3:38 The third fix addresses residual bilge water: the Seaflow dry bilge system, a sponge-and-quarter-inch-hose assembly that supplements a conventional bilge pump by absorbing the last two inches of water the float switch leaves behind, available on Amazon for $200.5:13 Keeping keel bolts and bilge areas fully dry prevents rust and eliminates standing water that breeds bacteria.5:06

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