YankeeRedfisher Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 After a summer on the lift I pulled my RF18 and planned to get it ready for FL. The bilge is black and much mold . The pump had a blown fuse so a great amount of water was sitting in the bilge I got all the wiring disconnected and labeled 1 BP, 2 LW pumps. Thought I'd use a pressure washer to scrub it clean, Also thinking about putting a terminal strip in high above the water line for the pump connections. Any thoughts/comments/ideas. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Pressure washer might knock off the bilge paint. I would just use outdoor bleach and water. Connections, you should splice with heat shrink splice and cover with liquid electrical tape. A strip will corrode in no time anywhere in the bilge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YankeeRedfisher Posted January 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Good input on the terminal board; I wondered about using it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfish Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I've done it before with great results. Use a wide tip (yellow on mine) and you'll be fine. Might loose a lil paint around fuel separator that's already loose from spilling a lil fuel here or there but that's all I've ever seen. I've sprayed with bleach and concoction of all sorts of stuff even tired filling with ice slurry and driving around...nothing cleans in like a pressure washer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 6 hours ago, YankeeRedfisher said: After a summer on the lift I pulled my RF18 and planned to get it ready for FL. The bilge is black and much mold . The pump had a blown fuse so a great amount of water was sitting in the bilge I got all the wiring disconnected and labeled 1 BP, 2 LW pumps. Thought I'd use a pressure washer to scrub it clean, Also thinking about putting a terminal strip in high above the water line for the pump connections. Any thoughts/comments/ideas. . You shouldn't need a pressure washer. Bleach in a pump sprayer and then water. Sometimes you have to do it a couple times. Stubborn grease and oil use Formula 88 degreaser and a green scotch brite pad. I have a 1998 RF and you can eat out of my bilge. I dump leftover boat soap in my bilge and throw the hose in their after every trip. Also Keeps my pumps clean and salt free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YankeeRedfisher Posted January 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Thanks for your advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Use bleach and heavy duty degreaser. Would hate to crack a hose with the pressured water and end up almost sinking the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 11 hours ago, linesider 159 said: Use bleach and heavy duty degreaser. Would hate to crack a hose with the pressured water and end up almost sinking the boat. I feel the same. would be concerned about the wiring also. I do the above, let sit and hose off, spotless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtms Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Once you get it scrubbed up, put a bag of ice with soap in your bilge area before you leave the dock from time to time and this keeps the bilge area clean. The ice moving around as you run with the soap works wonders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justdriftin Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 My current boat had a pretty nasty bilge when i bought it and i just did a couple rounds of X14 mildew stain remover, bleach and degreaser and hosed out. It took a few times, but I'd be leery of the pressure washer as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YankeeRedfisher Posted January 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 The pressure washer is appealing to me; even though several forum members said to avoid it. I can set my pressure washer on low velocity and I'm thinking it would not hurt anything in the bilge but would help scrub all the nooks and cranny's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 My boat is fished a lot, I really don't spend a great deal of time cleaning the bilge every time I wash the boat, I do rinse the bilge with fresh water and boat soap occasionally, and about twice a year, I put a half gallon of simple green and a splash of bleach with a bag of ice and about 15 gallons of water in there and let it sit a while....then tow it around the neighborhood to slosh it around some. Followed by opening the drain plug on a back road for the ride home. It's not as clean as some, but I'm ok with it. I'm surprised "Ron in Atlanta" has not replied....... his bilge is waxed with Zaino......you could literally eat off it. I don't know how he does it, or how long it takes....but every square inch of his Pathfinder is immaculate. If he reads this, he can give you advice with proven results on cleaning any place on or in your boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 If you were to go the ice trick you need to disconnect your lead from the battery otherwise the float switch will just pump everything out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfish Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 3 hours ago, YankeeRedfisher said: The pressure washer is appealing to me; even though several forum members said to avoid it. I can set my pressure washer on low velocity and I'm thinking it would not hurt anything in the bilge but would help scrub all the nooks and cranny's. Maybe I shoulda been more clear. I don't use a commercial grade pressure washer or anything. Been using a small electric one - currently a Ryobi 1600 psi - for years and never had an issue. I use a wide (yellow on mine) tip. I use this all over boat, often, and never had an issue with anything. Not sure why the bilge should be any different. A lot of times I rinse my feet off with this thing while I'm using it. Its not going to cut through any any wires, definitely no drain lines unless they are severely rotten in which case I'd rather find out on land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YankeeRedfisher Posted January 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Thanks for this input. I have about 4 settings on my pressure washer and feel that the low one will do no harm. I've used it to clean the topside of two of my boats no problem. Also used it to clean my dock prior to painting with Rescue; did a great job and no damage. All of these inputs are worthwhile. On the connections , two of the live well pumps have the replaceable heads, just turn them remove. .I used disconnects for them in the past but guess I should go with heat shrink butt connectors and liquid tape. I was hoping to be able to disconnect them for replacement when they fail without cutting wire in the future but guess its better with butt connectors sealed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 5 hours ago, linesider 159 said: If you were to go the ice trick you need to disconnect your lead from the battery otherwise the float switch will just pump everything out. I forgot to mention power to the the float switch....it will dump it out before you get 100 ft from the house with the ice, simple green, bleach water, etc....been there, done that ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang190 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 If you can still find it in your area,, WISK detergent. Do as described above. pour in a jug of wisk, put about 15 gallons of water and drive around. Use to do it on sport fish boats (Hatteras, Posts etc) back in the day. They would be clean as a whistle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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