copper bilge line?

[coldfish]

Ok, stay with me here....
I've got a full keel and there's a very small access point where I dicovered a lot of bilge water was just sitting in there. I got one of those suction bilge pumps and it ran and ran and ran. However, the hose that came with it is a standard flexible bilge hose. When it "sucks", the hose draws back and flexes, so I just can't get that last few inches of water. It's driving me nuts just knowing it's in there!

I happen to have a length of copper pipe here and thought that maybe I'd just drop it straight in there and then hook that to the suction pump. No Flex, no Pull-Back.

But..... I'm pretty sure that it still won't ever get "all" of it like that, so it would be sitting in an inch of bilge water. I could go to the store and get some PVC, but the copper seems like it might be a great solution. Can you guys think of any reason that wouldn't be a good idea?

[Iron E]

Copper + Sea water = Corrosion (Bad idea)

[coopec43]

Have you thought of a wet/dry vacuum. These are about $A18 in Australia.

I used to live in a fishing village and the recycle/rubbish dump would have cordless OZITO vacuums (still working with a bit of work) wet and dry vacuums which the fishermen would have used to suck up water

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-12...ce=1&gclsrc=ds

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Iron E

Copper + Sea water = Corrosion (Bad idea)

Problem only with other metals (keel bolts?)
How about PET tube?

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by Iron E

Copper + Sea water = Corrosion (Bad idea)

Nonsense.

Copper would be excellent for this purpose. I have a sailboat built 26 years ago. It uses copper pipe for holding tanks. Still in excellent condition. Copper pipe for the main seawater manifold in the engine room. Excellent condition. Copper plate for the boding connection to the keel at the bottom of the gray water sump. Excellent condition. Copper is fine in contact with saltwater.

Like any other metal, it EITHER needs to be scrupulously isolated from contact with other metals, OR connected to a proper bonding system. Bonding is usually easier for most systems.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

Nonsense.

Copper would be excellent for this purpose. I have a sailboat built 26 years ago. It uses copper pipe for holding tanks. Still in excellent condition. Copper pipe for the main seawater manifold in the engine room. Excellent condition. Copper plate for the boding connection to the keel at the bottom of the gray water sump. Excellent condition. Copper is fine in contact with saltwater.

Like any other metal, it EITHER needs to be scrupulously isolated from contact with other metals, OR connected to a proper bonding system. Bonding is usually easier for most systems.

Certain copper (alloys) are fine to use in marine environments... but, not all "Copper Alloys".
The OP only stated, "I happen to have a length of copper pipe here."

Many copper-based alloy pipes are susceptible to Erosion Corrosion within a short period of time when used in a saltwater environment. I personally wouldn't guess that it would be okay to use a random piece of copper tube when there are better solutions.

[Bowdrie]

Just a few years ago I replaced all the copper fuel lines in a 1959 Chris Craft motor yacht.
Run thru the bilge, they'd probably never been dry in 60 years, same with the 2" copper for the emergency engine driven bilge pump.
Were they bad? Not at all, never a drop of a leak, the owner just thought they "looked grungy".
Where copper does fall short is that it suffers from "Impingement attack" from high volume saltwater flow against end plates/elbows, etc.
That's why they don't use it for heat exchangers, the Nickle in CuNi withstands that.
In the OPs situation I would probably not use copper, but only as I don't like to see metal in any place where some stray current might become involved, (leaky wires/bilge pump/keel bolts/bilge water.

[donradcliffe]

The copper holding tank pickup tube in a Grand Banks was eaten away over the years. A combination of salt water and urea.

[Ballsnall]

Originally Posted by coldfish

But..... I'm pretty sure that it still won't ever get "all" of it like that, so it would be sitting in an inch of bilge water.

Correct, surprisingly your not the first to have this dilemma. Get a wet vac.