Bilge oil separator

[tixall]

When I pump out the water accumulation in the engine bilge there is often a trace of an oil film possibly from engineers boots or stern gland grease etc. As I would like to be responsible to the environment is there any oil separator apart from the expensive Vetus one to fit in the line from the bilge pump to the discharge on our narrow boat? Thanks.

[Robbo]

 

http://www.oilspillproducts.co.uk/products.asp?cat=51

[David Mack]

Or you could leave an oil absorbent pad in your bilge to soak up any oil from the bilge water, and just replace it from time to time.

[Bobbin]

Bilge cleaner a little warm water and mop up with a nappy, disposable nappy bag..................sorted!

[tixall]

Thanks. The OSP device seems more reasonable than the Vetus.

[Onewheeler]

I keep half a sheet of this: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/spill-absorbents/7716395/ lining the engine bilge. It makes cleaning it easy and one can see where drips are coming from . We get through less than one sheet a year so works out cheap.

 

Martin/

Edited October 14, 2016 by Onewheeler

[ditchcrawler]

But the bilge pump shouldn't pump from under the engine unless the oil drips are caught in a tray.

[Robbo]

But the bilge pump shouldn't pump from under the engine unless the oil drips are caught in a tray.

Unless you have a filter, like the vetus or OSP. My other boat does this as there is no room for a tray under the engine.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Robbo

[tixall]

There is a full length engine tray as part of a soundproof box around the engine and gearbox. the bilge pump is the other side of a barrier so essentially only has to cope with water from the stern gland. However there often seems to be some oil contamination possibly from the stern gland grease and possibly from engineers working on the engine. That is why I specifically asked about bilge water separators. We have had suggestions of water lubricated stern glands so that there is no more stern grease. Does any one know about these?

[ditchcrawler]

There is a full length engine tray as part of a soundproof box around the engine and gearbox. the bilge pump is the other side of a barrier so essentially only has to cope with water from the stern gland. However there often seems to be some oil contamination possibly from the stern gland grease and possibly from engineers working on the engine. That is why I specifically asked about bilge water separators. We have had suggestions of water lubricated stern glands so that there is no more stern grease. Does any one know about these?

Have you considered how much grease you pump into your stern gland every day and how much goes out through the back into the canal compared to how much floats on top of the water.

[zenataomm]

I think I'd rather donate the £90 to Friends of The Earth and carry on.

Especially when you consider the the damage to the environment caused by manufacturing the damn thing in the first place.

[Tony Brooks]

I think microbes acting on the muck in "clean" bilge water can create an oil like film on the water.

[cuthound]

We have had suggestions of water lubricated stern glands so that there is no more stern grease. Does any one know about these?

When we bought DQ she came fitted with a Vetus water lubricated stern gland.

 

I was suspicious of it at first, but after 2 and a half years I love it.

 

It has never even dripped a single drip of water into the boat and requires a smidgeon of silicon grease every 100 hours. What is not to like?