Building the Ultrasonic Antifouling Kit from Jaycar

[gecsr1]

I've bought a few of the transducers from the manufacturer in China, waiting for them to arrive. I've also ordered a couple of kits to play with, I will probably sell them on eBay as ready-built units.

Let me know when you sell them on ebay ... forward me a link... Thanks

 

[Playtime]

In 2009 I used Blakes Tiger Xtra, and thought it did quite well - No barnacles except a few on the prop
In 2010 I used Hemple Tiger Xtra and Untrasonic Antifoul and the results were a lot better - as you can see - No Barnacles

Do you think the high mileage Pixie completed in 2010 accounts for the difference?

 

[snooks]

Do you think the high mileage Pixie completed in 2010 accounts for the difference?

I honestly don't know. There are too many variables from one year to the next so it's impossible to say that the difference was solely down to the US antifoul.

But my personal feeling is that it did make a difference. See the patch where the topside paint was applied on the keel. That was the worst patch of the lot. Also the log has been foul free since the unit was switched on. This is an on going test, and it will be interesting to see the results next winter.

 

[Silent Lady]

Just finished number two. Very quiet compared with number one which spends most of its time clicking away merrily to itself. Have found a Maplin 240v AC to 12v DC power supply so that should run both units.

As I don't leave the boat connected to shore power when we are not onboard I think I will make up a seperate lead so they can be powered direct from shore power without interfering with the boats electrics.

Have read up on fitting transducers and it woud appear that they need to be firmly attached to the hull. So 'West' or similar with some micro balloons and leave to set solid.

 

[snooks]

Have read up on fitting transducers and it woud appear that they need to be firmly attached to the hull. So 'West' or similar with some micro balloons and leave to set solid.

I wouldn't recommend microbaloons as they might absorb the sound. Mine has a screw thread bonded to the hull with alradite the face of the transducer was coated in petroleum jelly and screwed in tight to get rid of any air bubbles, the transducer needs to be tightened periodically to ensure there is good contact

 

[ytd]

I've built the kit but it's not yet installed in the boat. Also had the 0 ohm resistor left over. Because the boat is on a swing mooring we will need a solar panel to power it which has yet to be sourced. Our worst fouling is on the saildrive leg and prop. Because of the saildrive boot I'm not sure how effective the ultrasonic af will be on that. If this one works on the hull maybe I'll mount another on the leg. An easy way to tell if the kit's working on the bench is to put an am radio near it. Lots of tones.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Just finished number two. Very quiet compared with number one which spends most of its time clicking away merrily to itself. Have found a Maplin 240v AC to 12v DC power supply so that should run both units.

As I don't leave the boat connected to shore power when we are not onboard I think I will make up a seperate lead so they can be powered direct from shore power without interfering with the boats electrics.

Have read up on fitting transducers and it woud appear that they need to be firmly attached to the hull. So 'West' or similar with some micro balloons and leave to set solid.

I had the same reservations about mounting to the hull I my earlier posts I described the way I have done it. I actually potted it in situ after mounting the collar to the hull with the two part epoxy then simply pouring in sufficient potting compound to cover the hull push in the transducer and pour in the remainder of the potting compound till the transducer is covered. As Snooks says I would not use micrballons they will actually give you 1000s of voids between the transducer and hull thus attenuating the signal. I also looked at the Maplin power supply and eventually went for a solar panel to keep the batteries charged (50 watt) like you I do not leave my shore power charging anything whilst I am away from the boat.

 

[sandman_bm]

For what its worth, when I installed my fishfinder transducer inside the hull I was told that a big puddle of sikaflex and squidge the transducer down into it is often used. It works fine for me,as long as I dont want to ever remove it!!!!

 

[nigelmercier]

For what its worth, when I installed my fishfinder transducer inside the hull I was told that a big puddle of sikaflex and squidge the transducer down into it is often used...

Not a good idea to mount something that you need to shake the hull using a rubber mount!

 

[Norman_E]

Not a good idea to mount something that you need to shake the hull using a rubber mount!

I had just that thought when I encapsulated the transducers, in what is effectively rubber, though all they need to do is transmit ultrasound through the hull, rather than shake it. Just as well as a few ounces of transducer is hardly going to shake several tons of boat.

Both mine are now installed and working, time will tell how effective they are.

 

[pteron]

put an ear to the transducer.

Please don't do this - you can do permanent damage to your hearing.

 

[captainscott]

ultrasonic antifouling

Why not consider conventional multi season antifouling such as C- Guard liquid copper- upn to 10 years protection.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Cost is one reason, by the time you have stripped the old antifoul off and then applied the coppercoat for a 34 foot boat you are looking at £3 to £4K. Ultrasonics £250

 

[Norman_E]

Please don't do this - you can do permanent damage to your hearing.

I did not actually put my ear right against the transducers, just listened close enough to them to hear the audible clicks that tell you they are working. Curiously after installing them in the boat one is producing considerably louder clicks than the other.

 

[trisailing1]

Aluminium boats and copper dont mix, or is this product C-Guard different?

 

[properjob]

Ultrasonic Antifouling in a Mud Berth

Having followed this thread for quite a while with interest I am tempted to make a couple. But would they work in a mud berth ?

I know that one of the expensive ready-made units manufacturer states that they shouldn’t be used in a mud berth. But is that just them being over cautious or have they actually done practical user tests with poor/bad results ? Most people whose boats are kept in mud berths are unlikely to afford these pricy units so feedback from users must be minimal or non-existent.

I keep my catamaran in a half tide soft mud berth and find that none of the many antifoulings that I have tried can stop barnacle growth starting about 12 inches down in the mud right down to the bottom of the keels.

I can imagine mud surrounding the hulls could dampen the ultrasonic vibrations especially if the mud was like clay, but would soft mud attenuate the ultrasonic vibrations enough to make the system unviable ?

Have any forumites had any relevant experience of ultrasonic antifouling in a mud berth?
Any thoughts on this matter would be most welcome.
Thanks.

 

[Spuddy]

Mud berths. Nothing definitive yet but a friend installed a commercial unit on his boat - in soft mud except for HW + or - 2. He put it in last July and reckons still clean. I'll be interested to see what it's like after 12 months or more.

 

[nigelmercier]

Managed to find all the bits in the end. Logic board from Australia. Coils and other bits from Farnell and Maplins. Worst bits to find were the transducers...

Did you make a parts list, to save me re-inventing the wheel? In particular the transformer parts.

By the way, the transducer wire they include in the kit is OFC Loudspeaker Wire comprised of 41 x 0.16mm (about 0.65mm sq), so ideal for ultrasonic signals.

 

[VicS]

Aluminium boats and copper dont mix, or is this product C-Guard different?

It is probably like Coppercoat which can be applied to an aluminium hull on top of four coats of an epoxy primer.

Unlike Coppercoat who provide lots of info including all the preparation and application on their website there is little info on C-Guard's website other than the pack size and the price!

 

[captainscott]

c-guard

Thank you for your comments, yes our web site is somewhat limited at this time, however if you have any technical questions please do not hesitate to contact me and either myself or Tony Grimes will get back to you asap.
C-Guard is an excellent product and a cost eefective alternative to other multi season anti fouling.