Frequently Asked Questions
We have add-on options that will alert you to the presence of oil in your bilges and help prevent it from going out into the world.
Oil, hydraulic fluid, and Diesel fuel mixed with bilge water will usually not interrupt the workings of the Arid Bilge System. Most boats have to maintain a placard usually posted in the engine room stating that it is illegal to discharge Hydrocarbons overboard and that it can result in a $10,000.00 fine etc. The Arid Bilge by itself would pass these fluids overboard like most bilge pumps. This is why we offer three models of Eco Friendly Discharge Companion which are oily water separators. These are designed to allow the bilge water to pass through while storing the oil and Diesel for manual removal and proper disposal.
Oil, Hydraulic fluid and fuels like Diesel are all lighter and all naturally float on top of water. The Eco Friendly Discharge Companion – oily water separators provide resident time that allows the Hydrocarbons to elevate inside the separator while the treated water is allowed to flow through at the bottom levels. No filters are needed to accomplish this and larger versions of this type of separator are used commercially in industrial applications. This is called a coalesce-type separator.
No. The Eco Friendly Discharge Companion is sized specifically for the flow rate of the Arid Bilge System. Standard bilge pumps have much higher flow rates that would quickly overwhelm our oily water separators.
The Eco Friendly Discharge Companion I & II can hold up to 3 gallons, while the smaller Eco Friendly Discharge Companion III can hold about 1 gallon of hydrocarbons before oils would start to pass through.
