Flojet 01720-375B Strainer, 3/8" Barb, 20 Mesh
The Flojet 01720-375B is the genuine 3/8" barbed strainer with a 20 mesh screen. The mesh number is the useful specification here: 20 mesh means twenty openings per linear inch, which filters out sand, grit, scale flakes and fibrous debris while still letting water through freely.
Mesh selection is a balance, and 20 is deliberately chosen rather than simply being as fine as possible. Go much finer and the screen blocks quickly, restricting the pump’s inlet and causing exactly the cavitation and loss of prime you fitted it to avoid. Go coarser and particles small enough to hold a check valve off its seat pass straight through. Twenty mesh catches what actually damages a diaphragm pump while keeping the pressure drop low enough that the pump does not notice the strainer is there.
Fit it in the suction line with the barb taking 3/8" hose and a clamp at the joint. Check and clean the screen at the start of each season and whenever flow falls off. Replace the strainer if the mesh is torn, distorted or carrying scale that will not wash out, and inspect the body for freeze cracks — a split body on the suction side draws air and stops the pump priming.
Key Features
- Genuine Flojet (Xylem) service part — correct barb size and mesh grade
- 20 mesh screen — fine enough to catch what damages check valves, open enough not to choke the inlet
- 3/8" hose barb connection
- Low pressure drop when clean, so the pump sees the flow it expects
- Removable screen for cleaning rather than routine replacement
Applications
- Flojet pump systems plumbed in 3/8" hose
- Fresh water, washdown and transfer systems drawing from a tank
- Protecting pump check valves from sand, grit and scale
- Seasonal recommissioning and routine system maintenance
- Marine, RV, dockside and mobile water installations
Specifications
- Brand: Flojet (Xylem)
- Manufacturer Part Number: 01720-375B
- Part Type: Inline suction strainer
- Connection: 3/8" hose barb
- Screen Grade: 20 mesh
- Fitted: In the suction line, upstream of the pump
- Condition: New
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does 20 mesh actually mean?
Twenty openings per linear inch of screen. The higher the mesh number the finer the filtration and the sooner the screen blocks, which is why pump strainers sit in the middle of the range rather than at the fine end.
Q: Should I fit a finer screen for dirty water?
Usually not at the pump. A finer screen blocks faster and starves the inlet. If the water is genuinely dirty, the better answer is a larger strainer body or a coarse pre-filter further upstream.
Q: Does the mesh grade affect which pump I can use it with?
Not directly — the barb size and the flow rate decide that. Mesh grade determines what gets caught, not what the strainer will fit.
Q: How do I know the screen is doing its job?
Take it out after the first few weeks in a new installation. If there is nothing on it, the system is clean; if there is a film of fine grit, it has just saved your check valves a good deal of work.
Not sure this is the right part? Send us a Picture of the pump plate on your pump and the CLR Marine team will confirm the correct part before you order.
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