angus99
Guru
OK, this may be a bit in the weeds, but I guess I’m just talking myself through a project and would appreciate the wisdom of the group.
I’m redesigning the home-made fuel transfer system on Stella. The current system has worked OK, but components are basically salvaged stuff that should be replaced before they fail. The system I want to build will also be much neater and more compact, with panel-mounted valves that will save a lot of space.
The existing system is designed to pull diesel from any of our three tanks, filter it and direct it into the main return manifold, from which it can be returned to any tank. I basically use this system to send filtered fuel to our aft day tank for each day’s run. Doing this each morning while I have coffee is drop-dead easy and, since I started it, I’ve never seen any vacuum pulling on the Racors.
I have a new Reverso pump and Fleetguard 20 micron “mud” filter. I need to build a “supply manifold” that will have a valve for each tank. The manifold will be a collection point that will allow me to choose the tank I’m drawing from and direct fuel from any tank through the filter.
The most attractive manifold appears to be an aluminum or brass version of the pneumatic manifold pictured below. The valves I’m considering are instrumentation mini ball valves like the one pictured. I can fit three on the manifold if I use a pipe nipple on the middle one. Everything will be 3/8” ID, which is actually larger than the tubing that will return fuel back to the tanks. Finally, I’ll replace most of the dented and degrading copper tubing that leads from the tanks to the supply manifold with USCG A1-15 hose.
The valves are brass and the manifold is aluminum. Any problems there?
So what am I missing?
I’m redesigning the home-made fuel transfer system on Stella. The current system has worked OK, but components are basically salvaged stuff that should be replaced before they fail. The system I want to build will also be much neater and more compact, with panel-mounted valves that will save a lot of space.
The existing system is designed to pull diesel from any of our three tanks, filter it and direct it into the main return manifold, from which it can be returned to any tank. I basically use this system to send filtered fuel to our aft day tank for each day’s run. Doing this each morning while I have coffee is drop-dead easy and, since I started it, I’ve never seen any vacuum pulling on the Racors.
I have a new Reverso pump and Fleetguard 20 micron “mud” filter. I need to build a “supply manifold” that will have a valve for each tank. The manifold will be a collection point that will allow me to choose the tank I’m drawing from and direct fuel from any tank through the filter.
The most attractive manifold appears to be an aluminum or brass version of the pneumatic manifold pictured below. The valves I’m considering are instrumentation mini ball valves like the one pictured. I can fit three on the manifold if I use a pipe nipple on the middle one. Everything will be 3/8” ID, which is actually larger than the tubing that will return fuel back to the tanks. Finally, I’ll replace most of the dented and degrading copper tubing that leads from the tanks to the supply manifold with USCG A1-15 hose.
The valves are brass and the manifold is aluminum. Any problems there?
So what am I missing?