2 filters in series

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why?

it could/should last as long as the boat as long as we dont go biodiesel....
 
Fiberglass is one of the best things for diesel fuel. I would not consider replacing one unless it was compromised with a crack or something. Even then I would repair it before replacing it with some other material.
 
Thanks all - the fiberglass 'tank' is part of the structure of the boat, and is in excellent condition - just not sure I could get the Racors below tank level to let gravity do it's thang! :thumb:
 
OldDan1943 said:
I hope you are correct.
Click to expand...

Every underground tank I have seen going in the last decade or so when gas stations get remediated and fixed up have been fiberglass.

For both the gas and diesel.
 
There were a lot of gas powered boats that had fiberglass tanks that failed due to ethanol. However we are talking about diesel and diesel doesn’t have ethanol in it so fiberglass is a great material for a diesel tank. We had a custom fiberglass tank built and installed in a previous boat. It was great. No corrosion problems ever.
 
Comodave said:
There were a lot of gas powered boats that had fiberglass tanks that failed due to ethanol. However we are talking about diesel and diesel doesn’t have ethanol in it so fiberglass is a great material for a diesel tank. We had a custom fiberglass tank built and installed in a previous boat. It was great. No corrosion problems ever.
Click to expand...

most of the newer resins are ethanol resistant...even some of the old ones were, but some were not.
 
Most of the gas boats that had ethanol problems were older boats. Don’t know if there are many newer boats that have fiberglass tanks in gas boats.
 
Riviera fit fibreglass fuel tanks. I`ve heard it is a good selling point in USA,as well as here.
 
Lots of studies by the EPA, fuel suppliers and users have shown B100 and to a lesser extent B20 to cause issues with pre 1992 FRP tanks and some fuel system non metallics.

These issues were addressed by many different industries including Marine. Similar issues have been blamed on transportation of ULSD in tanks that had previously carried E10 or higher.

Even non ferrous metals have been attacked by critters that like biodiesel with a waste product being acetic acid.
 
Don`t know whether this is right or wrong, but I heard our marina shipwright and mechanic discuss fuel tank material, in relation to a Halvorsen 36 which had its gas engines replaced with diesel. It had copper fuel tanks,discussion was whether copper tanks were compatible with diesel,consensus seemed to be "not very".
 
#1 fuel tank material is MONEL, but its pri$y.
 
FF said:
#1 fuel tank material is MONEL, but its pri$y.
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Coupon testing with various metals and welding rod has shown degradation of some non ferrous metals when immersed in biodiesel. Monel (the high nickel metal named after Inco’s chairman a century ago) resists the ravages of rust and salt water but not so sure it would be the right choice for bio diesel. A visit with a biodiesel tank farm engineer would tell the tale for best tankage.
 
FF said:
#1 fuel tank material is MONEL, but its pri$y.
Click to expand...

Its not too bad when your Uncle Sam has them built at top dollar, then sells the whole boat off at auction for less than the cost of the tanks!
 
I have taken my fuel filter out of the "hell hole". Water separator and 2 racors in parallel now mounted on bulkhead, super easy change.
Because the filter panel is how about 12 inches above the engine could I add a primer bulb for easy priming of the system?? Some say "stupid idea and others say why not??
The fun of boating
 
CaptFun, may I suggest you put in a small electric pump to fill the filter bodies or carry a couple of diesel fuel in an approved container? You might wear yourself out squeezing the bulb.
 

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MOJO said:
On MOJO we use a Gulf Coast "paper towel" filter for a primary. It's plumbed so we can easily switch to a back-up Racor 500 if needed. But since installation of the Gulf Coast Filter, having burned over 5,000 gallons, the Racor not been used. The Gulf Coast filter reportedly provides "sub-micron" filtration. I have no way of measuring it other than to say a few years ago I cut open the on-engine filter to see how dirty it was... it looked essentially new! We can also recirculate fuel from any one of 4 tanks back to any other of 4 tanks, and transfer fuel from tank to tank. I circulate my fuel to polish it once a year, circulating each tank for 24 hours. I drain the water (never much) annually and change the roll of paper towels maybe every 2 years. It's been a pretty much bullet proof system.



Schematic diagram:

View attachment 77750



Photo - it looks more complicated than it is:

View attachment 77749
Click to expand...



As a former boat builder, that cluster F would never happen on one of my boats.
 
Sugardog said:
As a former boat builder, that cluster F would never happen on one of my boats.
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Psn’s post 51 picture as compared to the aforementioned paper towel setup tells it all.
 
Sugardog said:
As a former boat builder, that cluster F would never happen on one of my boats.
Click to expand...


Given your experience as a former boat builder, do you have any constructive comments/information that you might add to help inform the rest of us and increase our own knowledge?
 
psneeld said:
Here is a link (Tony Athens Seaboard Marine) that may help you out with the overall concept of fuel systems...it may be similar to what another posted before....

https://www.sbmar.com/articles/using-the-squeeze-bulb-effectively/
Click to expand...



I’ve considered adding a squeeze bulb. I can use gravity if I have enough fuel in the tank. However, the tank needs to be almost full for that to work. Sloth is the only thing that has kept me from doing it, that and a wife that really doen’t like the smell of any spilled diesel.
 
You are far less likely to spill with the squeeze bulb setup. Button the new filters up and pump.
 
C lectric said:
You are far less likely to spill with the squeeze bulb setup. Button the new filters up and pump.
Click to expand...


You are correct. However, if I were to open up the fuel lines ahead of the filters in order to install the squeeze bulb, I would end up making a mess. I'm not a very accomplished mechanic and can find new and interesting ways to make a mess of things.
 
dhays said:
Given your experience as a former boat builder, do you have any constructive comments/information that you might add to help inform the rest of us and increase our own knowledge?
Click to expand...



First, when the captain is incapacitated, the least knowledgeable person on the boat needs to be able to figure it out in the worst weather. There are plenty of examples that have been previously posted that are very straight forward and labeled. Keep it as simple as possible.
 
Sugardog said:
First, when the captain is incapacitated, the least knowledgeable person on the boat needs to be able to figure it out in the worst weather. There are plenty of examples that have been previously posted that are very straight forward and labeled. Keep it as simple as possible.
Click to expand...


Makes sense. Mine is pretty simple, but I added labels as well. I’ve been known to make mistakes when distracted.
 
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