Vacuum Gauge On Racors?

Who has installed an aftermarket vacuum gauge on their Racor fuel filters?

Thinking of installing a set.

Anyone have advice?

We have Racor's own gauge on our filters but a good friend installed a set of automotive-style gauges on the pilothouse instrument console of his deFever many years ago. He T'd the hoses to the gauges off the fuel feed lines to the engines.

I too have the built-in one. I wouldn't remote the gauge but would make sure it's in the view of a cam in the engine room if you need remote monitoring. Keep the connections that can leak air in to a minimum - air can kill your engine.

A vacuum gauge does work , but a far better concept is a DP , differential pressure gauge .

It also measures restriction thru the filter, and displays it at the dash.

Murphy sells them

Have a dash mounted racor gauge at the helm and at the seperator for both the engine and the fuel polishing system.

Ted

I have 2 vac gages mounted on the Racor units. When I install my engine room cameras this spring the gages will be in the field of view.

IMHO a better option to just a vacuum gauge.



http://sailorssolutions.com/ProductImages/VG01_1.jpg

I check my vacuum gauge(s) as part of my pre-start routine. I there are engine performance issue while we are underway I can quickly check to see if it is fuel related.

Its nice , but the rubber holding the yellow release pin dissolves in time , and you add air to the fuel line.

Great engineering!

Very useful devices, I couldn't imagine not having them on a cruising boat.

Here's a great source for all your fuel vacuum and pressure gauge (and associated plumbing) needs. Good advice over the phone too.

DragPointerLookDown

PRESSUREGAUGES

At what vacuum reading would be an indicator that it's time to change fuel filters? Mine reads about 4" as of this past Sunday.

I did the Racor tee handle replacement and the gage has white-yellow-red range settings . I usually change it when it's in the the yellow. I don't know if Racor still sells the gage. It works great and I do a check at start up and ever time I do a engine check when underway.
Gulf Comanche I would plan on changing it soon.

For minimum chance of air leaks, t handles are good but there are cheaper alternatives to the t handle Parker ones.

I like the remote monitoring though, just yesterday a couple oil jugs pinched a fuel line and faltered my genset and caused an engine shutdown just as I was entering an anchorage.

A t handle with recording pointer probably would have told me it was a filter or fuel line restriction instead of a lift pump failure which I started to investigate when bleeding the fuel pump was difficult...but a quick glance at a remote would have told me instantly.

If you are going to rely on these gauges in lieu of the t handles realize that -6" of pressure is equal to about 2.9psi which is also equal to the head pressure of diesel fuel if the surface level in your tank is 8' above the gauge. If you add one, add it between the primary outlet and the secondary inlet. Then the 6" of vacuum won't be masked by the head pressure of the diesel in your supply tank and you will get an accurate measure of filter restriction your lift pump is experiencing.


Via iPhone.

be sure to get the recording gauges

Gulf Comanche said:

At what vacuum reading would be an indicator that it's time to change fuel filters? Mine reads about 4" as of this past Sunday.

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For folks with Lehman 120s be aware that these engines pull so little fuel that it's likely a vacuum gauge--certainly the Racor gauge mounted on the filter itself-- will never show any reading at all under normal operation. So if the day comes when it does show a reading of any sort, that would be the time to change the filter element.

However, if one changes their filter elements on a regular schedule-- every oil change, once a year, etc-- the chances are an element will have been changed long before it reached the point of providing enough resistance to put an indication on the vacuum gauge.

With a fresh filter go operate and note the needle position in the log.

Paint a drop on the position on the gauge , anything observed later above that is filter restriction .

KISS

FF help educate me. How does air get into the diesel system if the rubber deteriorate on top of the vacuum gauge?




There is a bourdon tube inside the gauge that prevents contact between the median tested and ambient conditions.

Bought a set from McMaster-Carr. Don't recall the price but way cheaper than the Racor units.




Bob

Marin said:

For folks with Lehman 120s be aware that these engines pull so little fuel that it's likely a vacuum gauge--certainly the Racor gauge mounted on the filter itself-- will never show any reading at all under normal operation. So if the day comes when it does show a reading of any sort, that would be the time to change the filter element.

However, if one changes their filter elements on a regular schedule-- every oil change, once a year, etc-- the chances are an element will have been changed long before it reached the point of providing enough resistance to put an indication on the vacuum gauge.

Click to expand...

Bingo!

And that is why I feel your money is better spent on water probes/alarms.

Mods-
Could you please change the word "Favor" to "Racor" in the title of this thread ?

Darn auto correct.

No brainier wouldn't cruise without them

The Manatee fuel tank position and the the Volvo TMD31A. The fuel tank level is at the height of the gauge or below, that is good news/bad news. The tank level doesn't effect the gauge reading but I have to carry a small container of clean diesel fuel to refill the Racor when changing the element. The Volvo fuel pump will pull a slight vacuum when the element is getting dirty.
I thought to plumb in a fuel fill hose from my Gulf Coast fuel polisher but KISS, also the fuel tank /fuel stays so clean that I only change filter elements based on the durability of the Racor element, usually yearly. But with a single engine it is reassuring to see the gauge reading little or no restriction.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Bingo!

And that is why I feel your money is better spent on water probes/alarms.

Click to expand...

XX2. No vacuum yet noted. Our tank fuel levels until about 1/3 full are higher than the lift pumps. Integral hull tanks usually will show a vacuum.

It seems that every subject elicits controversy even a simple vac. gauge on the fuel line. If one uses a gauge with a captive needle(second needle shows greatest vac reading since last zeroed out) this becomes a very simple and reliable indicator of fuel flow restriction. It does not matter where your tank is if a load of crud or water restricts your filter or a line gets pinched that captive needle will be where you don't want it. If there is a slow increase in restriction over time you will see that captive needle moving up and know something is happening. This is a simple inexpensive addition to any fuel system only the presence of a better system could be reason not to install.