Good Site , Fuel bulb priming

http://sbmar.com/main/articles/squeeze_bulb_priming_on_diesel_powered_boats/

This fellow has some good ideas on his site.

I am seriously thinking of doing this on our trawler.

Carl,
you are going to have to pretty much empty the tanks to add sight glasses to your tanks. My tanks have them but they are on the aftmost wall of the tank. They are accessible but it would be MUCH easier to access them if they were mounted at the front of the tank! The tanks are drilled and tapped for it already but darn if I don't have to empty the tanks first to move everything. So...looks like they'll be staying where they are.

Old Stone wrote:That's what I was afraid of.

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A sight glass doesn't have to be on the tank itself. If you have anyplace to tap into the fuel line you can T off with a vertical section of tubing that is vented above tank level and it will show the level of the tank in service.

If you have access to fuel valves to isolate*each tank you can use one glass and read any tank you've got. The glass can be at some convenient location on a bulkhead if you want.

*

I've used bulbs prior to the primary filter, for the last 1000hrs. Great for priming after a filter change, but, if you have crud in the fuel it WILL plug up in the check valve of the bulb. This meant switching to the other parallel supply then removing the bulb, removing the oem press clamp,picking out the snot with a dental pick and blasting pressure water in reverse thru the check valve, reassemble with a screw clamp, refit and she's good to go!

Rick,
That is ingenious- sort of like a water level.

Old Stone wrote:...*just run a clear loop to the top height of the tank top and return it to a T next to the other. The fuel will find it's level but won't interfere with the flow and it will be a sealed system at the same time.

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The tube has to be vented or it can't work.

You can make a common vent line for all tanks and T them together then connect the open*end to an existing vent line or send it up the*mast, *that would prevent a sight tube from spilling anywhere but to another tank but*be careful not to*create a sealed system or it won't work.
*

I installed bulbs on both lines two years ago. Very easy to prime the filters after an element change.

Rob

37' Sedan

The primer bulb or fuel pump should be after the primary filter so the filter protects them.* If you are going to install a bulb then why not install an electric fuel pump, and if you install an electric fuel pump why not use the electric pump to transfer fuel and/or clean/polish the fuel.**If you have the primary filters and an electric fuel pimp then to transfer and/or*polishing*the fuel them*it takes a*manifold made out of pipe fittings, valves and hose.*

I installed an electric fuel pump when we first got the boat to transfer fuel between the three* 400 gallons tanks, which also cleaned/polished the fuel.* The fuel pump is used to transfer fuel, polish the fuel and prime the engines.* The 671 gen set, and Webasto polishes the fuel as they draw more than they use.* However, since we do not leave the dock much and have 400 to 600 gallons, I also polished the fuel about 40+ hours each winter.*


-- Edited by Phil Fill on Friday 17th of December 2010 07:50:13 AM

For folks that cant be bothered chopping up the fuel system , remember many "final" fuel filters are mounted in a holder that has a bleed fitting.

Remove the plug , squeeze away till raw fuel . no air comes out , and install the plug.

Master Mariners and Paperwork Chief Engineers can simply dump the diesel in the bilge , for that "At Home " smell. Yachties may prefer a pail.

I'm an outboarder and w all the troubles I've experienced and heard of w bulbs I wouldn't think of putting one on my diesel fuel line.

Eric

You are correct if the bulb is in the mainline. If the bulb is valved off and only used*when the engines are shut down and*filling a filter, don't you think it would be OK?

Racor sells a priming pump for the 900 and 1000 series filters.

Sure

The Scorpius (http://www.trawlerforum.com/index.spark?aBID=115492&p=3&topicID=38459047) has had a primer bulb in the generator fuel line for years, and since that particular gen set is high above most of the tanks, it works great for priming and bleeding.* At first I worried about it, but now I love it.........Arctic Traveller

I think I posted this pic a while back, but here is the bulb primer I built. The PO left the Racor mount on the boat, new and un-used, and I bought the Wix mount from the*filter dealer. Maybe spent $200 to do it myself. It makes for a pretty clean filter change.

RickB wrote:

A sight glass doesn't have to be on the tank itself. If you have anyplace to tap into the fuel line you can T off with a vertical section of tubing that is vented above tank level and it will show the level of the tank in service.

If you have access to fuel valves to isolate*each tank you can use one glass and read any tank you've got. The glass can be at some convenient location on a bulkhead if you want.

*

Click to expand...

If you tee into the supply line to the engine, it will become a source for air into the diesel supply if the you run the engine and by accident leave the sight glass valve open or if the valve leaks. Air in diesel is a sure way to make your engine behave erratically and ultimately* stop.

I had a similar setup for my fresh water tank on my previous boat. When the tank was full there was no problem.* As the water level sank, the FW pump would start sucking both water from the tank and air from the sight glass.*I could hear the sound of the pumped changed to a hissing sound as it started to pump* both water and air. I had no valve for the sight glass, it was on-line all the time.

-- Edited by r-rossow on Wednesday 29th of December 2010 04:45:49 AM

r-rossow wrote:As the water level sank, the FW pump would start sucking both water from the tank and air from the sight glass.

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Then you had a large restriction at your tank.

The static pressure is the same at both places so unless there is a restriction at your tank valve, a blocked or restricted tank vent, the pump capacity was too great for thhe size of the supply line, or the flow was so fast and the T at the sight glass was dimensioned to form a venturi, there is no way the glass can empty.

If any of those are the case, T off the tank valve and run a separate line to the glass.

I installed fuel bulb priming about 20 engine hours ago after loosing prime due to bad fuel issues in 3 ft seas. Never again.
I sent pictures of my racor setup and engine room to Brad at SBmar.com and he custom designed a setup for me. I priced it locally and found it cheaper to buy through SBMar.

Tim, How about a picture of your setup?
Steve W

-- Edited by Steve on Wednesday 29th of December 2010 07:00:36 AM