Why Separate Fuel Filters for My Generators?

[catalinajack]

I am considering replacing my Davco (Davco is used extensively on trucks) fuel filter heads with Tony Athens Cummins sequential filtering heads with vacuum gauges. But, I am running into a mounting location problem. I have two generators each with its own Racor 500 filter. I am thinking about mounting the Athens filter head where the Racors are but what to do about filtration for the generators. Is there any reason why I should not tee off the Athens heads to supply filtered fuel to the generators. I rarely run a generator while underway. Even so, my Lehman 120s draw only 2 GPH so I don't see a problem running both on occasion. Thoughts?

The other option is to use one of the Racors to supply both generators as both are never run at the same time.

 

[OldDan1943]

What size are your generators? I suspect one gen is a back up for the other.
Synchronizing the output and placing the on the same buss? How do you accomplish that?
I dont know why but Racor seems to be the standard for American boats. Easy to find filters.

 

[sunchaser]

CJ
Nice move in getting Tony's setup for your mains. My first thought would be one filter split between the two gensets. If per chance the running genset sucks the fuel from the non running genset, install an isolating valve between filter and each genset.

 

[catalinajack]

What size are your generators? I suspect one gen is a back up for the other.
Synchronizing the output and placing the on the same buss? How do you accomplish that?
I dont know why but Racor seems to be the standard for American boats. Easy to find filters.

No, no, not running both generators at the same time! The question is whether I can use one filter head to supply a propulsion engine AND a generator. Two generators came with the boat and appear to be the original build. One is a 7.7kw Westerbeke. The other is a Perkins-powered Kohler 12.5kw. I use the Westerbeke for smaller demand loads.

As for the Racors, I do not like them. I prefer the sequential filtering of a Tony Athens setup. I see little utility in a clear sight bowl. If I want to know what is going on, I open the bottom drain and take a look. No guesswork.

What size are your generators? I suspect one gen is a back up for the other.
Synchronizing the output and placing the on the same buss? How do you accomplish that?
I dont know why but Racor seems to be the standard for American boats. Easy to find filters.

 

[catalinajack]

Ah, I wouldn't have thought about an isolating valve! That would work.

CJ
Nice move in getting Tony's setup for your mains. My first thought would be one filter split between the two gensets. If per chance the running genset sucks the fuel from the non running genset, install an isolating valve between filter and each genset.

 

[OldDan1943]

Good engineering practices.... at least one filter for each engine.
2 on the main engine to make it VERY easy to change filters while underway.

 

[rgano]

I am considering replacing my Davco (Davco is used extensively on trucks) fuel filter heads with Tony Athens Cummins sequential filtering heads with vacuum gauges. But, I am running into a mounting location problem. I have two generators each with its own Racor 500 filter. I am thinking about mounting the Athens filter head where the Racors are but what to do about filtration for the generators. Is there any reason why I should not tee off the Athens heads to supply filtered fuel to the generators. I rarely run a generator while underway. Even so, my Lehman 120s draw only 2 GPH so I don't see a problem running both on occasion. Thoughts?

The other option is to use one of the Racors to supply both generators as both are never run at the same time.

Other than the possibility of some clog or even filter body related casualty which would render both engine and gen OOC, there is no flow rate restriction on teeing off.

 

[catalinajack]

Other than the possibility of some clog or even filter body related casualty which would render both engine and gen OOC, there is no flow rate restriction on teeing off.

I did some exploring. Turns out that the feed to the generators is already a tee. The valves I found hidden underneath a shelf, in the dark. I always knew there were two valves there but never traced them out to see what they do. One valve is the supply, the other is the return to the manifold. There is also a valve on the manifold that supplies the tee valve. Way too hokey for my taste plus too may hoses, excess length, old hoses. I will be re-configuring the entire setup including removing one of the Racor 500s and installing all new hose. Only one generator will be running at any one time so the second Racor is just in the way.

I will not be supplying both a generator and drive engine from the new filter assembly as I will be eliminating one Racor anyway. Thanks guys for your insights.

 

[Propnut]

I’ve got Tony’s filter setup on my single engine 6BT-210 and run my generator from the same filter. I have a cutoff valve for the generator so if there’s a problem with the generator I can isolate it from the main engine.