Dirty Fuel

[Voyager3]

Inspection plates

Not sure if you have seen these but there are do it yourself inspection plates.
https://www.fisheriessupply.com/seabuilt-tank-access-plate-system

If anyone has installed these please comment. I am interested in putting at least one on my boat. The price varies between 160.00 and 860.00.

 

[Kapn]

Clear Diesel

I didn't use a biocide I used a product called Clear Diesel which is a fuel and tank cleaner.
So I'll add a biocide now and use 10 micron filters and install another vacuum gauge so I have one on each raycore and change filter every time the vacuum gauge indicates it's necessary.

Clear Diesel will knock the water to the bottom and help remove the slime. You’ll need to add PowerService Bio Kleen biocide as well. This will kill microbes and fungus.

Also, in adding Do it yourself fuel pumps and polishing systems, I think that Racors are designed to be on the vacuum end of a pump. Not sure they are made to be pressurized.

 

[Bacchus]

Copper tube is handy for lancing the bottom of tanks. It holds its shape and can be bent if needed. 3/8" is a decent size to work with.

Ski
I'm no expert but...
I've seen cautions re use of copper with alum tanks.
Recommendation was to at least add a short section of rubber to prevent any possibility of copper traces causing corrosion at the Cu - Al interface.
Do you agree?
Thanks for your wisdom, experience and willingness to share.

 

[greysailor]

Also, in adding Do it yourself fuel pumps and polishing systems, I think that Racors are designed to be on the vacuum end of a pump. Not sure they are made to be pressurized.

[emoji106]
Another reason for mounting pump after the filter.....Pumps tend to emulsify any water in fuel, which affects the Racor's ability to "spin" the water droplets out of fuel as it enters the filter assembly. Not sure about adverse affect on the "water shedding" properties of the filter media.

 

[Ski in NC]

Ski
I'm no expert but...
I've seen cautions re use of copper with alum tanks.
Recommendation was to at least add a short section of rubber to prevent any possibility of copper traces causing corrosion at the Cu - Al interface.
Do you agree?
Thanks for your wisdom, experience and willingness to share.

That's a good idea. Even a trace of Cu can set up a galvanic cell especially if tanks are Al. This will only happen if that spec of Cu is in water. Won't be a problem if in fuel.

 

[Codger2]

Even a trace of Cu can set up a galvanic cell especially if tanks are Al. This will only happen if that spec of Cu is in water. Won't be a problem if in fuel.

Why is that?

 

[Ski in NC]

Why is that?

A galvanic cell is created if the Cu and AL are in contact and in an electrolyte, with oxygen present. Oxygenated water is an electrolyte. Fuel is not. So if no water in the tank, no worries.

Still a good idea to put a bit of rubber hose on the Cu tube while lancing the tank.

And don't lose it into the tank!!

 

[sunchaser]

A galvanic cell is created if the Cu and AL are in contact and in an electrolyte, with oxygen present. Oxygenated water is an electrolyte. Fuel is not. So if no water in the tank, no worries.

Still a good idea to put a bit of rubber hose on the Cu tube while lancing the tank.

And don't lose it into the tank!!

Especially true since water in tanks is the issue being discussed. Which is why copper fuel lines, straps and fittings should not be directly connected to Al fuel tanks internally or externally.

 

[Solly]

I understand your reasoning but I disagree with it. THe fuel pump in push mode can force water through a filter that would never pass in suck mode.
THe pump can emulsify the water into the fuel allowing it to pass.

Only thing I was thinking was the pump might not suck the fuel from the tank thru an empty filter(s). Have to move a lot of air to self prime.

Also I guess it would depend on the micron size of the filter whether any water would pass thru. If the Racor claim that they 'spin' the water out is true the faster the fuel is moving the better.

Maybe....

 

[long-cours.62]

We do this

"dirty job" on our actual boat !!
We don't know where they refueling but
Our former boat after 14 year we got only half cup of tea of black dust in each 1800lt diesel tank ..But this one... look at the photo not necessary to say more


First we pump the .... mud, and after high pressure water and pump , and water and pump, water... etc
After dry all.
We ask for companies who doing this job but no one answer...

 

[Derik]

more information

Today I finally had time to do some more work on the boat. Since the port engine was the one I was working on replacing the supply fuel line I decided to put on a new site tube so I could see what was going on better in the tank. There were some particles in the old line but no sludge.

Next step was to go to the Stbd side, clean drain the sediment bowl and change the primary prior to doing the engine filters. ( already did the port) Well the initial drain of the glass bowl looked terrible very dark and full of sediments but after the first quart or so it actually looked pretty good. (I'll attach photos later)
The Raycor looked terrible as well full of debris and what looked like brownish mud/sludge.

So both site tubes look ok, sediment bowls once drained diesel looks ok but both Raycors looked muddy. I will do the engine filters on the STBD side this weekend and add a biocide.

Diesel in the bowls smelled like varnish but diesel run for a while smelled fine and was a nice tint of red rather than the dark coffee looking stuff out of the bowls.

So both engines will have all new filters before I use the boat and with the diesel looking ok or actually pretty good once the sediment bowl was drained It may not be necessary to drain the tanks but just use the diesel that's there and then clean the tanks and polish the last 30 gallons or so?

Although I am hoping solution that I can do myself, I would go the route of polishing and doing the access ports rather than an elaborate addition of more filters. My engine room has no room and there are too many clamps, hoses, and fittings as it is.

I am optimistic with what I see coming out of the sediment bowls once run for a short period of time, I'll attach some photos soon.

 

[Comodave]

Sounds like you are making some progress. Keep us informed.

 

[kchace]

"So both engines will have all new filters before I use the boat and with the diesel looking ok or actually pretty good once the sediment bowl was drained It may not be necessary to drain the tanks but just use the diesel that's there and then clean the tanks and polish the last 30 gallons or so?"

I personally think this is a good way to do it. I think the "sludge" you found in the filters is from "bugs" living in the tanks. Water is required for this. When you get to cleaning and polishing whats in the tanks you should be able to get the water out.

Ken

 

[Derik]

Biobore

I had purchased a biocide a while ago but was told by the tank cleaner guy/polisher not to use it that it would cause more problems and not do anything. The brand was biobore.

Should I use it or is there something better?

After reading through the advice here I had an idea. Use the biocide, run the fuel down to 50 gallons in each tank and then attach a diesel pump to the site tube (it feeds from the bottom of the tank) Then pump out about 10-15 gallons from each tank which should get all the water out.

The attachment is what is in my sediment bowl after flushing it once.

 

[Derik]

The dark spot is the table coming through the glass but with my phone photo I could enlarge it really big and there are some sediments in there but not many.

 

[rgano]

As to the advice about Biobor, well everybody has an opinion, and nobody is an expert. My opinion is give the tank a shock treatment of Biobor or any other tank treatment you want with the fuel level high so that the most surface area of the tanks are coated. With extra filters aboard go out on a rough day and slosh around for a bit. Back along side the pier, use the diesel fuel pump you spoke of the run all the fuel through 2-micron filters in your Racors with a temporary hose connection into clean containers. Pump back into the boat.