Additives at fill up

[Cigatoo]

It all started when I would get a water in fuel alarm when starting. It would clear in a couple of seconds. When I check the Racor, the bowl was white with the emulsion of fuel and water. I had the filter bowl removed, cleaned and new o'rings installed. New filter too.
The fuel is about 2 years old.
I am going to over dose the fuel will BioBorMD, about twice recommended amount. BioBor MD is the only additive that states it will take care of the water.

If I were a betting man I would bet that you have or had an entry point for that water. Pretty rare to purchase fuel with water in it in the states. Until you locate and eliminate the entry point and remove the water you will always have condensation. Water comes before condensation. Just sayin.

Can you stick the tanks with a water locating paste to get an idea of the amount of water? Can the tanks be drained from the bottom? Insert hose down the filler and siphoned from the bottom until clean fuel is reached? (Must be done after boat has been still for a time to let things settle?)
Hire a polishing company / tank cleaning company with experience removing water. Fix the waters entry point and start over with clean fuel and you are good to go.

 

[Simi 60]

With my low fuel use it wouldn't be very expensive to throw in some biocide at fill up and I guess I will do so. I haven't read one post about it hurting anything.

Throwing free money into my bank account won't hurt anything either.
Please transfer funds to...........

 

[Edelweiss]

Yup, probably a leaky filler cap or another source of entry. Water in fuel is nearly unheard of in the US and Canada since they stiffened the rules on fuel storage tank monitoring and EPA licensing of underground storage tanks.

If you've got detectable levels of water in your tank, then the leak source needs to be found and corrected and the water physically removed by draining or filtering.

If you think there is another way to remove the water, then you're in denial. No amount of additive will make the water go away.

 

[OldDan1943]

Throwing free money into my bank account won't hurt anything either.
Please transfer funds to...........

And as they say on TV, "So you dont forget, send before midnight tonight"

Of course you will have to give him all your personal information. You may discover he takes more out than he puts in. LOL

 

[Nomad Willy]

Sorry, bit late coming back in on this. Eric, you missed my point. My tanks actually have the fuel line coming from the bottom. There is no pick-up tube down from the top. So anything the forms that could build up as crud or water is being continually drained away and dealt with by the primary filter - which last years, by the way. So, no crud has time to build up on the bottom of the tanks. I gather Nordhavn use a similar set-up - backed up again by a day tank with a sump drain as well, I think.

PeterB,
Thank you. Gave me an idea. My fuel tanks have fuel port right on the bottom in the ctr and on the inside. The yard attached my Wabasto to it. Worked great but crud in the fuel is a very bad thing for Wabasto. I quickly replumbed that but as a pickup for the engine w a sizable Racor filter could be absolutely fine. And all the crud would eventially go down the pick up in the center as the boat pitched. Water w the vertical pu tube would stay on the tank bottom.
Something for me to think about. Thanks again.

I’d like input from others ......

 

[firstbase]

And as they say on TV, "So you dont forget, send before midnight tonight"

Of course you will have to give him all your personal information. You may discover he takes more out than he puts in. LOL

Nah, I would never do that. Simi's point is well taken, why waste money? But...with 600 gallons in two tanks I'm ok with $25.00 for 1200 gallon worth of the biocide. All kidding aside my concern is that, for now, the diesel just sits there for extended periods in the South Florida heat and rain and cold(er) and heat and rain, etc. Probably senseless worry but if $20 helps me sleep at night then I'm good.

 

[Knot Salted]

Yup, probably a leaky filler cap or another source of entry. Water in fuel is nearly unheard of in the US and Canada since they stiffened the rules on fuel storage tank monitoring and EPA licensing of underground storage tanks.



If you've got detectable levels of water in your tank, then the leak source needs to be found and corrected and the water physically removed by draining or filtering.



If you think there is another way to remove the water, then you're in denial. No amount of additive will make the water go away.

Depends on amount of water certainly, but detectable water can be safely removed with additives containing jet fuel de-icer.

Also, there is more entrained moisture in diesel fuel nation wide in recent years.

I will see if I can attach a brief on this later.

 

[Art]

Depends on amount of water certainly, but detectable water can be safely removed with additives containing jet fuel de-icer.

Also, there is more entrained moisture in diesel fuel nation wide in recent years.

I will see if I can attach a brief on this later.

That is interesting!


BTW... I've been using Soltron for a decade; with what I feel are very good results. You have thoughts regarding Soltron??


Thanks! Art

 

[Knot Salted]

Not too familiar, but if you like results...
I worked with Wester States Oil, and they reoorted that the City of SF tried it for awhile. That was years ago though.

 

[Knot Salted]

Hey Art,
Do you know how I would attach a file —.pdf ?

 

[Art]

Hey Art,
Do you know how I would attach a file —.pdf ?

Hi Jim - Actually I do not.

I'm pretty good at photos. Have wondered a bit about a file - pdf.

Best luck.

Let us all know if you break the code!

Cheers... Art

 

[Insequent]

Do it the same as for photos.

ie use 'Go Advanced', click the paperclip, browse for your file from the popup window then click upload in that window

 

[Knot Salted]

Diesel fuel operability issues - Condensed

Thanks Brian. I hope this worked. If it attached here, this is a brief I have sent to my fuel distributor customers as reminders. A lot more detail is available, but likely unnecessary. There is some mention of Schaeffer, but any truly good additives can work, only not all are truly good. The part on Cold weather/gelling is moot, but the other factors apply in marine ops.

--Jim

 

[Knot Salted]

Diesel fuel operability issues - Condensed

I tried again here, on the attachment.

This is a brief I have sent to my fuel distributor customers. Winter gelling is not applicable, but the rest is. Any really good additive can work. The work is finding a really good one sometimes.

Moisture is present in every gallon of diesel - everywhere. Some more than others, and it can be controlled with additives meant for the job.

 

[Art]

I tried again here, on the attachment.

This is a brief I have sent to my fuel distributor customers. Winter gelling is not applicable, but the rest is. Any really good additive can work. The work is finding a really good one sometimes.

Moisture is present in every gallon of diesel - everywhere. Some more than others, and it can be controlled with additives meant for the job.

Thanks, Jim - Now I know a bit more... Art

 

[AusCan]

Great article Jim. I agree that moisture will collect in any diesel fuel tank if no controls are in place.
Additives are one type of control. Fuel polishing is another way. A good fuel tank design with a sump & drain is a third option.