Fuel Fixers-Fuel Filter Gage

The gauges on my boat had yellow and red zones, as well as numbers. You want to know the max reading? Go look when the engines are at their highest load. Having the max reading well after the fact doesn't do you much good if you are quickly headed to a clogged filter underway. Also, my engines were set up to run with a little more vacuum since the fuel tanks were molded into the bottom of the hull, so there was about 3 feet of lift. 1 foot of lift equals .89"hg. So the yellow/red really didn't mean a lot other than a quick visual.

One of my important specs when selecting the boat was high ease of access to the engines and generator, my being big and clumsy. A full size door in each ER (the Hatteras has split ERs) opened and the filters an gauges were right there by the door. The generator was in a separate utility room under the galley, and a quick opening of the hatch gave a quick look at that.

I have had both types, remote and on the filter. My only objection to the T handle gauges are that to get an accurate reading the engines have to be ginnin' up to a pretty good rpm when you look at it. In my case that meant crawling forward in the engine room with a screaming Detroit Diesel on each side of me. I didn't like doing that so I took them off an sold them.

Now I have remote gauges mounted in the salon and a wife that keeps an eye on them as we travel. I also have two filters per engine so I can switch on the run.

seasalt007 said:

I have had both types, remote and on the filter. My only objection to the T handle gauges are that to get an accurate reading the engines have to be ginnin' up to a pretty good rpm when you look at it. .................

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Obviously you didn't have the type that holds the highest reading since being reset. I can open the hatch with the engine off and see how high the vacuum has gotten since I pushed the reset button months ago. No need to be near a running engine.

No need to be near a running engine.

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Until it stops running due to a suddenly rapidly clogging filter....

caltexflanc said:

Until it stops running due to a suddenly rapidly clogging filter....

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I don't think you understand what I posted. Run the boat, at WOT if you want, then shut down the engine and check the indicator. You will see the maximum restriction and can then decide if the filter needs to be changed.

No matter what system you have or don't have there's no guarantee against a sudden filter clogging due to a load of contaminated fuel or even some deposits breaking loose from the tank walls or bottom.

The system that came on my boat is nice in that there's a lever to switch between two filters so you can have an unused one in reserve.

No matter what system you have or don't have there's no guarantee against a sudden filter clogging due to a load of contaminated fuel or even some deposits breaking loose from the tank walls or bottom.

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... especially if you don't like to do regular ER checks while underway....or don't have remote mounted gauges....

We simply installed the filters outside the ER.

No hazards crawling next to an operating engine ,to look at a dial, and easy and neat to throw the valve to operate off the second bank and change out the first filter .

I believe both fuel filters and batt sets do not belong inside the Engine Room.

FF said:

We simply installed the filters outside the ER.

No hazards crawling next to an operating engine ,to look at a dial, and easy and neat to throw the valve to operate off the second bank and change out the first filter .

I believe both fuel filters and batt sets do not belong inside the Engine Room.

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We all look at things from our own perspective. My boat is a bit small to have an "engine room" so everything is in the same space. What works for your boat won't work for mine.

FF said:

I believe both fuel filters and batt sets do not belong inside the Engine Room.

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I'll bite, why not?

sunchaser said:

I'll bite, why not?

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Batteries because of the heat. Filters, I can't see much advantage. Unless they are in a space that is out of the engine room but isolated from the rest of the interior of the vessel.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Batteries because of the heat. Filters, I can't see much advantage. Unless they are in a space that is out of the engine room but isolated from the rest of the interior of the vessel.

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Battery proximity to the starter trumps locating the battery "far away" IMHO. My 8D starting batteries may be overkill but they still have plenty of Oomph at say 120 degrees (which they have never seen in the PNW). Our house bank batteries are located low in the bilge on the air inlet side and seldom get above 90 degrees.

FFDs blanket statement is certainly open to debate and for good reason.

sunchaser said:

Battery proximity to the starter trumps locating the battery "far away" IMHO. My 8D starting batteries may be overkill but they still have plenty of Oomph at say 120 degrees (which they have never seen in the PNW). Our house bank batteries are located low in the bilge on the air inlet side and seldom get above 90 degrees.

FFDs blanket statement is certainly open to debate and for good reason.

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It has more to do with the life of the batteries as opposed to the starting power. Large wires can deal with the voltage drop. But start batteries are perhaps better off near the engines. House batteries can benefit from being located in a cool area out of the engine room. Not all boats are run in cooler climates.

My answer woud be more air flow to the Engine room....not too many things in the engine room like being 120 and unless you are always up north or on a really big boat...a 120 degree engine room makes the rest of the boat uncomfortable.

While it's nice to have things out of the engine room...practicality has me looking the other way....a couple decent blowers and engine room heat isn't so bad.