Removing Water from Diesel Fuel Tank with "Water Hog" product - comments??

Another recent thread on Trawler Forum (about where to buy oil absorbent pads) brought to my attention (via SteveD's very helpful post on that thread) a company called Newpig, which sells a product called "Water Hog".

On its online catalog on page 37, Newpig describes this as a product which removes water at the bottom of a fuel tank. Do not ask me how I know about the troubles arising from water/microbial activity in a 20 year old 100 gallon starboard aluminum diesel fuel tank! I described all that, and what I did, a few months ago on the Bayliner Owners Club website/forum, where my username is also hodaka.

Regarding my 100 gallon aluminum port fuel tank, which has not yet leaked, I've treated it with the kill dose of BioBor JF, in case there is some water/microbial activity in the port tank.

Now I'm thinking I've little to lose, and potentially a lot to gain, using this "Water Hog" product from Newpig on my port tank. The product comes in several sizes according to the catalog, I should be able to use a size that I can get into the diesel fuel tank. My guess is this product will not remove lots of water, maybe a quart or so, don't know. I'll call the vendor about that.

Any thoughts/experiences from folks who have either used this "Water Hog" product, or heard from folks who have used it? All comments welcome! Of course I've no connection with this product or Newpig.

Isn't there always a tiny bit of water in diesel?

Well, there is almost always water in the bottom of your fuel tank. Diesel from the refinery has a very low water spec, something like 0.05% and it probably has to settle a long time for it to coalesce out. But you can get water from the fuel distribution system, condensation or rain and snow up the vent.

I got water in my fuel earlier this season, probably as a result of crappy broken vent fittings that let rain water in. I dumped the Racor 3-4 times at low speed and got a couple of quarts out that way. Then I pushed her up on plane for a few seconds to raise the bow which pushes any water to the back where the fuel pickup is and repeated several times. I got another pint out doing that. I am sure that another pint or more of water was left behind. It all depends on how low the fuel pickup goes.

I did this in the spring and it has been fine ever since.

I think that the Water Hog product probably works, but why you would need to get the last few ounces of water out is the question.

David

I periodically suck/pump warer out of my fuel tanks with a dedicated pump.

I use an oil pump ..(like found on the top of oil changing rigs) , clear plastic hose and a section of 1/8" copper tube. I bend the copper tube in a "C" shape a bit like a bass cleff (like written music) and insert it into the fuel tank through a threaded hole in the top of the tank. This hole is usually closed w an aluminum pipe plug. Tank is aluminim.

I position and bend the copper tube so it's end is at the lowest point in the tank. I usually pump out about a quart of fuel into a semi-clear plastic jug. Hold it up where there is good light and look up at the bottom of the jug. Even small bubbles of water are very apparent. A few small bubbles is usually all I get.

I've never had any water in my Racor water trap.

According to their website, each sock absorbs up to 36 oz of water.

https://www.newpig.com/pig-water-hog/p/SKM408

I installed a drain valve at the low point in my tanks. Easy to do when replacing tanks, but a little tougher to retrofit on existing tanks.

AusCan,
I asked for that when I had new tanks made ... but didn't get it.
I also asked to make them 35 gal instead of 50. Didn't get that either.
Somebody dropped the ball.

They can't hurt

My fifty-year old boat has one steel bilge tank that will be impossible to replace since the boat is literally built around it. (It also has four fiberglass tanks!) When it was last cleaned and inspected there was minor amount of rust at the bottom. Since I wanted the tank to last as long as possible, I put a water hog in the tank through the inspection hole.

A year or so later, I took it out. I couldn't really tell whether it had water in it (it is not like red diesel on a rag), but I assume it soaked up some. I put in another, since this is cheap insurance. I also put in Soltron and Biobor, which Practical Sailor says are the best pourable defenses against water in diesel.

I hope the tank outlasts me.

hodaka said:

Another recent thread on Trawler Forum (about where to buy oil absorbent pads) brought to my attention (via SteveD's very helpful post on that thread) a company called Newpig, which sells a product called "Water Hog".

Click to expand...

Pampers on a string. No reason why it wouldn't work as long as it's located in the lowest part of the tank.

I carry a fuel polisher with me. Small elec fuel pump and an extra Racor 500. I can polish if need be, transfer from one tank to another if I have to, and have a spare pump and Racor should the need ever arise.

-Gary

SoWhat said:

Pampers on a string. No reason why it wouldn't work as long as it's located in the lowest part of the tank.

I carry a fuel polisher with me. Small elec fuel pump and an extra Racor 500. I can polish if need be, transfer from one tank to another if I have to, and have a spare pump and Racor should the need ever arise.

-Gary

Click to expand...

Do pampers soak up water only?
Also are they lint free? Last thing you want in your fuel tank is a load of lint...or next to last anyway!!

Nomad Willy said:

I periodically suck/pump warer out of my fuel tanks with a dedicated pump.

I use an oil pump ..(like found on the top of oil changing rigs) , clear plastic hose and a section of 1/8" copper tube. I bend the copper tube in a "C" shape a bit like a bass cleff (like written music) and insert it into the fuel tank through a threaded hole in the top of the tank. This hole is usually closed w an aluminum pipe plug. Tank is aluminim.

I position and bend the copper tube so it's end is at the lowest point in the tank. I usually pump out about a quart of fuel into a semi-clear plastic jug. Hold it up where there is good light and look up at the bottom of the jug. Even small bubbles of water are very apparent. A few small bubbles is usually all I get.

I've never had any water in my Racor water trap.

Click to expand...

This is a great way to handle it. You could also Tee into the pickup line going to the lift pump and add a large racor/pump that feeds back to the fuel tank. Simply recirculating for a few hours would pull almost all of the water out of the tank.