Racor housing

Just got a new housing for a Racor 500 filter. There’s an odd red ring in the bowl, and I’m not sure what it is. Or where it should be. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Ron

Is that a water level indicator?

I could be wrong, but it might be the seal between the bowl and the housing or the housing and the lid.

Ted

My guess is that Ted is right. I don't own one of those, so not sure, but it looks like an "O"ring to me.

Couple of options. (not being snippy) You want the best most accurate information.

Read the included instructions, looking at the diagrams.
Do an internet search on Racor filters, factory level.

Also looks like it could be a Racor knockoff - possibly.

Take the bowl off (four screws) and fish it out.

Could it be a stain from sitting at an angle with some fuel in it?

Googled - "Racor 500 what is red ring in bowl"

This was one of the results from Amazon site:

https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/asin/B075FLD5RB/1/ref=ask_ql_psf_ql_hza?sort=SUBMIT_DATE

If see from the photo that the bowl is fitted with the bulge for the Parker water detector probe. I recommend getting that alarm kit and installing it with the alarm at the helm. That red o-ring is for the top to casing seal. You can fish it out without having to remove the bowl although I think it would be a good idea just to ensure the black flat seal between the bowl and the body is there.

dweller said:

Just got a new housing for a Racor 500 filter. There’s an odd red ring in the bowl, and I’m not sure what it is. Or where it should be. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Ron

Click to expand...

When you open the plastic wrapper for a new Racor element, you will find 2 O-rings, The big one (shown in your photo) is for the top of the housing, to seal the lid. The small one is for the T handle attachment.
When you open your new housing, you have already found the big one. Look for the small one.

Just curious - I am not a fan of Racors - what is the purpose of that hose barb fitting on the bottom of the bowl?

Because the o-ring fits so easily inside the clear bowl, I would guess that it is not the ring that seals the bowl. It might be. The ring that seals the lid is even larger and I've only seen black. Your drain fitting is brass. The newer ones that I have seen (post 1990) have black plastic drain fittings. Is this one unused new old stock?

catalinajack said:

Just curious - I am not a fan of Racors - what is the purpose of that hose barb fitting on the bottom of the bowl?

Click to expand...

to drain the water and junk out of the bowl

Marco Flamingo said:

Because the o-ring fits so easily inside the clear bowl, I would guess that it is not the ring that seals the bowl. It might be. The ring that seals the lid is even larger and I've only seen black. Your drain fitting is brass. The newer ones that I have seen (post 1990) have black plastic drain fittings. Is this one unused new old stock?

Click to expand...

you can still get the plastic drain valve model but to be compliant with ABYC standards for below deck engine room use it now has to have the brass fittings and heat deflector bowl

So the hose barb screws into the larger fitting which has its own gasket/o-ring? If so, one would need to take care so as to not unscrew the entire assembly and make a mess?

sailormike said:

to drain the water and junk out of the bowl

Click to expand...

catalinajack said:

So the hose barb screws into the larger fitting which has its own gasket/o-ring? If so, one would need to take care so as to not unscrew the entire assembly and make a mess?

Click to expand...

on ours I have to hold the big nut and turn the small thumb screw drain valve. I am waiting on the rebuild parts to get here now so i can rebuild ours

Last summer I bought a new 500 from Racor and there was no red o-ring in there like that.

Fish it out and put it in your o-ring collection.

I really like the brass fitting, all of mine are plastic. I think that the bowl protector is a useless device that obscures your view of the bowl contents. Without any kind of fire-fighting ability onboard, perhaps, but the bowl doesn't completely cover the main bowl and it "might" give you an extra moment or two before the fuel ignites but I just don't see its utility. If it was a big deal, the entire bowl would be metal.

I also purchased new RACORS and they did not have the red O ring in the bowl.

David Kimmel said:

I also purchased new RACORS and they did not have the red O ring in the bowl.

Click to expand...

I agree - that is why I posted this....
https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/asin/B075FLD5RB/1/ref=ask_ql_psf_ql_hza?sort=SUBMIT_DATE

High Wire said:

Last summer I bought a new 500 from Racor and there was no red o-ring in there like that.

Click to expand...

I agree - that is what I posted this...
https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/asin/B075FLD5RB/1/ref=ask_ql_psf_ql_hza?sort=SUBMIT_DATE

Agree 100% on that metal bowl disguised as a heat shield. Totally useless in an engine room fire which if it were hot enough to melt that bowl, the boat would have already been long doomed. Another ABYC recommendation/rule that is just feel good but accomplishes nothing in a real world situation. Sometimes I think the ABYC is just looking for "stuff" like the EPA.

Xsbank said:

Fish it out and put it in your o-ring collection.

I really like the brass fitting, all of mine are plastic. I think that the bowl protector is a useless device that obscures your view of the bowl contents. Without any kind of fire-fighting ability onboard, perhaps, but the bowl doesn't completely cover the main bowl and it "might" give you an extra moment or two before the fuel ignites but I just don't see its utility. If it was a big deal, the entire bowl would be metal.

Click to expand...

Yup, knockoff made in China.
My suggestion, if it doesn't say Racor, it aint a Racor.
China has NO respect for patents nor copyrights. In this case, the fuel filter has the same shape, body same color, same color and lay out of the ID tag.
Totally reversed engineered.

The bowl is there to slow, not stop, the bowl from melting. It’s purpose is to give you a few minutes to either fight the fire or abandon the boat. I have them on my 900MAs. There isn’t any problem seeing the contents of the bowl since I mounted a small LED light behind the bowl, very easy to see now.

The metal bowls are required on inspected boats. I do not have them.

Amazon has several "KNOCK OFF" fuel filters that appear to be Racor but are not. The name in the listing is not "Racor".

Here is the listing for the "Racor Turbine 500FG"

https://www.amazon.com/Racor-Turbin...&qid=1604186360&sprefix=RACOR+,aps,189&sr=8-3

Yes, I know the theory but just look at the picture. That bowl is fully exposed to general heat except for maybe a direct flame that that chincy bowl might protect against. And how many engine fires would be underneath JUST the bowl. Silly, just plain silly.

Comodave said:

The bowl is there to slow, not stop, the bowl from melting. It’s purpose is to give you a few minutes to either fight the fire or abandon the boat. I have them on my 900MAs. There isn’t any problem seeing the contents of the bowl since I mounted a small LED light behind the bowl, very easy to see now.

Click to expand...

obthomas said:

The metal bowls are required on inspected boats. I do not have them.

Click to expand...

FWIW - the metal bowls were required by our surveyor which in turn was required for insurance.
YMMV

fgarriso said:

Amazon has several "KNOCK OFF" fuel filters that appear to be Racor but are not. The name in the listing is not "Racor".

Here is the listing for the "Racor Turbine 500FG"

https://www.amazon.com/Racor-Turbin...&qid=1604186360&sprefix=RACOR+,aps,189&sr=8-3

Click to expand...

Yes - you can see some of the parts differences between the genuine Racors and the knockoffs. Additionally in any of the genuine Racor pictures the 'red ring' does not appear but in the knockoff pics on ebay and amazon they do appear. Identified as a 'water' level indicator in the FAQ's on some of the knockoff listings.

The standard of performance isn’t “general heat” for heat shields. It is:

“capable of withstanding a 2-1/2 minute exposure to free burning fuel (N-Heptane), or No. 2 diesel fuel without leakage“

There’s a difference in destructability of many materials between sticking them in an oven and pointing a torch at them- the temperature of the direct heat of the flame vs. the flame heating the air which in turn heats the material. I’d suggest that if the ER is hot enough to melt the bowl just from the heat of the air in the space, one is well beyond the point of fighting the fire or possibly even escaping. My ER fire extinguisher goes off at 175 degrees.

However, a flame directed at the bowl can be be deflected by the shield. It doesn’t necessarily have to cover the entire bowl as we know heat rises. The same phenomenon that we can stand closer to a campfire than directly over top of it. The odds of a flame shooting downward at the bowl over the top of the shield? I guess so, if there was a “torch” of burning fuel aimed right at it.