Racor Heat Deflector

[Max Simmons]

After such good ideas on the diesel cap labeling, I thought I'd throw another query out based on the surveyors report. He has required heat deflectors be added to the Racor 500FG fuel filters. Two problems with this, first, they are around $150 each for essentially a small salad bowl with a hole in it (I need 3), and one of the filters is located on a bulkhead where the clear bowl hangs down behind the battery box. The deflector won't fit. One option would be moving the filter assembly. It would have the added benefit of making the drain easier to get to, but the drawback is it is piped in copper that is in great shape and I would rather not mess with it. I did see an old post here where someone hung essentially dog watering bowls underneath the filters to comply. Any other creative work-arounds to suggest?

 

[tiltrider1]

Not sure if this would work for you but I use these to make my surveyor happy.

https://www.chewy.com/indipets-heavy-duty-pail-2-hooks/dp/160158?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21105599446&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V3Q6cGgbUUmdOZWg9IWwFTd3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_N7eq7-ihwMVFw-tBh0ObA55EAQYBSABEgLco_D_BwE

 

[Max Simmons]

Possibly, do you happen to know the width?
I guess I can always use it to feed my llama : )

 

[dhays]

I not a good with plumbing of any kind. However, looking at that filter housing, could you cut the copper and connect flexible fuel hose to it. Then raise the height of the filter. As it is now, you can't really see the bowl so you can't see if there is debris or water in the bowl. Of course, with the metal bowl that is hard anyway. But if it was raised it would sure make it easier to maintain and inspect.

Again, I don't like messing with plumbing and while there are some changes I would like to make on my boat that I haven't yet just for that reason.

 

[luna]

If as you say the clear bowl hangs down into a space between the battery box and the bulkhead and this space is not big enough to accept the heat shield bowl, I'm surprised that the surveyor did not flag the filters location as it is not acceptable to have fuel lines or their connections above a battery. This location is likely close enough to raise that question.

Parker Hannifin must be very proud of their bowl shaped heat shields to charge $150 each, although they likely had to get the bowls onto the filter assembly and get the whole unit tested to ensure that it withstood the time requirement of the fire test. I don't think a dog bowl provider did that, do you? I do see that Racorstore.com has Part no. RK15104 listed for about $101. That saves a few bucks.

I think to be safe you would be smart to plan a filter relocation project and then add the Racor heat shield bowl to your existing filters.

 

[tiltrider1]

You think Racor stainless steel is going to be more heat resistant than Chewy stainless steel?

 

[luna]

No I don't, but that is not the question here.
Did Chewy install their bowl onto the filter and subject it to and have it pass the fire test required to bear the UL label found on all MA series Racors?

 

[Comodave]

I am sure that it is very expensive to have the testing done to get the bowls certified as compliant with the regs. So they add those costs into the product. Chewy most likely doesn’t have the dog bowls certified. If the insurance company says you need heat shields maybe ask if the heat shield needs to be certified to meet their requirements. But we already kinda know the answer to that don’t we. Nobody said boating was a cheap hobby so accept that you will have to spend money on things, especially safety items. Save money on non-safety items. I am sure you would not want the insurance company to deny coverage if your boat catches fire because you saved some money by using dog food bowls.

 

[luna]

Yeah, you're right, I think we know the certification requirements of the heat shields. But that does not entirely explain away Racor's outrageous price for a few ounces of spun 304. I think they are taking advantage of their customers.

How else could you explain the fact that a painted full metal (alum.) bowl that replaces the original clear plastic bowl, therefore has no need for a heat shield and comes complete with a gasket and new fasteners retails for about 3/4s of the cost of the 304 dog bowl, at $75?

Racor rk 15301-02 RK15301-02 repl kit, 500 metal bowl

 

[tiltrider1]

The only requirement for heat shields is what your surveyor will approve. I had no problem getting my Doggy buckets signed off by the surveyor. Lets not forget that UL approved the 30amp shore power cord and we all know how unsafe that is.

 

[Comodave]

Yeah, you're right, I think we know the certification requirements of the heat shields. But that does not entirely explain away Racor's outrageous price for a few ounces of spun 304. I think they are taking advantage of their customers.

How else could you explain the fact that a painted full metal (alum.) bowl that replaces the original clear plastic bowl, therefore has no need for a heat shield and comes complete with a gasket and new fasteners retails for about 3/4s of the cost of the 304 dog bowl, at $75?

Racor rk 15301-02 RK15301-02 repl kit, 500 metal bowl

Then don’t buy it. Easy.

 

[luna]

It's not quite so easy as "Then don't buy it." when your surveyor won't (as they shouldn't) accept dog bowls as heat shields.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Racor paid big money to have their little modified salad bowl certified (some of us already knew that stainless steel was not flammable.) Now they charge $110 each time somebody doesn't understand that. But the stainless bucket covers more of the plastic bowl and is thicker than the Racor. The question is, "how much higher is it's fire resistance? Doesn't really matter as the fire rating would be better. But buy the Racor if you are forced to by a surveyor/insurer. One might be able to find a slightly larger bucket to fit over the thin little Racor if you really are concerned about safety.

The buckets have additional uses besides inproved fire resistance. I use mine when draining the plastic bowls on Racor 500s and changing filters. They also catch any drips that sometimes develop from the drain ports. Racor offers a gasket o-ring set for those ($26), although it is only $3 in parts at a hardware store. I don't know if a surveyor/insurer would demand genuine Racor gaskets. And of course the small drips that develope and aren't noticed from the Racor "bowls with holes" create an additional fire risk that a bucket solves.

True, all of this requires common sense.

 

[SteveK]

Yeah, you're right, I think we know the certification requirements of the heat shields. But that does not entirely explain away Racor's outrageous price for a few ounces of spun 304. I think they are taking advantage of their customers.

How else could you explain the fact that a painted full metal (alum.) bowl that replaces the original clear plastic bowl, therefore has no need for a heat shield and comes complete with a gasket and new fasteners retails for about 3/4s of the cost of the 304 dog bowl, at $75?

Racor rk 15301-02 RK15301-02 repl kit, 500 metal bowl

For as often as you do a visual check of the clear bowl, the drain of the metal bowl can be opened to drain into a clear container. So this option would be my choice.

 

[rgano]

I have never had a surveyor look askance at my bowl-less Racors on my boats. I believe they are required on "Inspected" vessels by the USCG.

 

[Vinny]

Shopping tip… If your going to buy heat shields for your Racor 500 unit, you need to check which style fuel bowl drain valve you have on the clear bowls… one style will allow the shields to be installed because the valve is completely removable, the other cheaper clear bowl is made with the valve body as part of the of the bowl’s plastic injection molding, no shields for those.

 

[O C Diver]

I think the issue isn't what they charge for it, but if you buy it separately. I don't know if the Chinese knockoff came with a shield originally, but bet Racor decided to punish those who went cheap and then needed a shield.

Ted

 

[Nepidae]

A rock & a hard place.
What is the boat worth? Maybe a little more than $500.
The bowls are made to meet ABYC guidelines and protect in a fire.
Would you like to lose the boat over a $500. expense?
Dog bowls are not ABYC compliant and surveyor who would pass that isn't doing his client a favor since the insurance company could chose that as a reason to disallow the claim.

In my opinion, IF you look at each expense you will have, and IF you use this common sense look at the expense, you will have some carefree cruising.

 

[tiltrider1]

A rock & a hard place.
What is the boat worth? Maybe a little more than $500.
The bowls are made to meet ABYC guidelines and protect in a fire.
Would you like to lose the boat over a $500. expense?
Dog bowls are not ABYC compliant and surveyor who would pass that isn't doing his client a favor since the insurance company could chose that as a reason to disallow the claim.

In my opinion, IF you look at each expense you will have, and IF you use this common sense look at the expense, you will have some carefree cruising.

Where does ABYC say dog bows are not compliant? Where does it say anything other than deflecting flame away from non metallic fuel bowls? How is an insurance company going to use a standard that didn’t exist when the boat was built to disallow a claim? You are entitled to your opinion regardless of a lack of facts.

 

[luna]

I don’t think the insurer needs to use any standard to deny a claim.

If the surveyor that you hired insists that you return the bowl to Fido and install a bowl that meets the surveyors requirements and says so in the survey that you provided to your insurer, you’re done.

To get insurance you will undoubtedly have to agree to fix within xx days whatever the surveyor said to fix. Period.

No ABYC, ABS, UL, CSA code required.

 

[tiltrider1]

I don’t think the insurer needs to use any standard to deny a claim.

If the surveyor that you hired insists that you return the bowl to Fido and install a bowl that meets the surveyors requirements and says so in the survey that you provided to your insurer, you’re done.

To get insurance you will undoubtedly have to agree to fix within xx days whatever the surveyor said to fix. Period.

No ABYC, ABS, UL, CSA code required.

True, but my dog bowls passed survey and are being recommended as a retro fit by many surveyors in this region.

 

[luna]

Is that dog bowl retro recommendation for Inspected Vessels or just recreational vessels?

For you, you picked the right surveyor, that could be a good thing.

It’s your boat.

 

[tiltrider1]

Is that dog bowl retro recommendation for Inspected Vessels or just recreational vessels?

For you, you picked the right surveyor, that could be a good thing.

It’s your boat.

Now you are just trying to be a curmudgeon. Yes, I picked the right surveyor, 40 years in the industry, SAMS and NAMS associated, used by the State of Washington and at the top of my insurance underwriters list.

On top of that my doggy buckets can be used to catch any fluids drained from my racors for proper disposal.

 

[DCDC]

Similar situation. Insurance and valuation surveyor required flame shields. Racor shields would not fit, interference with mounting surface requiring a much bigger job than simply adding their protectors. Doggy and kitchen bowls would not work for the same reason.

Purchased SS trays for commercial kitchen steam tables. Standard at every buffet. Well made and relatively inexpensive. Had to cut the lips off, easily done with a jigsaw.

Surveyor approved. The underwriter did not care how it was accomplished, only that the deviation was corrected.

 

[hmason]

I have Racor shields on all my filters. I have no clue how they protect anything. Per haps if I light a candle under the filter. Other than that I think they are ridiculous.

 

[SteveK]

If a fire starts or burns under the racor the shield will delay the spilling of fuel to fan the flames.