Fuel Polishing

[dparilla]

Ok, I reorganized my fuel system. Now, the lift pump is after the racor filter. My next question is, with a continuous duty electric pump, would it be advisable to just put a diverter valve on the outlet of the pump and T that line into the return line to the fuel tank to use as a polishing loop?

 

[RAD]

Dan, I installed such a system on my 32 based on this picture....a few benefits after a lot of thought was being able to bypass the Racor filter quickly while underway and in addition to polishing I'm able to turn a valve that connects to a stored fuel hose and can be inserted into a spare fuel container in the event that the fuel in the tank got contaminated

 

[RAD]

Here's a picture of my system which is not as complicated looking, you can't see the electric fuel pump in the picture but that also serves as a backup to the lift pump on the engine in case of failure and aids in bleeding the system

 

[dparilla]

Thanks. That's about what I am looking to do. Saves on a polishing system.

 

[Shoaldrafter]

Rad, great discussion

Rad,

Two great post. Do you have a parts list?

And I would point to Roger Long, a featured contributor at:

http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/forumdisplay.php?f=142

and find his older personal website:

http://www.cruisingonstrider.us/FOpolishing.htm

Again, two great posts.

Ed K

Here's a picture of my system which is not as complicated looking, you can't see the electric fuel pump in the picture but that also serves as a backup to the lift pump on the engine in case of failure and aids in bleeding the system

 

[RAD]

Ed,
I built mine system using the pictures as a guide cause if you look they
were for a twin tanks but it was easy to follow the plan to set up for a single tank.... basic parts were 2 way ball valves,ball valves,brass tee's and a Walbro electric fuel pump and after rummaging through my boat STUFF I came across some stainless braid fuel lines that were leftover when I restored my old Chris Craft Connie

Here's a link for the pump http://www.fuel-pumps.net/fra11.html

 

[Shoaldrafter]

stored fuel hose question

Rad,

You said, "I'm able to turn a valve that connects to a stored fuel hose and can be inserted into a spare fuel container in the event that the fuel in the tank got contaminated."

Can this hose be connected to 5 gal container to refill tank without the pouring on deck? Like avoiding rain?

Ed K

Dan, I installed such a system on my 32 based on this picture....a few benefits after a lot of thought was being able to bypass the Racor filter quickly while underway and in addition to polishing I'm able to turn a valve that connects to a stored fuel hose and can be inserted into a spare fuel container in the event that the fuel in the tank got contaminated

 

[RAD]

Rad,

You said, "I'm able to turn a valve that connects to a stored fuel hose and can be inserted into a spare fuel container in the event that the fuel in the tank got contaminated."

Can this hose be connected to 5 gal container to refill tank without the pouring on deck? Like avoiding rain?

Ed K

I had to think about what I wrote and let me correct myself......to polish the fuel I would flip a valve and turn the pump on and it will go through the filter and back to the tank or turn the valve in another position and it will go to a hose that could be inserted into a portable container so if you had to remove fuel from the tank this makes it easy........If you needed to pull fuel FROM a portable tank I have it set up so both the supply and return can be easily disconnected and inserted into a portable container that lives next to the main fuel tank and always has fresh fuel in it and if you needed to bypass the filter out of the system to change while running that could be done too!