Consolidating primary fuel filters

J

Jim_H42

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Apr 21, 2017
74
Hunter 42 Passage Punta Gorda
My P42 has two Racor 110a primary filters - one each for the generator and engine.

To save space and improve water separation, I'm thinking of joining the fuel hoses together and running them all to a single Racor 500fg. Anyone see a problem with this idea? TIA
 
JamesG161

JamesG161

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Feb 14, 2014
7,418
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
On my H430...
The Genset fuel dip tube is slightly higher than the Engine's fuel line.
This means if the Generator runs out of fuel, you still have fuel left for the engine feed.

If you service the filter, you may have to prime both engines to remove trapped air.

Also both are down at the same time.

Water separation should be the concern.
I have the Racor 500 and have never seen water in my fuel for 5 yrs.
Jim...
 
SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

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Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
Jim (OP),

How much water are you see in your filters?
 
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J

Jim_H42

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Apr 21, 2017
74
Hunter 42 Passage Punta Gorda
JimG - thanks for the things to consider - all good points.

TurboTroy - the 110 filters don't allow me to see if any water is in them....and I've not cleaned those filters since getting the boat nearly 4 years ago. I did replace the secondary engine filter. So I can't answer on how much water I'm getting - if at all.

My generator shut down last night when changing my newly installed LIFEPO4 battery - given how shut down I'm certain it is because lack of fuel flow. So I saw this as an opportunity to swap out the 110 with the 500 (which I have left over from a prior boat). My approach will be to first pull/replace the secondary generator filter to see if that is the problem and if so then perhaps not doing anything more. If that doesn't fix it then I'm trying to decide if I should just do the 500 swap.

Given JimG's observation that the gen pick tube is higher than the engine I'd expect the engine primary to clog much earlier than the gen - but it could be that the gen primary filter hasn't been changed and that's the root problem. I won't know until I get into it - but wanted to get forum wisdom on moving to a single (visible) primary filter - incase the project gets to that point.

I've never bled a Yanmar (both the gen & engine are Yanmar in this boat). So that will be a new adventure as well - but a good learning. Thanks
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I'd think if one engine runs, it will be sucking on the other's "off" fuel lines. My 2 cents.
 
J

Jim_H42

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Apr 21, 2017
74
Hunter 42 Passage Punta Gorda
Thanks Ron - your '2 cents' got me thinking - I'd don't believe a running engine would sucking on the other's "off" fuel line because the Racor 500 incorporates a ball valve/backflow device - but it is something to consider.....

But I realized I can't connect both the generator and engine tank lines because if I connect the engine pickup (assuming its pickup tube is lower in the tank) then once I pull fuel below the generator pickup tube it'll start sucking air from the tank. This means I can only connect one or the other tank lines.

Anyone know how much fuel is still left in the tank when the generator pickup is exposed on a P42?
 
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