As water and/or algae fuel contamination is so often a problem, I'm looking into fuel polishing systems. Could you give any thoughts as to practical effectiveness of various on-board systems? I've gotten some info about a centrifugal system marketed by Alyska. Any experience with this system or any others? Many thanks. Chris Webb s/v Grand Cru II
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Not so sure that it works.
Chris: I am not so sure that the fuel polishing works. There was a thread going several weeks ago about this subject. If my memory serves me (and it often fails me), some members indicated that they were not happy with the results. I believe that you are looking for an onboard system. It seems to me that you could do this by building a system that would recirculate the fuel through a couple of Racor filters 1-10 micron and 1-2 micron unit. Suck the fuel out through the pick-up tube and return it through the return line. Just turn it on and let it run for an hour or two. When you are done, just dispose of the filters in a environmentally friendly manner and you are ready for the next time. You might look back in some old Practical Sailor articles and see if they have done any testing on this subject too.
Chris: I am not so sure that the fuel polishing works. There was a thread going several weeks ago about this subject. If my memory serves me (and it often fails me), some members indicated that they were not happy with the results. I believe that you are looking for an onboard system. It seems to me that you could do this by building a system that would recirculate the fuel through a couple of Racor filters 1-10 micron and 1-2 micron unit. Suck the fuel out through the pick-up tube and return it through the return line. Just turn it on and let it run for an hour or two. When you are done, just dispose of the filters in a environmentally friendly manner and you are ready for the next time. You might look back in some old Practical Sailor articles and see if they have done any testing on this subject too.
Fuel polishing works
The magnetic fuel polishers do get the algae out of the fuel. We have first hand experience to corroborate the claims in the sales testimonials. I have recently put the details in a response to "What to do about old fuel?", a post fom 9/3.
The magnetic fuel polishers do get the algae out of the fuel. We have first hand experience to corroborate the claims in the sales testimonials. I have recently put the details in a response to "What to do about old fuel?", a post fom 9/3.
fuel polishing good insurance
Maybe it's overkill, and even though I have large racors on my engine and genset feeds, I have the fuel polished annually down here. for about 60 gallons this Spring, it cost $155. My thought is it's good insurance against a tow or emergency filter change at the wrong moment.
Maybe it's overkill, and even though I have large racors on my engine and genset feeds, I have the fuel polished annually down here. for about 60 gallons this Spring, it cost $155. My thought is it's good insurance against a tow or emergency filter change at the wrong moment.
What is Fuel Polishing
Gordon: Maybe we have a problem with terminology here. Practical Sailor did an article on Algea-x and determined that it did nothing to the fuel. Which I would have already assumed. Kind of like putting magnetics in your shoes and expecting it pain to go away. Never did figure out which alga were magnetic either. Bill also mentioned fuel polishing but I *ASSUME* (always gets me in trouble) that he is talking about a recirculating system that picks up the fuel in the tank filters it and dumps in back in the tank. They circulate the fuel through a series of filters several times and determine that your fuel is clean. Now are you saying that there is some type of system that can clean the fuel beyond what a 2 micron fuel filter will do? I totally understand that a crapped up fuel tank is going to continually plug up a filter to the point that the engine will NOT run properly until the situation is taken care of. This usually means disposing of the old fuel or cleaning it (filters). Another point. MY Yanmar guy told me to ALWAYS add biocide to my fuel. And yes he also said to ONLY use the recommended amount. I am sure that this is what you have replied to on several posts. Fuel contaminated with additives. You also said you DO NOT use them? Is this just personal preference or do you know something that we should and you are not telling us? Maybe we are like the kids, you told us but we did not listen! Thank you for your input.
Gordon: Maybe we have a problem with terminology here. Practical Sailor did an article on Algea-x and determined that it did nothing to the fuel. Which I would have already assumed. Kind of like putting magnetics in your shoes and expecting it pain to go away. Never did figure out which alga were magnetic either. Bill also mentioned fuel polishing but I *ASSUME* (always gets me in trouble) that he is talking about a recirculating system that picks up the fuel in the tank filters it and dumps in back in the tank. They circulate the fuel through a series of filters several times and determine that your fuel is clean. Now are you saying that there is some type of system that can clean the fuel beyond what a 2 micron fuel filter will do? I totally understand that a crapped up fuel tank is going to continually plug up a filter to the point that the engine will NOT run properly until the situation is taken care of. This usually means disposing of the old fuel or cleaning it (filters). Another point. MY Yanmar guy told me to ALWAYS add biocide to my fuel. And yes he also said to ONLY use the recommended amount. I am sure that this is what you have replied to on several posts. Fuel contaminated with additives. You also said you DO NOT use them? Is this just personal preference or do you know something that we should and you are not telling us? Maybe we are like the kids, you told us but we did not listen! Thank you for your input.
Fuel Circulation
My main fuel filter is 2-micron Racor which is finer than the one on the Yanmar 3GM30, which I believe is a 10-micron. The fuel travels from the tank to the 2-micron, then to the fuel pump (on the engine, to the high-pressure fuel pump, and to the injectors. At this point some of the fuel travel to the piston and some is returned to the fuel tank. So, in a way, with the fuel constantly passing the 2-micron filter you'd think it would be "polished", at least to some degree, whenever the engine is being operated. What I'd like to get at is whatever junk is sitting in the bottom of the tank and this might become a winter project. The forced air heater has it's own pickup (Ardic) and I was told to relocate it to a vaccant opening on the 2-micron filter which would free up the space in the tank, which could then be used as an access point to draw out the "junk". Another project is to hook up a Racor vaccuum gauge for which I have everything except the Racor to 1/4" hose barb fitting. This will help me to monitor the Racor filter. Also, noted the fuel hoses on the boat were apparently not Coast Guard approved. The outside diameter of the new hose is much larger.
My main fuel filter is 2-micron Racor which is finer than the one on the Yanmar 3GM30, which I believe is a 10-micron. The fuel travels from the tank to the 2-micron, then to the fuel pump (on the engine, to the high-pressure fuel pump, and to the injectors. At this point some of the fuel travel to the piston and some is returned to the fuel tank. So, in a way, with the fuel constantly passing the 2-micron filter you'd think it would be "polished", at least to some degree, whenever the engine is being operated. What I'd like to get at is whatever junk is sitting in the bottom of the tank and this might become a winter project. The forced air heater has it's own pickup (Ardic) and I was told to relocate it to a vaccant opening on the 2-micron filter which would free up the space in the tank, which could then be used as an access point to draw out the "junk". Another project is to hook up a Racor vaccuum gauge for which I have everything except the Racor to 1/4" hose barb fitting. This will help me to monitor the Racor filter. Also, noted the fuel hoses on the boat were apparently not Coast Guard approved. The outside diameter of the new hose is much larger.
John Nantz
John: You're correct in the fact that the fuel is being cleaned as it is being used. The problem is the fact the fuel sits in the tank/tanks for months on end and that is were the problem begins for many of these sailors. In there case, they do not use a tank of fuel for an entire season. In the mean time there is all kinds of things going on in their tank. A lot more than a single filter can handle. With a filtering job (polishing) done on the entire tank, I assume that the majority of the contents get run through a series of filters several times. Therefore the amount of contaminates left in the tank in relationship to the number of gallons of fuel should be very small. The problem that I see here is that most of the time there seems to be a relationship to heavy seas and the engine crapping out. This is probably caused from stuff that is "stuck" to the bottom and sides of the tank get dislodged. With many of the tanks on the Hunters there is NO way to get your hand down in the tank and really scrub it, weather or not there is fuel in the tank.
John: You're correct in the fact that the fuel is being cleaned as it is being used. The problem is the fact the fuel sits in the tank/tanks for months on end and that is were the problem begins for many of these sailors. In there case, they do not use a tank of fuel for an entire season. In the mean time there is all kinds of things going on in their tank. A lot more than a single filter can handle. With a filtering job (polishing) done on the entire tank, I assume that the majority of the contents get run through a series of filters several times. Therefore the amount of contaminates left in the tank in relationship to the number of gallons of fuel should be very small. The problem that I see here is that most of the time there seems to be a relationship to heavy seas and the engine crapping out. This is probably caused from stuff that is "stuck" to the bottom and sides of the tank get dislodged. With many of the tanks on the Hunters there is NO way to get your hand down in the tank and really scrub it, weather or not there is fuel in the tank.
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