Vacuum gauge for Racor fuel filter

May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Racor has charts showing vacuum of various filters at different flow rates. clean Racor 500 is about 0.25 “Hg and the 120 is 0.1 “Hg. Dirty 6-10.
If you have a racor gauge that reads 0-30 0.1 might not move much. A 0-15”Hg gauge is easier on the eyes.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
I don't do good unless I got a picture ...................

Racor 200 Series.JPG


What blows me away is that this thing has a built in priming pump. Brilliant.

Despite the attached PDF waffling about where to mount the filter in relation to the transfer pump .............. maybe here, maybe there, maybe someplace with a little more ambiance, one of their big catalogues presents something I'd never considered before. Always considered the filter only to a) protect the transfer pump b) indicate a vacuum on a dirty filter c) pre-clean for the the secondary filter. Here's an additional reason for always mounting the pump downstream of the filter:

Racor Install.JPG


Live and learn.
 

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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
The filter should be between the tank and the lift pump. The lift pump will have its own filter to protect it. As I said the filter goes in one of the output ports (above your wrist in photo).
 
Jun 7, 2016
315
Catalina C30 Warwick, RI
I don't do good unless I got a picture ...................

View attachment 173550

What blows me away is that this thing has a built in priming pump. Brilliant.

Despite the attached PDF waffling about where to mount the filter in relation to the transfer pump .............. maybe here, maybe there, maybe someplace with a little more ambiance, one of their big catalogues presents something I'd never considered before. Always considered the filter only to a) protect the transfer pump b) indicate a vacuum on a dirty filter c) pre-clean for the the secondary filter. Here's an additional reason for always mounting downstream of the filter:

View attachment 173552

Live and learn.
I totally did not realize that it has a primer pump
 

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Mine
Mine doesn't move off the peg either when my filter is clean.
Same here. Zero vacuum means the fuel is flowing freely, especially if the tank is full and there is some pressure on the filter side of the system. As the filter does it's job, and collects contaminants, the needle will start to move off the peg.
 

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
I totally did not realize that it has a primer pump
I didn't realize it for years. But then the C310 has a self priming fuel system, so I never had a need to use the filter's primer pump.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
T-Bird Motto.JPG


Now THAT is the sign that should display above the entrance to our marina. It describes most of the power boaters here to a "T".

They could put on a travelling show of stupidity and marine incompetence.

Captain Credit Card, with his first boat and berthed next to me, said he was practicing anchoring. I said, "How much scope do you use ?" He replied, "One-half inch." I said, "How much anchor line do you let out ?" He replied, "Enough until it lands and then grabs." I said, "Sounds good to me" and walked away.

PLURES NAVES QUAM MENTES
and welcome to our marina
 
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Tom J

.
Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
View attachment 173561


Captain Credit Card, with his first boat and berthed next to me, said he was practicing anchoring. I said, "How much scope do you use ?" He replied, "One-half inch." I said, "How much anchor line do you let out ?" He replied, "Enough until it lands and then grabs." I said, "Sounds good to me" and walked away.

PLURES NAVES QUAM MENTES
and welcome to our marina
If we may be allowed to rant off topic for a minute, I have noticed many power cruisers in our yacht club have little or no chain on their anchor rodes. Last summer, I had all 100' of my anchor chain laid out on the yard of our club, and was spray painting every 10' to mark the length of my scope. Several of the other skippers were staring at me as if to say "What the heck are you doing?". I guess they don't cruise much.