Fuel Filtering On Tank Fill-up

[Black Diamond]

The last two times I've filled my tank (at reputable places) I've found an unacceptable amount of water and sediment coming in with the fuel. My racor filters (multiple) remove this water and crap, but I'd really like to prevent it from ever getting into my tanks. Its not getting to the engine. I have double 10 Micron filters as a first line and 3 micron filters in front of the engine. I can switch from one filter to an unused filter while under way. They are doing their job.

Before anyone mentions it, I use a biocide twice a season in the tanks and I make sure the o-rings are good on the deck fills. The tanks are relatively full most of the time. Water is NOT entering after the tank from the deck fills and its too much for condensation. I had to drain the racors twice during a 7 hour motorsail. Besides, my dock neighbor had the exact same issue when he filled up at the same place. We compared "parfait" on the dock when we returned.

Has anyone got a system where they can hook up the fuel pump at the dock to some kind of filtering system before it hits your tanks? If so, what does it look like? I do this for my fresh water. It was easy enough to put together at home depot for less than $50. Anything successful out there for water and sediment coming in from shore side fuel providers?

Rick
S/V Black Diamond
Hylas 49-057
Portsmouth, RI

[Albro359]

You need a thing that used to be call a "Baja Filter"..Independent tests showed that the best one is from West Marine

WEST MARINE 006_180_003_517 at West Marine

These filters were tested by Powerboat Reports (March 2003) and rated better than other more expensive funnels. Teflon-coated, stainless-steel filter separates water and dirt from gasoline, diesel and kerosene fuels. Made from industrial standard electroconductive polypropylene that can be grounded for extra safety. Fuel flows quickly through the filter into the tank and water stays in the funnel. NOTE: In addition to water and sediment, a small amount of residual fuel remains in this filter's sump after use all of which must be disposed of properly.

• Tested and rated by Powerboat Reports (March 2003) better than other more expensive funnels
• Separate water and dirt from gasoline, diesel and kerosene fuels
• Teflon-coated stainless steel filter and electroconductive polypropylene body
• Self-cleaning

[Black Diamond]

seems like you would be there a while with 250 gallons of fuel. Thanks for the reply. Other thoughts?

[Albro359]

Yup, its slow...but not as slow as motoring with a tank of contaminated diesel.

The only other option is a fuel polishing system...

for example : http://www.parkerfuelpolishing.com/d...PM_WP_0509.pdf

for which you pay a LOT of money

IMHO refuelling slowly with a baja filter is the better option.

[Sandero]

the problem may be the connection from the fuel nozzle to a pre filtering system., With water you can use garden hose fittings and a calgon type flow through filter. Plus consider that you'll have some sore of messy diesel filled device to deal with and stow.

Perhaps you can get a container which has the racors mounted at the outflow side and then a hose which you insert into your deck fill. You can then screw a cap onto the hose and large gas cap onto the pre tank. Would the filter allow for sufficient flow through rate or would this be a long slow process?.

Local fuel tanks are probably never cleaned and so they are where the contamination is coming from. Have you ever seen a marina clean their fuel storage tanks?

Another alternative is to add fuel in 5 gallon amounts obtained from filling stations no marine fuel docks. Fuel is probably cleaner.

[skipmac]

The common solution is a device called a Baja Filter.

This is a large funnel with built in water and sediment filters that you sit in the fuel fill hole when fueling up.

Very effective and highly recommended. Baja Filter is a brand name but West Marine sells a generic that, when I checked was a lot cheaper than the Baja Filter and did just as well or better in independent tests.

[Kettlewell]

Racor makes a big filter funnel and West Marine sells a similar one. At the very least, it is worthwhile pumping the first bit of fuel through the filter to see what you're catching and if it is worth it to continue. The filter funnels do slow things up a lot as they can't really handle the full flow from the pump. Another thing to do is to get a 5-gallon jug and fill it at this suspicious fuel dock and see what it looks like. You can often just look into the jug and see water and crud if there is a lot. Then I would bring it up with the marina manager. Theoretically they already have filters on what is coming out of their tanks, and you should not be getting a lot of crud.

[Freerider]

You're obviously looking for Mr. Funnel! With a sweet infomerical like that how can you not buy one?...

http://www.mrfunnel.com

[David M]

I think it would be less convenient to have a pre-filtering system sitting on deck that you then have to stow than to periodically drain the water out of the water traps in your dual Racors and to change out your 10 micron filters occasionally.

There is also the question of if a deck filtering system can handle the flow rate of a fuel nozzle. That would be a lot of fuel to be pushing through a 10 micron filter over such a short period of time. Also, any pressure pushing through the filter would only come from gravity, making the pressure pretty minimal, making for a pretty minimal flow rate.

You only need to filter down to two microns if your engine manufacturer calls for it. If they don't I would make your secondary engine filter a 10 micron so you do not need to change that filter out frequently. Let your larger, easier to change out filters do all the filtering.

Good fuel docks filter their fuel and have water traps. Maybe it is time to find a better fuel dock if you have that option.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by David M

I think it would be less convenient to have a pre-filtering system sitting on deck that you then have to stow than to periodically drain the water out of the water traps in your dual Racors and to change out your 10 micron filters occasionally.

There is also the question of if a deck filtering system can handle the flow rate of a fuel nozzle. That would be a lot of fuel to be pushing through a 10 micron filter over such a short period of time. Also, any pressure pushing through the filter would only come from gravity, making the pressure pretty minimal, making for a pretty minimal flow rate.

You only need to filter down to two microns if your engine manufacturer calls for it. If they don't I would make your secondary engine filter a 10 micron so you do not need to change that filter out frequently. Let your larger, easier to change out filters do all the filtering.

Good fuel docks filter their fuel and have water traps. Maybe it is time to find a better fuel dock if you have that option.

Agree if the only issues were occasional cleaning/draining the Racors. But there is also the issue of what ends up in your tanks and cleaning that out.

Also, very different issue if you have a big power boat (or research vessel ) with giant tanks and frequent fueling vs a sailboat that maxes out at 80 gallons and is topped off a few times a season. I can deal with slow fills when I'm just adding 20-40 gallons but it would take a week to run a few hundred gallons through a Baja Filter.

[Vasco]

Use a Baha filter or Mr. Funnel. It slows the filling a bit when you're at a pump but most of the time I jug my fuel so that's not a problem. In my home slip here in Toronto I still jug my fuel, buying from high volume gas stations rather from marinas. In the Bahamas I buy my fuel where I can (quite often a marina will be out of fuel and waiting for the tanker to come) and filter it religiously.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Use a Baha filter or Mr. Funnel. It slows the filling a bit when you're at a pump but most of the time I jug my fuel so that's not a problem. In my home slip here in Toronto I still jug my fuel, buying from high volume gas stations rather from marinas. In the Bahamas I buy my fuel where I can (quite often a marina will be out of fuel and waiting for the tanker to come) and filter it religiously.

Down island I think it almost mandatory to filter fuel. Have picked up some real garbage a couple of times, even from supposedly large, reputable marinas.

[Jon Hacking]

We (almost) always put our fuel into jugs, & then pour the fuel from the jugs through a big Baja filter as it goes into the tanks.

[DeepFrz]

I think a good fuel polishing system is the best way to go (not the one from Racor/Parker). You need one with a high flow rate. Polish your fuel immediately after filling your tanks and regularly (weekly?) after that.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

We (almost) always put our fuel into jugs, & then pour the fuel from the jugs through a big Baja filter as it goes into the tanks.

That's what I do. Can't remember the last time I actually dumped diesel directly into the tank via a nozzle at the deck fill. Usually just ferrying diesel fuel around in yellow plastic five gallon jugs, then those get poured through the baja filter at the deck fill.

Funny enough on the boats I work on we dump diesel in without filtering all the time, so maybe I just need to get over it. But I've also had engine problems on the work boats, and my personal Yanmar has never skipped a beat.