Racor Fuel Polisher

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Its true that the tank should be cleaned periodically . . . .

How often? I did it when I bought my boat a little less than two years ago and am starting to wonder when I should do it again.

[Lowcountry]

I built a portable fuel polishing unit to use on my boat (or anyone else's). I bought a 12V diesel lift pump and a 500 series Racor unit. The Racor and lift pump are mounted on a small board. The flexible wand goes in the tank's inspection port, and the nozzle goes out of a porthole and into the deck fill. I have a 48 gallon tank, and the unit can polish 60 gallons per hour. Of course the system works best when the particulate inside the tank is agitated and floating, but I have found it to still be effective when the boat has been sitting in the slip. Like the others have said, this system will not cure a fouled tank, but it will minimize the effects of one. I have about $500 in this set-up.

[DeepFrz]

Dockhead, that depends on a lot of things. How often you turn over the fuel in your tank, etc. I would think that checking it every 2 years and clean if/when you find grunge in the tank.

[ATC]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

How often? I did it when I bought my boat a little less than two years ago and am starting to wonder when I should do it again.

DH,

If you monitor your filters and your fuel consumption you will reconize when cleaning of the tank is required.

We clean tanks daily and it is only after a period of replacing filters do we get the calls. Our findings vary, with sludge, microbial growth, water, etc. while cleaning. Each tank is different, alot depends on the way the fuel has been maintained and of course, where the fuel came from.

[nonam]

I just installed a Racor FPM and its not pumping.It makes a noise but it wont pump.Our fuel line comes from the tank to a racor 500,then to the FPM,then to a SW electric fuel pump,then to the Yanmar.When I switch on the SW pump I hear it pumping and the vacuum gauge on top of the racor 500 shows that it is sucking and fuel flow is evident at the bleed nut.When I switch to the FPM the vacuum gets dropped and no fuel flow can be detected at the bleed nut.
I have gone over the installation for several hours and all I can think of now is to try hpeer's idea and mount it horizontally.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by nonam

I just installed a Racor FPM and its not pumping.It makes a noise but it wont pump.Our fuel line comes from the tank to a racor 500,then to the FPM,then to a SW electric fuel pump,then to the Yanmar.When I switch on the SW pump I hear it pumping and the vacuum gauge on top of the racor 500 shows that it is sucking and fuel flow is evident at the bleed nut.When I switch to the FPM the vacuum gets dropped and no fuel flow can be detected at the bleed nut.
I have gone over the installation for several hours and all I can think of now is to try hpeer's idea and mount it horizontally.

Mine is a DIY system, but is similar to the commercial Raycor unit. I did have to prime the pump initially to get it to start pumping (I used the oil extraction vacuum pump). Its maintained its prime and this step has not needed repeating.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by nonam

I just installed a Racor FPM and its not pumping.It makes a noise but it wont pump.Our fuel line comes from the tank to a racor 500,then to the FPM,then to a SW electric fuel pump,then to the Yanmar.When I switch on the SW pump I hear it pumping and the vacuum gauge on top of the racor 500 shows that it is sucking and fuel flow is evident at the bleed nut.When I switch to the FPM the vacuum gets dropped and no fuel flow can be detected at the bleed nut.
I have gone over the installation for several hours and all I can think of now is to try hpeer's idea and mount it horizontally.

I called Racor and the tech was polite but without help. It was only when I very specifically asked about the orientation that he said the damn thing won't work if it is not horizontal, right side up.

Even with that I can pick up suction but loose it after some hours.

[nonam]

Thats good to know hpeer.I went to the boat today and tried it one more time and it worked.Held the vacuum and I could hear the return trickling in the tank.It ran ok for a few hours so I have left it on overnight.Maybe there was some debris from my installation causing a problem.

[notz]

I installed the Parker fuel polishing system over a year ago. You can see a couple of pictures and the complete description here: Parker fuel polishing system installed - stevem.net

I didn't have a lot of room to work with, and only a 10 gallon diesel tank to deal with. I ended up having a problem in 2008 that caused my engine to stop working - stormy day and big waves that churned up junk in the tank.

I also ended up getting the controller that automatically

The FPM has been working for about a year, and I have changed the filter several times and not had any hiccups or problems with the fuel. Of course, those usually only happen at the most inopportune times.

[Ironhorse74]

I am in the process of designing my own fuel polishing system. It will be a combination of a fuel transfer pump and filter. By adding in a fuel pick up from the day tank and a couple of valves I should be able to polish also.

Way back in the dark ages I was a chimney sweep. I also did air duct cleaning. We used an air whip to loosen the dirt inside the ducts. Here is a video of one in action

Mite-E-Ducts sending Air Whip through Return Air Duct - YouTube

We also used balls like this 860500 - Aluminum Forward Air Blast Replacement Nozzle w/Dual Action Locking Plug to agitate inside the ducts.

My thoughts are to design an extra long in tank fuel return. Make up a fitting and a rubber ball for the end. This will allow the rubber ball to agitate the insides of the tank and hopefully dislodge the scum.

Thoughts?

Brad

[sdowney717]

Thoughts?

How about an ultrasonic cleaning device. Place it in the tank, and the ultrasonic sound waves smash into bits the accumulated crud. then you use the filter and pump to filter it out.

This device would be designed to fit in the tank fill port and have the ultrasonic probe sitting in the fuel.

example of one and how they work
Ultrasonic cleaning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In an ultrasonic cleaner, the object to be cleaned is placed in a chamber containing a suitable solution (in an aqueous or organic solution, depending on the application). In aqueous cleaners, the chemical added is a surfactant which breaks down the surface tension of the water base. An ultrasound generating transducer built into the chamber, or lowered into the fluid, produces ultrasonic waves in the fluid by changing size in concert with an electrical signal oscillating at ultrasonic frequency. This creates compression waves in the liquid of the tank which ‘tear’ the liquid apart, leaving behind many millions of microscopic ‘voids’ or ‘partial vacuum bubbles’ (cavitation). These bubbles collapse with enormous energy; temperatures and pressures on the order of 5,000 K and 20,000 lbs per square inch are achieved

[jr_spyder]

Very cool idea. Love it. I can attest that ultrasonic cleaning works. Back in my Navy days we cleaned jet engine parts in an ultrasonic tank.

I have no idea if it could be applied to a sailboat's fuel tank.

[sabray]

I think your killing something with ultra sonic technology. You need to remove the bi product. Once in the tank if there is crap then you need a filter. I use a single 1000 series racor with 2 micron filter. Treat my fuel use the baja filter if I'm fueling from a marina.
With additive. Where is the ultrasonic device located?

[Ironhorse74]

Originally Posted by sdowney717

Thoughts?

How about an ultrasonic cleaning device. Place it in the tank, and the ultrasonic sound waves smash into bits the accumulated crud. then you use the filter and pump to filter it out.

This device would be designed to fit in the tank fill port and have the ultrasonic probe sitting in the fuel.

example of one and how they work
Ultrasonic cleaning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great idea. Time to do a little research

Brad

[monstads]

anyone else think that "ultrasonic electrical oscillations", "enormous energy" and temperature of 5000 degrees Kelvin sound a bit scary in a fuel tank?