Roger Long wrote:


I'm thinking that filter changes, in the absence of picking up some problem
fuel, should be a function of the total amount of fuel that flows through
the filter and not an automatic once a year thing. I'd like to know what
experience other sailboat owners have had, recognizing that hotter climates
and fuel from funkier places than Portland, Maine might dictate more
frequent changes.


Close, but no cigar, Roger.

It's not the passage of time or the
volume of fuel that passes through the
filter, but the amount of clogging the
filter experiences as it does its job
and filters out whatever is in the fuel.
Not always evident from a visual peek at
the filter.

The technically correct strategy is to
place a simple, cheap (~$10) vacuum gage
in the fuel line. The more clogged the
filter, the greater the vacuum created
as the pump tries to move fuel through
the filter.

The gage will tell you when its time to
change the filter(s) (well, if you have
multiple filters, it won't tell you
which one(s) unless you use multiple
gages, which is a move away from KISS).
So just assume if the gage says clogged,
you should change them all. How often do
we want to smell up the boat, anyway?

Here's an example from the automotive
diesel field:

http://www.thedieselpage.com/reviews/jkfuelpressure.htm
TheDieselPage.com - Kennedy Diesel Fuel
Pressure Gauge - Product Review

And here's a BoatUS link:

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/33.htm
Fuel System Maintenance by Don Casey

All toward having clean fun!

Chuck



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