Hi, Doug, and list,

On Feb 2, 11:46 am, wrote:
Skip Gundlach wrote:
Instead, I tend to use it mostly when sailing, and any time the sea
state is particularly washing-machine-ish, the better to dislodge all
the old junk on the walls.

Our fuel pump/filter system is not a true polisher, the pump capacity
isn't high enough to set up a scouring current in the tank. However it
has a number of plusses, such as being connected at an otherwise-
unused bottom connection to the tank, and a very effective filter-
seperator on the suction side of the pump.

Our tank isn't structured such that one could have a sump drain, in
effect. However, our filters are on the suction side, and both
separate, so we have that in common...


When first installed, I ran our recirc/filter pump after an afternoon
on choppy waters and saw a large amount of gunk filtered out.... in
fact the differential pressure across the filter got high enough to
stall the pump. I changed the filter element and ran the pump for
another couple of hours and it put a load of gunk the next filter
element too.

Then came a period where we were underway for almost a year, burning
fuel from many different sources, often running on rough water
(stirring up the tank again). The fuel filters elements were changed
about 3 times during that period, and they never showed as high DP nor
as much accumulated gunk. We never had the slightest bit of fuel-
related trouble.

So- a system which is not "the MOST effective" design can still be
very effective.

I believe that the way we use ours is very effective, too, as the
majority of our filtration is when the engine isn't running, but the
contents are sloshing. I think (could be wrong, of course!) that
getting any junk while the engine's not asking for any fuel likely
eliminates most of the potential for our dual Racors to suck up any
junk. FOTM is that I have yet to change a Racor other than
preventatively, so I really can't speak to the experience in extremis!


Of course, not long after installation, I had this wreck which allowed
for about 36 hours of pounding, and, then, on the trip home, due to
only a spinnaker and staysail surviving, a very rolly (about 40* back
and forth) period, I *think* I have most of the crud of nearly 30
years, not to mention the over 3 years of static fuel while we
refitted, cleaned up.

That's good.

Well, the filtration part was good :{))


Certainly, after the first two changes of the wound filters (20 and 10
micron in series), the first of which was truly awful and the second
of which was merely nasty, my vac has not changed at all in the entire
trip this time (from July 11, over 800 engine hours and about 3000
miles).

About due to change the filter elements again?

Actually, I hadn't even thought of it, as when I turn it on the vac
gauge pumps right up to the point it is with a new filter. However,
likely we'll make that change before setting out again in the middle
of the year.

We're going ashore in a month-6 weeks or so for 3-4 months to attend
to birth celebrations, 85 years and new ones, consecutively, before
getting back on the boat to resume.

We expect to go to Maine this time, jumping on the stream and riding
it as far as feasible/practical before getting off and heading for the
right top of the country. Mebbe even Nova Scotia.

So, just before we go would be a good time to do a sea trial, load up
the existing filters, and change them out...


Fresh Breezes- Doug King


L8R

Skip

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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