I've got a 17 year old Catalina 36. Earlier this year, I had to
replace the fuel tank due to a pinhole leak in the bottom. I pumped
all the fuel into 6-gallon fuel cans and noticed no "crud" in the fuel,
nor on the bottom of the tank (now replaced).

The boat has never had biocide in the tank and has never had the fuel
polished. I do keep the tank as full as possible during the winter
months to minimize condensation in the tank and replace both fuel
filters once a year. Never had a problem.

But I have talked with people on the dock that swear by biocide because
they have never had a problem with their fuel. I guess it's the
placebo effect.

dudley
..
Fred Miller wrote:
"Skip Gundlach" wrote in message
ups.com...
So, I'm at the point of doing my fuel system, as the mechanic is coming
Saturday to do the servicing of the engine and align the tranny with
me.

At the St. Pete Strictly Sail last week, I saw a presentation on "fuel
polishing" which was really a pitch for Algae-X. The rep claimed that
Cummins diesels now puts them on all their engines after convincing
proof following too many clogged-filter episodes, and that the CG uses
them on all their ships (which the website doesn't validate, though
there is a testimonial from a Coastie and a Cummins guy).

Visiting the website provides some interesting testimonials, including
a nice pictorial by a dual tank, dual engine, tester. Testimonials
include several large users. Sunsail was among them, and I have a
question in to my Sunsail contact in Tortola - if it's real, despite
there being no reference to it on their website, I think I'd buy it.
However...

Of concern, nearly all the successful users also cited adding some fuel
treatment to the system - thus, I don't know if that's at root of the
success, or, if the assertions of the magnetic system breaking up the
clumped stuff (claimed to be asphalts, paraffins, and other long-chain
un-distillates), which then burns (vs collecting on the filters, being
discarded, losing energy from those otherwise broken-up and now
combustible stuff in the process). Many of them also cited several
tankfuls before reaching equilibrium, which might merely be new fuel.
However, one of the typical citations is reduced injector
loss/increased time between change/service, and in some cases, zero
filter change (one of the points made in the presentation's ostensibly
technical presentation was that what clogs filters is asphalts, etc.
and that microorganisms, if not precipitated from dead critters, passes
through filters and is burned) following initial "polishing").

Googling Algae-X and other key words led to a government site which had
done much magnetic (and other mileage-enhancing) gadget testing
(albeit, since it was auto oriented, prolly for gas engines), and found
no benefit to them. That it was relevant to mileage claims (vs
contaminant elimination) further leads me to at least partly discount
that.

There's also a Navy site which addresses additives, but not
"conditioners" such as Algae-X.

Of course, much hyperbole exists, with the emphasis on "hype," in the
anecdotal repertoire of the internet. Lots of heat and little light.
Not the first user report (that I found, at any rate) other than on the
company website. Plenty of non-users slamming it.

So, to the point. Who here has installed Algae-X and with what result?
If positive, neutral or negative, how was that view reached?
Empirical? Gut feel? Some data? Rigorous documentation?

So, again, if you've (or, your best buddy, on whose boat you're a
regular and intimately familiar with the outcome) installed this, I'd
like to hear about it.

At the risk of sounding pedantic (well, I _do_, so, "at the risk of
offending those who object"), please, no hype, or slams unless you've
used it to failure. Also, please don't reply unless you're one of the
folks in the preceding paragraph or asking clarifying questions.
Nobody will learn anything from that and it will be one of those 90+
message threads which has only 5 on point. I'm currently very short on
time and can't afford to wade through the mudslinging...

Thanks.

Other interested parties may wish to examine
http://www.algae-x.net/test_reports.htm, their test reports, and
http://www.algae-x.net/customers_marine_endorsement.htm, including the
pictorial mentioned above, titled "snake oil chronicles." I'm not sure
I like his testing modus, but it's pretty good for non-lab work. A
discussion of why this is supposed to work can be found at
http://www.algae-x.net/pdf/Tech_P_Effects_Mag_Field.pdf There's also
a report by a lab, taking a known contaminated fuel batch, showing the
kind of results claimed by the company, but at this writing I'm not
easily able to put my hands on it...

L8R

Skip, also fighting a fuel leak which will most likely involve cutting
the sole - and then, some horrible-to-contemplate resolution in the FRP
tank

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain


I purchased new in 1996 a twin diesel cruiser (Cummins 420 Diamond Edition)
and put approximately 60 hours a year on it over the next 10 years (doesn't
sound like much but at 20 knots that is give or take 1000+ miles each year).
From my initial fill up I added the proper amounts of preservative/biocide
(Biobor and others). After three years I experienced severely clogged fuel
filters (black gunky stuff). Subsequently had the fuel polished and (at the
recommendation of the local Cummins distributor) installed Algae-X filters
on both main engine fuel lines while continuing the biocide/preservative
addition at EVERY fuel fill up. No subsequent problems were experienced.
Boat is on the Great Lakes and sits in indoor heated storage @ 50 degrees F
for 6 months a year; probably ideal conditions for biological growth and
"molecular agglomeration".

On 13 Nov 2006 13:17:36 -0800, "dudley"
wrote:

But I have talked with people on the dock that swear by biocide because
they have never had a problem with their fuel. I guess it's the
placebo effect.

What ever works for you.

There seems to be a consensus among the "experts" that if you use the
engine regulary the fuel is more likely to stay clean, probably
because your engine is recirculating it through the filters on a
regular basis. The folks who seem to have the most problems are those
with large tanks and irregular usage.

Because you have had no problems after cleaning the fuel installing new
filters and an Alge-X does not in any way mean that it works. It just
means cleaning the fuel and replacing the filters worked. Its like the
diet pills that say "Taken with a sensible diet and regular exersise
you will loose weight." OK, now try it with out taking the pill and
see what happens.

As a physicist, I say "Balder Dash"

Lets hear from all those people out there that have NO ALGE-X
installation that also have NO problems.

The original post wanted to hear only from those that had installed the
thing. This is how you skew a study if that is what you want. But if
you want truth you need to hear from the 95% who dont use it and dont
have problems as well as the 5% that do use it and dont have problems.

It is all an outgrowth of the myth in the 1930s that your car would get
better fuel mileage with a "cow magnet" strapped to the gas line.

I would say "real world, first person", includes me who have been
boating for 40 years with no fuel problems and NO ALGE-X Thats "real
world" as well as the people who use it.

"jim.isbell" wrote in message
oups.com...

Because you have had no problems after cleaning the fuel installing new
filters and an Alge-X does not in any way mean that it works. It just
means cleaning the fuel and replacing the filters worked. Its like the
diet pills that say "Taken with a sensible diet and regular exersise
you will loose weight." OK, now try it with out taking the pill and
see what happens.

As a physicist, I say "Balder Dash"

Lets hear from all those people out there that have NO ALGE-X
installation that also have NO problems.

The original post wanted to hear only from those that had installed the
thing. This is how you skew a study if that is what you want. But if
you want truth you need to hear from the 95% who dont use it and dont
have problems as well as the 5% that do use it and dont have problems.

It is all an outgrowth of the myth in the 1930s that your car would get
better fuel mileage with a "cow magnet" strapped to the gas line.

I would say "real world, first person", includes me who have been
boating for 40 years with no fuel problems and NO ALGE-X Thats "real
world" as well as the people who use it.


I wear a pendant watch as a protection against attack from Bengal Tigers. It
must work, as I have never even SEEN a Bengal Tiger while wearing my watch.
:-^

On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:06:51 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

I wear a pendant watch as a protection against attack from Bengal Tigers. It
must work, as I have never even SEEN a Bengal Tiger while wearing my watch.

Obviously you should keep wearing that watch. There have been some
positive reports about Algae-X from intelligent people who claimed to
have tried other things first with no success. Who knows? The impact
of electromagnetic forces on biological organisms is poorly inderstood
if at all, but right now there is no scientific proof. That's why I
told Skip that the jury is still out instead of flat out claiming no
benefit. I also think that it can't hurt, so if you have already done
the other important things and don't mind shelling out a few bucks,
what the heck.

I disagree with the statement it can't hurt. It could end up fouling
injectors or clogging them or making seals start to leak, it could have
problems with fuel pump as well.
Until this has all been checked out in a study and documented by some
recognized testing agency I wouldn't dare put that stuff in my fuel.
"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:06:51 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

I wear a pendant watch as a protection against attack from Bengal Tigers.
It
must work, as I have never even SEEN a Bengal Tiger while wearing my
watch.

Obviously you should keep wearing that watch. There have been some
positive reports about Algae-X from intelligent people who claimed to
have tried other things first with no success. Who knows? The impact
of electromagnetic forces on biological organisms is poorly inderstood
if at all, but right now there is no scientific proof. That's why I
told Skip that the jury is still out instead of flat out claiming no
benefit. I also think that it can't hurt, so if you have already done
the other important things and don't mind shelling out a few bucks,
what the heck.

"Chi Chi" wrote in message
et...
I disagree with the statement it can't hurt. It could end up fouling
injectors or clogging them or making seals start to leak, it could have
problems with fuel pump as well.
Until this has all been checked out in a study and documented by some
recognized testing agency I wouldn't dare put that stuff in my fuel.

Algea-X doesn't go into the fuel. The fuel goes through the Algea-X. It
cannot contaminate the fuel, it's just a magnetic field. Could it help? Bog
only knows. But it can't hurt.