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Replacing or not the fuel pre-filter units

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by rpontual, Apr 18, 2018.

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  1. Pascal, Apr 19, 2018
    #21
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    In all fairness it nition proof is pretty much irrelevant on a diesel boat. There are no fumes

    US certification? Not sure what that is... the USCG doesn't inspect vessels and the guidelines are pretty loose and confined to some basic items ABYC standards are a little more stringent.

    Personally I wouldn't ASSume the builder got it right in every detail. For example look at the recent near sinking of a fairly new Sunseeker 65 off Miami Beach: plumbing failure and inadequate bilge pumping capacity almost sunk the thing I bet the owner thought it was build right
  2. Norseman, Apr 22, 2018
    #22
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Good idea...
    I bought a new 2016 Glacier Bay 2770 two years ago.
    Hired a surveyor for a pre-delivery inspection.
    At the end of the day I had a laundry list with 30+ items that needed attention: A few weeks after delivery and when doing the 20 hr service I gave the survey to the dealer and asked them to start on top of the list and work their way down. Took a year to get every bug worked out. Not inclined to buy a brand new boat again and for the record: World Cat does sloppy assembly and sloppy quality control and I told them that to their face.
    Yes, survey on a brand new boat is a good idea and in my case a necessity:(
  3. rpontual, Apr 24, 2018
    #23
    rpontual

    rpontual Member

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    Based on Ralph's and others suggestion here, I am planing to add WIF to my pre-filters.

    The next step is how. My boat has two Volvo Penta D6-370 engines, all engine reporting functions and alarms are digitally sent to a Volvo/Garmin glass cockpit system. I am guessing that I should be able to add the WIF sensor information to the engine electronics to have the alarm integrated. If you have done this, please chime in.
  4. Capt Ralph, Apr 24, 2018
    #24
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Your going to need the harness pin out. Somewhere is a WIF connect.
    I found the connect for Cummins easy, Labeled; WIF..
  5. wdrzal, Apr 26, 2018
    #25
    wdrzal

    wdrzal Senior Member

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    Install pressure gauges before and after filters, as the filter gets dirty the differential pressure increases when engine is running. When you have new filters in make a chart of pressures @ different RPMs . You could use flow meters but pressure gauges are cheaper and simpler.
  6. Capt Ralph, Apr 26, 2018
    #26
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    The OP has already installed one low pressure gauge. A second one would be ideal but a log of operating pressures is most important. Especially if drawing from the same fuel cell.
  7. Capt Bill11, May 5, 2018
    #27
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Personally, I’d upgrade to at least Racor 900s with clear plastic bowls, reuse the vacuum gauges, add water probes and use 10 mic. filter elements.
  8. Capt J, May 5, 2018
    #28
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    An a/c sea water discharge pumps a ton of water. I know of a Delta over 150' that almost sank right at the dock when it was a few months old when it's a/c discharge piping blew apart many years back.

    I've switched over to 10 microns in the racors on EVERYTHING. Seems the newer low Sulphur diesel the particles are smaller and go right past 30 micron racors. On 3 different almost new yachts I've dealt with in the past 3 years, the racors (30 micron) looked very clean and the secondaries were so packed the motors wouldn't get the boats on plane or barely on plane
  9. Capt Bill11, May 5, 2018
    #29
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    That’s a vacuum gauge in the picture I believe.
  10. rpontual, May 5, 2018
    #30
    rpontual

    rpontual Member

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    I decided, at least for now, to:

    1) keep using the 10 microns pre-filter
    2) use two vacuum gauges (1 per filter)
    3) add water probes

    I found Volvo water probes with the needed cable to integrate with the glass cockpit that I already have. This way I have two levels of monitoring per engine (pre-filter plus engine filter, both with water probes).

    Thank you for helping,

    Romulo
  11. Capt Ralph, May 5, 2018
    #31
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Usually vacuum = low pressure.
  12. Capt J, May 5, 2018
    #32
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    If you don't get water in your primary fuel water separator. Chances are you won't have it in your secondary. The secondary water probes are overkill IMO.
  13. rpontual, May 6, 2018
    #33
    rpontual

    rpontual Member

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    The pre-filters were installed by the yacht builder. The "secondary" were installed by Volvo as part of the engine. They do have water in fuel sensor (I verified it). I adding sensors to the pre-filters because I want to prevent water from getting to the engine filters.
  14. Capt Ralph, May 6, 2018
    #34
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Racors were not suppose to pass water. A couple of years ago I found that suspended water in the fuel will pass thru a Racor element.
    WIF sensors on the primary AND secondary fuel filters is a great CYA installation.
  15. Capt Ralph, May 6, 2018
    #35
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I'm on the fence about a 10mic primary.
    Since your secondary is usually 5 to 7 mic, a 10mic primary will restrict sooner and not allow the filters to stage down the debris as per design.
    If your concerned a 30mic primary will let more debris thru and clog the secondary quicker, my next response is, what filter is easier to service;
    usually the spin on secondary,, you don't have to drain the secondary first to change it.

    A low pressure (vacuum) gauge after the secondary is a good idea also in troubleshooting the filters.
  16. rpontual, May 6, 2018
    #36
    rpontual

    rpontual Member

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    I am using 10 mic pre-filter and my secondary is a 2 mic filter. The raccor pre-filter is very easy to replace and safer if engine is hot. Thank you!
  17. Capt Ralph, May 6, 2018
    #37
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Good plan then.
  18. Capt Bill11, May 6, 2018
    #38
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    That is true. :)
  19. Capt J, May 6, 2018
    #39
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    A racor is by far easier. I can change one in 30 seconds without draining it, don't have to fill it with diesel before putting it on and don't need a filter wrench. I've had 3 yachts that the 30 microns looked almost crystal clean and the secondaries were so packed the boats wouldn't get on plane and these yachts were all less than a year old. I use 10 microns in all racors now.
  20. Pascal, May 6, 2018
    #40
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I replace the 30 micron racors and Cat secondaries every 200 hours. The racors show some dirt trapped in but, knock on wood, never has an issue

    A good upgrade is to have double racors so you can switch on the fly. Probably not worth it on boats used locally but if you spend a lot of time offshore they re worth it.
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