Diesel Water Separators / Pre-Filters - Difference between these?

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alt

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https://www.asap-supplies.com/cav-type-fuel-filter-water-separator-302007

https://www.asap-supplies.com/racor-660r10-diesel-spin-on-fuel-filter

Apart from the price?

I never liked the pre-filters on my Cranchi (metal filter that you can clean out) so want to replace with spin-on's that I will just change annually as a part of servicing.

I've NEVER had a fuel issue. We top up direct from a truck and regularly, therefore i'm not interested in the whirly expensive Racors (very scientific, I know!) The main reason i'm changing the whole filter assembly is because I don't like the fact that there's no bowl etc currently.

I'm not a penny pincher, but don't want to be throwing money away either. Should I pay the extra for the Racor? The physical configuration of these suit me as there will be little adjusting needing to be done with the steel fuel pipes (I have steel for coding reasons in Ireland, had to replace the original copper)

BTW, engines are KAD300 so assume the 90LPH is still plenty? The Racor has a higher flow rate (I think 227LPH)

-Edit- Just to add, I realise the size of the ports is different (3/8" vs 1/4" I think) - I need to remove my current filter tomorrow to see what size suits, for a start
 
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Sorry N, I can't help with your main question because I'm not familiar with the filters you linked.
Fwiw, I'd rather have proper centrifugal filters+water separators, but if you never had any problem, well, you might as well do nothing at all... If it ain't broke, etc.! :rolleyes:

Anyway, if you do want to change something, careful about the flow rate:
I don't know what the ratio is on KAD300 (volvopaul surely does, I suppose), but in any diesel engine the total fuel flow is much higher than what you are actually burning.
The rest goes back to the tank, but the filters must cope with the total flow.
For instance, each Separ 2000/18 on my boat is rated for 1080lph, vs. a fuel burn of 160lph at max rpm/power (!).
Knowing the builder philosophy, I suppose that there was a "better safe than sorry" component in such choice, but you see what I mean...
 
+1 on the racor 500 style filter. your KADs will suck up more than they burn and I doubt 90 l/hr will be enough.
the racor style filters will throw off any water you may get and if you use the original OEM racor filter cartridges they have a coating to repel water as well, protecting your engine.

so far you have had no problems with your diesel supplies - that's great but you can't guarantee it won't happen in the future. Diesel is having more biofuel added over the years and that brings more water and contamination issues.
For what they cost, regular oil changes and decent fuel filters are both a no brainer for me.
 
I was at the London Boat Show yesterday and spoke to the rep from Racor on the ASAP stand. I have twin 6 cylinder Perkins with very basic prefilters so I am interested in upgrading to better units.
He recommended Racor 500 filters. They seem like a great bit of kit and the replaceable filters are cheap so no great expense swapping them out once or twice a year.
https://www.asap-supplies.com/eu/fu...filters/parker-racor-500fg-diesel-fuel-filter
 
hello,

going slightly off-topic here, would it be safe to assume that a circa 300hp diesel (old school non-common rail and ecu stuff) would be happy with the flow rate of these 500s? so would 230lph be sufficient for 300bhp?
I have Separ 2000/5 which says 5l/m max so 300lph, never had any probs but only been at wot for a few mins and 95% is pootling along.

Is there a rule of thumb of engine size (and output) vs fuel flow through the pipes (NOT fuel burn)?

cheers

V.
 
Boat2016 said:
I would go for a Racor 500, replacement filters cheap as chips and most places stock them, good all round filter for what you need

Remember that a poor fuel filter is the killer of a good engine, I struggle to understand how boat builders skimp on something so important, that CAV is a definite no

www.asap-supplies.com/fuel-systems/...filters/parker-racor-500ma-diesel-fuel-filter
Click to expand...

One serious advantage of the RACOR 500 is that you can open the filter without tools and change the filter in about 30 seconds. Also, filters come in different micron values. The 500MA comes with an integral heat shield, and as a result is Boat Safety compliant - allowing use of a see-through bowl which is otherwise not permitted under BSS rules.
 
thanks for the replies.

Very good points that fuel rate does not equal burn rate - noted!

After consideration, and measuring, I do agree that the Racor 500FG would be ideal: http://ph.parker.com/us/en/fuel-filter-water-separator-turbine-series/500fg30

Or, the 'Facor' above (fake Racor)

However, from being to the boat today, I note that, as you look at the filters, mounted on the bulkhead:
Port engine: Intake is on the right, Output is on the left
Starboard engine: Intake is on the left, Output is on the right (as pictures of filter assemblys seems to show)

Can this be reversed? ie. Filter housings rotated 180 degrees? If not, i'll have to resort to an assembly that has inlet / outlets on both sides. ie. https://www.asap-supplies.com/racor-6120r30-diesel-spin-on-fuel-filter
 
vas said:
hello,

going slightly off-topic here, would it be safe to assume that a circa 300hp diesel (old school non-common rail and ecu stuff) would be happy with the flow rate of these 500s? so would 230lph be sufficient for 300bhp?
I have Separ 2000/5 which says 5l/m max so 300lph, never had any probs but only been at wot for a few mins and 95% is pootling along.

Is there a rule of thumb of engine size (and output) vs fuel flow through the pipes (NOT fuel burn)?

cheers

V.
Click to expand...

Vas, I believe older engines don't return fuel in the same volumes as later ones (common rail?).

My engines are 260hp each and have KWA50's which have a max flow rate of 240 l/h and they are perfectly happy running WOT. Yours should therefore be fine.
 
alt said:
Can this be reversed? ie. Filter housings rotated 180 degrees?
Click to expand...
I don't think Racor filters can be reversed, but maybe you can buy left/right versions, I'm not sure.
What I'm sure of is that Separ filters can, because they are not handed - i.e. they have both inlet and outlet on either sides (4 in total), and you can choose the combination which works better for your installation.

Most folks actually prefer Racors, because the filter replacement is somewhat simpler, due to their round shape with single lock of the cover - as opposed to the boxed Separs, with four screws.
I also used to be more familiar with Racors, in fact. But now that I've got Separs in my new boat, I must say that there's something to be said about them.
More solid full metal construction, to start with. Not handed, as I said. And last but not least, they are backflushable.
I don't have a link to suggest, but you can easily google for them.

Regardless of brand/model, while you are at that you might as well consider (if there's enough space on the bulkhead) a switch-over system, with two filters for each engine.
This allows you, if a running filter gets clogged or filled with water, to swap to the second one just by turning the reversing valve lever, taking care of the clogged one afterwards.
In fact, depending also on each installation, replacing a filter inside a hot e/r possibly while adrift in some rough seas, can be quite a PITA... :ambivalence:
 
Boat2016 said:
You can rotate a Racor in the bracket
Click to expand...

Many thanks for this info. Wonder if the same is possible with the fake ones linked to above: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182451520385?ul_noapp=true

Again not to be penny-pinching, but if you can get the housing for 1/3 of the price and then just stick in genuine Racor filters, I don't see the issue (given feedback from here and what i've Googled)

-Edit- On the link above, initially I thought the front / rear allen bolts were not square (which holds the assembly to the bracket), but the more I look at it, they do indeed look square so seems they can be rotated 180 degrees?
 
alt said:
Many thanks for this info. Wonder if the same is possible with the fake ones linked to above: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182451520385?ul_noapp=true

Again not to be penny-pinching, but if you can get the housing for 1/3 of the price and then just stick in genuine Racor filters, I don't see the issue (given feedback from here and what i've Googled)

-Edit- On the link above, initially I thought the front / rear allen bolts were not square (which holds the assembly to the bracket), but the more I look at it, they do indeed look square so seems they can be rotated 180 degrees?
Click to expand...

Don't even think about it. I ordered a pair and sent them back because the engineering was so bad. Rough threads and a supposedly straight pig tail that exited at about 10 degrees. The supplied Chinese element was such a loose fit that I doubt that even using genuine Racor filters would ensure that the fuel was filtered properly. A friend fitted a pair, had no end of subsequent problems until he found out that the casting was porous. I know some have found them ok but it is a lottery.
 
alt said:
Many thanks for this info. Wonder if the same is possible with the fake ones linked to above: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182451520385?ul_noapp=true

Again not to be penny-pinching, but if you can get the housing for 1/3 of the price and then just stick in genuine Racor filters, I don't see the issue (given feedback from here and what i've Googled)

-Edit- On the link above, initially I thought the front / rear allen bolts were not square (which holds the assembly to the bracket), but the more I look at it, they do indeed look square so seems they can be rotated 180 degrees?
Click to expand...

Defo can with a 900.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NE...896582&hash=item2a75926a14:g:flUAAOSwBOtZAF8y
 
Boat2016 said:
You can rotate a Racor in the bracket
Click to expand...
Happy to stand corrected, but R U sure?
The last time I checked a Racor installation manual, I'm sure that the diagram only showed the tank side on the right and the engine side on the left (looking at the filter), without mentioning any possibility of rotating the housing.
Whose front and rear aren't symmetrical, as I recall - even if the main body is round.
 
Hadenough said:
Don't even think about it. I ordered a pair and sent them back because the engineering was so bad. Rough threads and a supposedly straight pig tail that exited at about 10 degrees. The supplied Chinese element was such a loose fit that I doubt that even using genuine Racor filters would ensure that the fuel was filtered properly. A friend fitted a pair, had no end of subsequent problems until he found out that the casting was porous. I know some have found them ok but it is a lottery.
Click to expand...

That's good enough for me, then. Genuine Racor FG500 it is then, if I can just confirmation that they can be rotated 180 degrees. Will pop an e-mail to ASAP, they should know.
 
The Racor 500's can be rotated in the mounting bracket so that the inlet and outlet can be on opposite sides. The bracket that holds the cylinder shape of the housing is basically a clamp that grips the outside of the filter housing, when the clamp is loosened the filter housing rotates and can be removed from the boat leaving the bracket in place on the bulkhead.
 
The 'Facor' can be rotated on the mount bracket.

Sad that someone reports bad threads etc, but not my experience of those from Rongsun Headman. Btw 500 Virgin train air conditioners are using Rongsun Headman oil filters on their compressors with nil issues after 5 years, so the quality ain't that bad, and these were only selected after extensive quality testing processes.

Be aware that the elements might not completely interchange with Racor - Racor will fit 'Facor', but 'Facor' elements may not fit Racor housings.

If I were buying today I would go with Facor (again).
 
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