Fuel colour - diagnostic value ??

[Portofino]

I had a slight list since I had the boat to stb .
We have 3 diesel,tanks
2=main 800 L each for an engine connected with a balance pipe cocked at both ends .
There’s also a optional long range tank of 600 L stb to the stb engine cocked at both ends .

Sight glasses on the mains as well as gauges on the dash ( for what use they are )
No guage or sight glass on the LRT .
Tapping the mains and looking at the level in the sight you hear a dull thud below and a hollow sound above .
Tapping the LRT it’s dull thud right up just 10 cm from the top,90 cm tall .
So I think it’s full .
Last time it was used was on the Del trip Nov 14 ?

600 L sat as far outboard as poss probably accounts for the list .

Thing is what do I do with it ?
I have tried to pass a pipe ( various sizes btw ) down the filler to access the LRT contents - it’s only goes as far as the “ deck anti spill device “;

So I though could test it ? With a view to allowing to mix into the stb main , ie open the cocks to let it drain down , it’s a bit higher and relies on gravity to drain .



Managed to pull the connection pipe off ( connects LRT to stb only ) and drain some off .
Last night poured a bottle of Startron in - reckons to disperse water etc .

Here’s the results 6 hrs or so later - small bottle is the pipe contents initially, large the next 2 L

It’s yellow but not cloudy or zero black specs / bugs etc


View attachment 71717

View attachment 71716

https://imgur.com/a/gKr0d3v

 

[petem]

I'm no expert but it looks alright to me! Certainly good enough to mix with your fresh fuel and consume it that way.

 

[burgundyben]

As long as your filtration is good and you have spare elements on board, I'd just go for a blat and burn it off.

Diesel nothing like as volatile as petrol.

 

[Portofino]

View attachment 71719

Thx chaps , this is this AM so approx 24 hrs .
Smaller bottle is the first draw ,unless it’s the differing plastic ( milk vs water bottle ? ) - the larger 2L ,second draw looks fine .

It probably would have had some fuel stabiliser put in for the winter 14/15 ? Startron ,and then another dose from me 24 hrs before drawing off .

So the plan is to gradually feed it into the stb main may be 200 L at a time and mix it with fresh
Try and empty as much as poss the approx 500 kgs hanging out there .
Then will open up the racor change over the filter and closely examine the paper element for specs / dirt etc .
I know we all get a bit paranoid about fuel hygiene etc. , the guys and guardians down here tell me it’s a none issue .Never gets cold enough long enough for water condensation, they did not understand when I first arrived why I wanted to fill up over the winter .Now I don,t bother .
Also there’s a high turn over at the fuel pontoons around here - popular hobby

 

[Portofino]

As long as your filtration is good and you have spare elements on board, I'd just go for a blat and burn it off.

Diesel nothing like as volatile as petrol.

Update the 3/12 year old but “ Startroned “ diesel just burned off through the stb engine like normal .
I isolated port n stb and added new to port to top up and some new 200 L into the combined stb / long range .
Checked all the parameters while running fwiw ? on the MMDS they were identical.
Racor bowls look identical- clear too .