Fuel (Diesel) Emergency Shut off valve

[Flossdog]

Do you have one? I mean an emergency shut off valve that you can remotely shut off the fuel if you have a fire in the engine compartment. If you do have one, is it in the cabin (obviously outside of the engine compartment) or outside in the cockpit?

Reason for asking is I have a valve at the base of my tank but it is impossible to get at other than through the engine compartment. Have tried to rig up a remote system to turn it off in an emergency but there is so much stuff in the way that I am struggling. What do others have or not have?

 

[Tranona]

The MCA code requires the shut off valve to be easily accessible from outside the engine compartment. How that is arranged will depend obviously on the location of the tank and the run of fuel line. On Bavarias for example the tank is under the bunk in the aft cabin and the shut off valve is on the bunk front, or if it is a 2 cabin with the tank behind the loo on the aft bulkhead of the loo compartment.

Sounds like yours would not meet this requirement so you would have to find an accessible location somewhere in the pipe run.

 

[KevB]

I have two fuel cut off levers in the cockpit by the helm seat. The fuel tank is under the aft cabin bed where the shutoff valves are, connected to the levers via cables.

 

[prv]

I added a valve in the aft cockpit locker when I redesigned the fuel system on KS.

The new boat has a shutoff in the side of the engine box that was clearly added to satisfy the MCA (the boat was previously chartered). It's in a bloody awkward place, though, and came wrapped up in tape to prevent the handles catching on clothes as you slide past (two handles because it closes both supply and return).

Re-jigging the fuel system a bit to make the filter more accessible is somewhere on my list, at which time I will relocate the shutoff to a less obtrusive location, probably with a bowden cable remote control as sold for motor racing.

Pete

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Examples that I have come across: a rod passing through a bulkhead and pinned to the end of the lever of a ball valve via a scotch yoke (slotted T piece rigidly connected to the rod), simply pull the lever and the fuel valve closes, push to open; wire running through guides and exiting in a companionway that when pulled closes the valve (that was on the sea water coolant inlet) and stiff Bowden cable type arrangements like the engine stop lever but connected to the fuel valves. The Bowden cable requires a bracket to secure the sheath independently from the valve for it to work. The advantage of the Bowden Cable and scotch yoke / rod is that they can also open and close the valve. I have also seen on plant diesel tanks a gate valve with an extended rod and wheel to open and close the gate valve.

 

[prv]

Some useful bits for remote shutoffs here: http://www.seascrew.com/browse.cfm?FUEL-VALVES-2---3-PORT-MANUAL---ELECTRICAL&l=0000000767

The chrome one looks like it will open and shut via a push-pull cable, the one below it I think a short upwards pull on the end of the handle will cause it to flip up and the valve to spring shut. Plus control cables and nice little mounting fittings further down the page.

Pete

 

[Flossdog]

Thanks guys, the seascrew site looks interesting. My tank has the cut off valve, gate type, on the bottom of the tank then rubber fuel hose. Would it be good practice if I had copper pipe from the tank valve to somewhere accessible for a new cut off valve, then rubber fuel pipe to the primary filter/separator? Or would a surveyor say this was not good?

 

[Heckler]

Thanks guys, the seascrew site looks interesting. My tank has the cut off valve, gate type, on the bottom of the tank then rubber fuel hose. Would it be good practice if I had copper pipe from the tank valve to somewhere accessible for a new cut off valve, then rubber fuel pipe to the primary filter/separator? Or would a surveyor say this was not good?

Both my Benes have Bowden cables from the valve to a T handle in one of the aft cabins
Stu

 

[catmandoo]

Why no tuse the enging cut off valve cuts fuel off at fuel punp and stops engine and fuwl pumps. Mine is on a bowden cable with knob a t main door

Do you have one? I mean an emergency shut off valve that you can remotely shut off the fuel if you have a fire in the engine compartment. If you do have one, is it in the cabin (obviously outside of the engine compartment) or outside in the cockpit?

Reason for asking is I have a valve at the base of my tank but it is impossible to get at other than through the engine compartment. Have tried to rig up a remote system to turn it off in an emergency but there is so much stuff in the way that I am struggling. What do others have or not have?

 

[prv]

Why no tuse the enging cut off valve cuts fuel off at fuel punp

Because if you have a fire in the engine bay it will happily burn through the pipe upstream of your engine fuel pump and let diesel flood into the blaze.

If your fuel tank is in the keel and has to be sucked up towards the engine then you're probably ok as the fuel will drop back when the hose is breached, but most boats have the tank about level with the engine or a little higher.

Pete

 

[stav]

Funny just tackling this myself as part of the job of new injectors and new fuel filter.

I found these on ebay and wondered about it for a moment but decided i wanted to be in control(ish)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260986330845?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

So went to ASAP-supplies and have bought one of these to give me a valve just out side the engine compartment, provided the kids don't fiddle with it. The handle is 70mm long and 2 1/8" from the end to the centre of the spindle.

http://www.asap-supplies.com/marine/bulkhead-valves

Just need to fit it all now. This valve arrived today after ordering yesterday! Still waiting for the new filter though....

Oh well, good luck with it.

 

[silverdawn]

fuel valve

Do you have one? I mean an emergency shut off valve that you can remotely shut off the fuel if you have a fire in the engine compartment. If you do have one, is it in the cabin (obviously outside of the engine compartment) or outside in the cockpit?

Reason for asking is I have a valve at the base of my tank but it is impossible to get at other than through the engine compartment. Have tried to rig up a remote system to turn it off in an emergency but there is so much stuff in the way that I am struggling. What do others have or not have?

I have a turn of valve which is in the engine compartment but to turn this of I need to remove the engine cover in the saloon
which would feed any fire with oxygen! to make matters worse the 100 litre diesel tank is fitted above and behind the engine
it is a Vetus plastic tank not sure of the fire resistance of this but would imagine if the fire was so fierce to melt the tank I would
be in my liferaft asap. I intend to fit an automatic fire extinguisher in the engine compartment this season to minimize the risk.

 

[Flossdog]

Thanks Guys for your input. Didn't realise that you could get a capillary auto stop for boats but thinking about it, why not? We have the same type of valve on our house oil fired heating. Not sure how you would open the valve again when the fire's out, assuming that the engine would restart! Food for thought.

 

[lw395]

I think you should have a shut-off valve on the tank, in case the pipe gets damaged.
Maybe a bit remote from the tank would be OK, if the take off from the tank is on the top, and all the pipe work is above the tank, so any leak between tank and tap will let air in , not fuel out.
If that is not accessible safely with an engine fire, you might want another one outside the engine compartment.
Also, being able to shut off the pipe between the filter and the engine may make bleeding the system after a filter change a lot easier.

I know of several people who have had 'engine' failure on borrowed/chartered yachts, due to fuel taps vibrating/getting pushed into the off position, so avoid lever taps where off is down or on is up!

 

[nigelmercier]

I found these on ebay and wondered about it for a moment but decided i wanted to be in control(ish)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260986330845?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649...

I have a similar device on my central heating boiler, the valve is outside where the oil pipe enters the house. Could be a good idea.