Fuel Priming Bulb As Check Valve?

[CaptainBob]

I've bitten the bullet and bought a lovely Racor Duplex Fuel Filter with gauge. It's now time to install it.

I'm considering fitting it in a cupboard in our wheelhouse so it's easily accessible for gauge checking and filter swapping (which can be done with the engine running with this). The bottom-most point of the filter would then be about 20-30cm above the top-most point of the fuel tanks.

Installation instructions for filter say in this situation one should install a "check valve with light or no restriction".

Wondering if a diesel compatible in-line priming bulb would be suitable for use as both a check valve and also a handy additional manual _push_ priming pump?

Or do they allow flow back?
TY

 

[prv]

I don't know for sure if they allow reverse flow, but I doubt it. They must have a pair of one-way valves to work as a pump.

I have one for priming, just before my Racor filters, and it works well. My filters didn't say anything about a check valve though.

Pete

 

[CaptainBob]

Yeah I installed one on my previous boat and it worked well for priming.

Found this bulb on Ebay from "thornycroftengines" and it claims to have two check valves in it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330613794183

Logically the check valve (I think) is not actually necessary unless you open the top of one side of the Racor duplex unit while that side is selected by the selection lever - but realistically you'd never do that anyway.

A failsafe maybe.

For reference this literature is from a Racor 75500FGX

 

[Caer Urfa]

I've bitten the bullet and bought a lovely Racor Duplex Fuel Filter with gauge. It's now time to install it.

I'm considering fitting it in a cupboard in our wheelhouse so it's easily accessible for gauge checking and filter swapping (which can be done with the engine running with this). The bottom-most point of the filter would then be about 20-30cm above the top-most point of the fuel tanks.

TY

I am not sure about your Racor Duplex Fuel Filter with gauge and understand your 'easy access' reasons, but my personel experiances of fitting any diesel filters 'above' the tank level has always led to problems.

I fitted two filters years ago level with the tank tops and had fuel problems for months until I moved them 'below' the tanks and gravity fed them, then no more problems!

Good luck!

Mike

 

[sailorman]

my filter is some 8" above the tank, once the fuel is bled its no problem.
fuel tank is under the saloon berth