Full fuel tank over winter ?

[Refueler]

No, that is LNG, liquefied natural gas. Cooled to -160C to liquefy it. GTL is producing diesel from natural gas.

GTL is using the Fischer-Tropsch process ....

 

[Cariadco]

GTL is using the Fischer-Tropsch process ....

Oh Dear, here we go.....

 

[Refueler]

Near enough.....

wrong !

 

[Refueler]

Oh Dear, here we go.....

Well you got it wrong ... not me ... so don't shoot the piano player ...

 

[vyv_cox]

Near enough.....

Totally different. Diesel is liquid at room temperature and well above, with something like 10 - 15 carbon atoms in the molecule. LNG is methane with one carbon atom, a gas at just above -160C.

LNG is made by cooling the gas in a massive refrigerator. The GTL process is complex. Not being a chemist I don't pretend to understand it but I have had a bit to do with the huge variety of equipment used, pumps, compressors and turbines

 

[Cariadco]

Double Oh Dear.....

 

[vyv_cox]

Double Oh Dear.....

We understand your embarrassment.

 

[wonkywinch]

Well it takes all I suppose .....

If they really said that .... I can only wonder where they got that rubbish idea from ...

Colour has no part in it.
Temp can slow it - but not stop it.

Stale ? Its diesel !! It has to be pretty bad to stop it working !!

As to additive to use - it depends on what you are treating. If its preventative - then near all will work. If its treating a system that has grown and collected the dead gunge - then you need an Enzyme based....

"Excellent diesel doctor" ???????

I don't have first hand experience of the bug but only called Chris as he came highly recommended. His business is based on cleaning diesel and tanks. He had every opportunity to suck air through his teeth and invoice me for his time. Instead he took a couple of litres of crud laden diesel from the bottom of the tank, explained why my particular boat was not at high risk of the bug (tank colour impacting light getting to organisms in tank). He didn't charge me a penny "no bug no fee". That's why I labelled him as excellent since the industry, indeed world, is full of people who will mislead and charge you for their time.

Why he'd give me misinformation I don't know, although they do say you get what you pay for and my cost was zero

 

[Mark-1]

I don't have first hand experience of the bug but only called Chris as he came highly recommended. His business is based on cleaning diesel and tanks. He had every opportunity to suck air through his teeth and invoice me for his time. Instead he took a couple of litres of crud laden diesel from the bottom of the tank, explained why my particular boat was not at high risk of the bug (tank colour impacting light getting to organisms in tank). He didn't charge me a penny "no bug no fee". That's why I labelled him as excellent since the industry, indeed world, is full of people who will mislead and charge you for their time.

Why he'd give me misinformation I don't know, although they do say you get what you pay for and my cost was zero

Did the crud in your tank look like the images of diesel bug you can find online? Dark grey sludge?

 

[wonkywinch]

Did the crud in your tank look like the images of diesel bug you can find online? Dark grey sludge?

No, it was more like particles and rust/crud from 6-7 years of fuelling. Chris also pointed out the incorrect way Beneteau fitted the access on the fuel tank which supports my other findings in other parts of the boat how things were assembled in the factory.

 

[Mark-1]

No, it was more like particles and rust/crud from 6-7 years of fuelling. Chris also pointed out the incorrect way Beneteau fitted the access on the fuel tank which supports my other findings in other parts of the boat how things were assembled in the factory.

So you most likely didn't have microbial contamination, as he says.

His reasoning seems plausible and in my experience (small sample count) he is broadly right about black tanks and the placement of tanks in AWBs.

So the only controversial bit is "doesn't suffer". Perhaps he slightly missspoke and meant "are slightly less prone to" which seems plausible.

 

[Refueler]

So you most likely didn't have microbial contamination, as he says.

His reasoning seems plausible and in my experience (small sample count) he is broadly right about black tanks and the placement of tanks in AWBs.

So the only controversial bit is "doesn't suffer". Perhaps he slightly missspoke and meant "are slightly less prone to" which seems plausible.

Any 'living organism' is affected by light, heat and various other such as moisture / oxygen etc.

So it is possible that the rate of growth / death of bug may be impacted by dark / cool etc - but it certainly will not prevent it. It is also a fact that one area that is not mentioned is SRB ... Sulphur Reducing Bacteria .... a strain of 'bug' that doesn't give a hoot about it ... but as Sulphur content reduces in fuels - is less seen. SRB does not live in the oil - water interface by the way.

 

[NormanS]

A properly designed fuel tank, fitted with a sump and drain, if used, will not have a fuel - water interface. This greatly reduces the incidence of the bug, or water or dirt getting anywhere near fuel filters.

 

[Refueler]

A properly designed fuel tank, fitted with a sump and drain, if used, will not have a fuel - water interface. This greatly reduces the incidence of the bug, or water or dirt getting anywhere near fuel filters.

As long as a regular routine of draining off is made.

 

[NormanS]

As long as a regular routine of draining off is made.

Obviously.

 

[Refueler]

Obviously.

Only saying ... you know how silly people can be !

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Most yacht tanks, even with sumps, lose the benefit when healed over and riding waves. Any separated water soon mixes up. A sump in a so called “proper” design on a sailing yacht is pointless.

 

[NormanS]

Most yacht tanks, even with sumps, lose the benefit when healed over and riding waves. Any separated water soon mixes up. A sump in a so called “proper” design on a sailing yacht is pointless.

I don't think that you are correctly visualizing a proper sump. With a sump which ideally is deeper than its breadth, and which is drained regularly, there is no way that heeling will lead to water or dirt remixing with the tank contents.

 

[B27]

I think many yavht tanks are 'properly designed' to sit on a flat shelf, because that's a requirement given to the tank maker?

If there's anything worse than having bug in a diesel tank, it could be having a leaky drain fitting at the bottom of a tank?

I don't think an opaque tank helps much, as I've seen diesel bug in stainless tanks.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I don't think that you are correctly visualizing a proper sump. With a sump which ideally is deeper than its breadth, and which is drained regularly, there is no way that heeling will lead to water or dirt remixing with the tank contents.

I just don't think its usefulness is significant in a rock'n and roll'n sailing yacht.