Racor 500 separator filter

[jon and michie]

Hi - would changing from a 30 micron filter to a 2 micron filter give me any problems?
I have a selection of filters at hand 2 of which a 2 micron the others are 20 and 30 microns.

jon

 

[PaulRainbow]

Lower micron filters block easier. If there is no crap in the fuel it therefore won't make much difference.

 

[jon and michie]

Thanks Paul - the fuel system has been clean for the last few years - so am I correct in thinking the worst that could happen is basically a blocked filter and a case of changing it and bleeding the fuel system again

Jon

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks Paul - the fuel system has been clean for the last few years - so am I correct in thinking the worst that could happen is basically a blocked filter and a case of changing it and bleeding the fuel system again

Jon

Yes, might need changing a little sooner than the 30 micron.

 

[scottie]

Perhaps 2 as a primary filter is over fine 20 or 30 is generally regarded as more preferable

 

[john_q]

I have been running a 2 micron on the Racor 500 for many years as the primary filer, suggest you invest in a pressure gauge as it will warn you of approaching problems and save on filter changes. I do 300 about hours a year and the filters last about 4 years between changes and normally I do not have to bleed when I change the filter just top up the filter with diesel, engine filter is the normal one so much courser 30 Microns?

 

[RichardS]

I believe that standard practice is for the primary filter to be the coarser one, say 20 or 30 microns and the secondary, on engine filter, to the finer at say 2 or 5 microns.

Richard

 

[PaulRainbow]

I believe that standard practice is for the primary filter to be the coarser one, say 20 or 30 microns and the secondary, on engine filter, to the finer at say 2 or 5 microns.

Richard

I agree with that Richard. But if the OP has a couple of 2 micron filters kicking around it won't hurt to use them up as primary filters.

 

[scottie]

You could say why bother having any other filters in the system apart from convenience in changing the elements if you put 2 microns as first filter
the concept of filtration is to reduce size of filtration in sequence

 

[PaulRainbow]

You could say why bother having any other filters in the system apart from convenience in changing the elements if you put 2 microns as first filter
the concept of filtration is to reduce size of filtration in sequence

You could say all sorts of things. But, the question was, is it OK to use the two 2 micron filters up in the primary filter housing, rather than waste them. or, will doing so give the OP any problems, what problems do you envisage he'll have if he uses them up as suggested ?

 

[scottie]

You could say all sorts of things. But, the question was, is it OK to use the two 2 micron filters up in the primary filter housing, rather than waste them. or, will doing so give the OP any problems, what problems do you envisage he'll have if he uses them up as suggested ?

Clogging up rather than trapping
Possibly this sounds nitpicking but it can resulting in no flow rather than restricted flow causing engine stoppage without warning

 

[PaulRainbow]

Sigh

 

[superheat6k]

Using too fine a filter and then finding yourself caught out in unexpected rough weather could easily see the pre-filters clogging due to disturbed debris normally settled on the bottom of the tank entering the pickup without any warning and the result the engines stop at the worst possible time.

 

[CLB]

Using too fine a filter and then finding yourself caught out in unexpected rough weather could easily see the pre-filters clogging due to disturbed debris normally settled on the bottom of the tank entering the pickup without any warning and the result the engines stop at the worst possible time.

but in that situation the secondary filter would clog up anyway. I'd rather change a racor filter element at sea than a secondary engine filter any day.

 

[superheat6k]

but in that situation the secondary filter would clog up anyway. I'd rather change a racor filter element at sea than a secondary engine filter any day.

Not necessailly so. The primary filter will allow some but not all smaller particles through that the secondary will then stop, but neither will be so likely to completely clog up. Plus a daily inspection should show a sudden build up of debris in the clear bowl of the Racor, alerting the user to a possible clog occurring. This is the normal principle of multi stage filtration.

 

[CLB]

Not necessailly so. The primary filter will allow some but not all smaller particles through that the secondary will then stop, but neither will be so likely to completely clog up. Plus a daily inspection should show a sudden build up of debris in the clear bowl of the Racor, alerting the user to a possible clog occurring. This is the normal principle of multi stage filtration.

I get the multi stage filtration principle, but i'd still happily change a racor filter at sea, and have done so a few times in the past. I think i'll take my chances. If you have that much crud in your tank, 2 stage filtration is unlikely to make much difference on filters with a surface are the size of a typical mobo engine.

 

[PaulRainbow]

We must all be bored out of our minds with the lockdown.

All the OP wants to do is use up a couple of 2 micron filters.

 

[rogerthebodger]

We must all be bored out of our minds with the lockdown.

All the OP wants to do is use up a couple of 2 micron filters.

Paul that correct but other posters seemed to wish to give the OP further info.

Whats wring with that. Its up to the OP to take what he wants from the posts

Where you have a primary filter of say 20 ot 30 micron and a secondary of 2 micron would be better as it splits the filtering of particle size across 2 filters thus lowers the rate of total blockage

In my case I have added a sediment filter before my primary filter as I was getting blockages due to sediment left in my tanks when my workers failed to clean my tanks properly before sealing the access lid on.