Water sensor in pre filter ?

What voltage

  • 3v

  • 6v

  • 9v

  • 12v

  • 24v

  • 240v AC ( I’m interested to know if the spark ignites the fuel)

  • No idea, I just didn’t want to feel left out

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DAKA

DAKA

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I am about to upgrade my pre filters to Fleetguard FS1022

Sratapore removes free water and suspended water , they incorporate a water sensor and plug however my boat doesn’t have a wiring harness for a water sensor so I am thinking of DIY a simple buzzer/red led

Does anyone know what voltage the water sensors are designed to sense at ?

I have anything from 3v to 24v available not far away but 12v would be easiest.
 
They are only a float switch with a reed, usually magnetic, much the same as an alarm system sensor, alarm system types are designed to work at 5V DC while automotive items are designed to work at 12 -24 volts.
 
I have always had Racor filters and they work very well providing you check them and inspect the filter element from time to time, they also take a water sensor. I prefer clear bowls in a leisure boat as you can see what is going on.

When I bought last boat Diesel were with clear plastic bowls. Bowls were perfectly clear, no water or crud, I had hunting , fuel restrictions, checked filter clear bowls and no water. Removed filter cartridge and hack sawed old cartridge open . It was rammed full of fuel bug. Fleetguard hold all the crud in the cartridge but you can’t see it or know you have a problem.

Cleaned tanks and system and replaced Pré filters with oversized Racor units with clear bowls and water sensors.

Racor pre filters draw fuel in to the bowl first and leave any water any heavy crud there and pull diesel up and through the filter element. It is easy to inspectthe bowl for water and crud and to lift the filter element and inspect fur crud and bug.
 
The racor sensor is both 12/24 v .Not one or the other .
Like Bandit ^^^ they seem a logical piece of kit .I like them one easy T handle in the lid nice clear bowls with a tap under for draining off .

Its not a float no moving parts , it’s two probes which measures the conductivity or something .,,,water changes this thus it alarms off and triggers a LED .The water settles in the bottom of the bowl after it’s centrifuged the sensors are about 1/2 way up .So a cup full is needed to reach them .
Thinking winter condensation or leaky filler cap O ring ?

How ever having said that in the 5 /6 years I had theses on this boat they never have gone off or I have never seen water in the odd time out of boredom actually drained them off .

Bit like ignition on a car they light up when you turn the key on the dash and go out when running so I know they are live so to speak .

Maybe it’s because I use Startron additive every fill up ? It reckons to disperse water ?
Remember no water nothing microbiological can prosper .
Saw some filler O rings once in a Chandlers so they have been replaced a few years back too .Got 3 filler caps btw .
Guardian in the CdA once sent me a pic of snow on the bathing platform once ...so it can get cold in the Med winters ...rarely .
 
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As itama says simple and reliable, at a push dismantle clean and reassemble .
Simple to change filter elements without re bleeding , that’s about all you can do at sea with a blockage.
 
Bandit said:
As itama says simple and reliable, at a push dismantle clean and reassemble .
Simple to change filter elements without re bleeding , that’s about all you can do at sea with a blockage.
Click to expand...
Thanks to all who replied, I will go with the 12v.
Who voted for 240v AC ?

in the past I have used separ and raccor but prefer FS1000 for changing at sea.
Spin off by hand, new One pre filled with 1L of diesel and it’s done in under a minute no bleeding as it is prefilled
This filter not only removes free water but also removes emulsified water. I just wanted to upgrade to a water sensor because as you correctly point out there isn’t a glass bowl so I currently have to remove 1/4 pint to check.
 
Racor and Volvo Penta pre filters are both made by Racor and parts are interchangeable.
For prefilters on a mechanical engine use 30 micron filter elements.
You can get clear bowls separately from complete units.
 
DAKA said:
Thanks to all who replied, I will go with the 12v.
Who voted for 240v AC ?

in the past I have used separ and raccor but prefer FS1000 for changing at sea.
Spin off by hand, new One pre filled with 1L of diesel and it’s done in under a minute no bleeding as it is prefilled
This filter not only removes free water but also removes emulsified water. I just wanted to upgrade to a water sensor because as you correctly point out there isn’t a glass bowl so I currently have to remove 1/4 pint to check.
Click to expand...
I voted 240v. Someone had to;)
 
OMG! I want to share my stupid mistake!
The reason for my fuel system can't finish prime in the last three weeks just because the switch to select which tank feed which engine is wrong! I followed the label using port tank feed two engines. But the pipe actually connect to my starboard tank which is a empty tank! I just found out this pipe connection mistake today! The label is original come with the boat, buy one of the previous owner/engineer swapped the pipe by mistake between port and starboard. So when seleted port, it actually connecting to starboard!! It took me three weeks to found out because I never doubt this original label could be so wrong !!

I thought the pipe suction too long, so I added a electric pump to prime it, but still not working. So I eventually found the real reason today! Once correct it, prime finish immediately! How stupid is it!!

So, this lesson learned: don't trust the existing label on a used boat! Previous owner/engineer might messed it up already.

Thanks for all the previous input. Learned a lot by trying to solve the problems.
 
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