Condensation In Plate Boats

[Brejen]

I am having trouble with water condensating in my palety fuel tank.

I have two water seperators running on the line and am still getting small amounts of water thru to the filter/sensor at the motor.
I have just spent a small fortune replacing fuel elements in the motor including fuel rail damage,diaphrams,etc
It has all been due to rust. I have been changing the filters 6monthly and will be doing this now more regualry. I drain the clear bowls before and after every use and check regualry whilst using the boat as well.
I have nice big loops in the breather hoses so i think the tank condensating is where the problem is happening- thoughts anyone.

Is any one else having same problems and if so what have you done to combat it.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Brett

[robothefisho]

Store the tank full. If there is no air it can't condensate.

[Roughasguts]

Yes you can store the tank full as Air craft do over night to prevent condensation build up, but then you risk haveing a tankfull of old stale fuel if the boat doesn't get used often.

Question your not using E10 are you?

Or if your inventive you could play around with modifying a receiver drier from airconditioning and adapt that to be used inline with your breather hose.

Cheers.

[Chimo]

Hi Brett

Definitely store the boat with a full tank.

Is the floor of the boat above the tank exposed to the sun? If so and you cannot store it under a roof at least use a solid tarp or good boat cover.

Do you have a good breeze blowing thru and under the boat keeping everything cool, seems to help too as well as minimizing condensation in the boat and all that lives there.

Hows it going otherwise?

Cheers
Chimo

[Chimo]

Hi Rag / Brett

I find old stored fuel less of an issue if the tank is full and the boat and fuel is kept cool and out of the sun either under a roof or a good tarp or boat cover plus I have a good breeze outside and run a couple of 240 volt computer fans inside to keep the air moving over the floor for cooling and the other benefits.

Cheers
Chimo

[MyWay]

after fishing always keep the fuel tank full and
if you don't have breather with water trap to prevent water entering the fuel line
.get one or two (have
look photo)
or could be just bad fuel ??

where is your filler cap (check the "O" ring on cap )

[Fed]

Fix the water leak, drain & flush your tank, fuel lines & added extras, fill it up & go fishing.

What is that gizmo MyWay, what's it supposed to do & how does it work?

[lethal098]

if it is condensation there are some chemicals available to combat this occuring, i have the same issue and have found using Fuel Doctor it definately reduces my water build up.

Cheers Lee

[SunnyCoastMark]

Hey Brett,
You say the problems with your motor have all been due to rust. Where is the rust coming from? I would be identifying the source of the rust and replacing. I assume you have an aluminium tank?

[Mr__Bean]

Do you happen to store your boat under a cover (tarp or similar), or in a small shed that doesn't breath all that well?

If under cover, is the tank breather out of the cover whe stored?

Also, is the breather angled back a bit to prevent ingestion of any bow spray?

Darren

[fin101]

I used to have the same problem with my platey and it was a real pain. Never seen one of those condensate traps before, what is the story? Just ordered a new glass boat and am hopeing not to have the same dramas, what are my chances?

[Captain Seaweed]

I run a water/fuel seperator at the motor and a Racor air/fuel seperator. I couldnt store my boat full of fuel as I would start to blow fuel out the breathers with temperature changes. This set up has woked for me.

[MyWay]

[QUOTE=

What is that gizmo MyWay, what's it supposed to do & how does it work?[/QUOTE]

Fed it is breather with water trap to prevent water entering the fuel line.
mate how does it work ??? I don't know :-?
I'm sure someone here could tall bit more about it, or how dose it work
I just heard they are better option than just normal fuel breather
I could be wrong but ,I got two of them on my boat and no problem with condensation
just thought ,it may help Brejen with his problem

[Brejen]

Thanks all so far. I'll try answer all the questions.
I don't use E10.
Storing it full as captain Seaweed says with 300ltrs starts to blow with the hotter days etc. Also I work long rosters in the mines I don't get to use it every break as much as I try to.
The rust problem comes from a bad batch of fuel I got from rainbow beach. I filled from complete empty with new filters etc on. Halfway back thru the bar the smartcraft gauges start going off. Long story but this has led to water way higher up the fuel system than the filters and one of the racors are rusted inside.
Now I always drain any water from the bowls at the end of every trip before parking it up.

The filler I've looked at and the "O" ring looks good but have replaced anyway.

I store it in the open that gets the morning sun till bout 10am but its not straight onto the floor above the tank, then it starts to get shade from there on.Plenty of breeze all round it, mould etc in the boat is not a problem
The breathers are angle slight back and well above the water line but might look at going higher again.
Captain I too am running twin setups and have to say that this has helped that's for sure. I think I will now change the filters quarterly or be pulling them off and checking for rust signs at least.
Again thanks for the replys so far
Brett

[Lucky 1]

My way has got the right idea, and possibly take the loops out of the breathers as well, just in case contaminated fuel is getting sucked back into the tank.
Pretty hard for water to get into those water resistant breathers. They work by using a baffles to make it really hard for water to get down the line. Basically it is a tube within a tube (I assume) with the inner tube stopping just short of the top, allowing vapour out, but no water in.
I have also found since installing it, I have less fuel coming out of the breather when I overfill the tank (as I do).


after fishing always keep the fuel tank full and
if you don't have breather with water trap to prevent water entering the fuel line
.get one or two (have
look photo)
or could be just bad fuel ??

where is your filler cap (check the "O" ring on cap )

[Brejen]

Myway

Just saw that last. Never seen them before. Where you get yours from mate.

[Lucky 1]

Hi Brejen

I got mine from Northside Marine

[MyWay]

you can get them
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=13532&search123=fuel+breather&intAbsolutePage=1

[nautimax]

Fed it is breather with water trap to prevent water entering the fuel line.
mate how does it work ??? I don't know :-?
I'm sure someone here could tall bit more about it, or how dose it work
I just heard they are better option than just normal fuel breather
I could be wrong but ,I got two of them on my boat and no problem with condensation
just thought ,it may help Brejen with his problem
...After reading the posts above, I went and check my boat and found one of these gadgets next to the filler opening but inside the filler cap cavity...it's hooked up to a breather hose (approx 14/16mm dia) that runs back under the floor into the fuel tank somewhere...but I am not sure if it's doing it's job because the filler cap is fully sealed (with "O" ring) when it's closed tight..:-? ...I have since opened a hatch under the c/console and the bilge bung just to let air flow through....hope I don't get any water in the fuel...