What sort of filter is it? And thoughts on 7 year old batteries

[touchstone]

I have reached that age in life when things that were once simple and easy to do become difficult because I can't get into/get down to place I once could.

I am about to order new oil and fuel filters for the boat.

Giving the job a good coat of looking at, I have noticed that in the fuel line, from tank to engine there is another filter, at least that's what I take it to be. It has a cast aluminum top and body which is fitted to a bracket weld to a bulkhead.I have never had need to touch it before but I think I ought to have a look at it. The lower part of the filter appears to be a bowl, which looking it at it from a distance, is retained in place by a bolt passing through the top of the filter. My other filters, oil and fuel, are spin off cartridge types and this other is definitely different.

Does any one know if the object I have tried to describe has a replaceable filter, within the lower bowl?

As the feed to the filter appears to come direct from the fuel tank shut off valve I assume that before disturbing this "object" it would be prudent to shut the valve, which is another job for a skinny individual.

Any suggestions on what I would need to do to this filter.

 

I know this next bit is off topic, but it is all part of accessibility or the lack of it, My 3 x 120 ah leisure bats have been on the boat for 7 years. They were charged at the weekend and after standing since Sunday night, the voltage reading is 12.8 v. We have a 240 volt fridge, inverter and 12 volt water pump plus lights. Because of their age I am inclined to replace the batteries but would like do a discharge test first. To get the batteries out is a major job (for me). I am wondering taking into account the voltage (12.8) would I be able to get another year out of them?

 

[LoneWolf]

sounds like a water separator/filter - you can drain off some fuel at the bottom to check for water.

yes, it would be best to change at the same time as the other fuel filter

 

I started a thread about this a few years ago but cant find it now, sorry

If you google "CAV filter" you should see some examples

[ditchcrawler]

Have a look at Tony's notes http://www.tb-training.co.uk/13bfuel.htm#bmn48

[kevinl]

Seven years is a good age for a set of batteries all I know about my last set is they didn't look new when I bought the boat and I got another 5 years out of them.

If I were you I'd look at getting some solar power, just 50 Watts to keep them topped up while you're not there would be enough. If you do go for new batteries they should be about £70 each and if access is difficult then I'd be tempted to get maintenance free (sealed) ones saves the need to crawl around checking the levels.

If you need a hand changing the batteries just ask on here you'll always find someone willing to volunteer.

K

[RLWP]

sounds like a water separator- you can drain off some fuel at the bottom to check for water.

 

 

 

If there are no filter markings on it, it's almost certainly a separator

 

Richard

[OldGoat]

Sounds like a fairly standard CAV type of fuel filter assembly to me.

 

Like one of these:-

 

http://www.ssldieselparts.co.uk/filter-assembly-single-filter-assemblies-single-c-267_265_8.html

 

 

I prefer the SFA3 type.

If there's no filter element in yours, then it's just a sedimenter as seen here:-

 

http://www.ssldieselparts.co.uk/filter-assemblies-water-traps-prefilters-c-267_133.html

 

As I started boating many years ago when builders too more care of their installations, most of the boats I based my requirements on had the combined filter / sedimenter type (from the first link above). They are cheap to replace and not that awkward to replace - you need to devise a strategy to make it easy to replace the cartridge if the location is awkward to get at.

 

 

 

 

[touchstone]

Good evening All: Thanks for the responses.

With regards to the fuel filter, I have followed the link posted by "Old Goat" and the description and the picture shown on the site is an SFAS4 Aluminium Sedimentor Unit. The one on the boat looks like that. Is it safe assume I only need to remove the bowl and clean it out?

 

Kevini, good idea about a solar panel I will give this some thought. That would make sense if I decide to take a chance and keep keep the current batteries or change them.

Yes it would have to be maintenance free that's what I think the current ones are.

[bizzard]

Good evening All: Thanks for the responses.

With regards to the fuel filter, I have followed the link posted by "Old Goat" and the description and the picture shown on the site is an SFAS4 Aluminium Sedimentor Unit. The one on the boat looks like that. Is it safe assume I only need to remove the bowl and clean it out?

 

Kevini, good idea about a solar panel I will give this some thought. That would make sense if I decide to take a chance and keep keep the current batteries or change them.

Yes it would have to be maintenance free that's what I think the current ones are.

That filter is in three parts, top casting, middle and bottom and will all come apart once the top centre bolt is withdrawn. Easy to clean out all three parts once apart and no problem but the three units have two sealing rings between them and a seal under the bolt head and you might if the old seals are dodgy, worn and going hard with age need to renew them.

[touchstone]

What Sort of Filter is This?

I have managed to locate a seal kit for this filter and In the next week I hope to have the filter attended to by a very kind helpful chap who will also change the other fuel filter and the oil and lube oil filter too. Thank goodness.

I am still uncertain what to do about my bank of 3 x 120 amp/hour batteries. I have been reading Tony Brooks training notes and applying it to my situation with regards to battery capacity and charging times. My power audit indicates I uses 121 amp/hrs per day. The amp/hr capacity of my domestic bank is 360 amp/hrs. Tony suggests that one should only expect 50% of that capacity to be realistically available i.e. 180 amp/hrs. My alternator is 60 amps. Again Tony suggests that a figure of 50% output is about the average. So that gives me 30 amps. This would equate to a charging time of some 4 hours. With this in mind, trying to convince myself that I might get another year out of my batteries I charged my batteries and tried to get some meaningful voltage reading. The biggest consumer of battery power on our boat is a 230 volt fridge via an invertor. After charging the bank it read 12.7 volts. when the fridge kicked in it dropped to 12.4 volts. After a period of approx 5 hrs with the fridge cutting in and out the voltage had dropped to 12 volts. Later I noted that, still with the fridge running, the voltage had dropped to 11.9 volts. This was the reading with the battery under load, when the fridge cut out (thermostat) the reading came back up to 12.0 volts.

My problem here is I am not sure if my readings indicated that my batteries are past their best and need changing or is there still life in them?

 

Any views on the above please.

[smileypete]

If the batts are in daily use 'off grid', it's good practice to give them a good long 6-8hr charge at least once a week

 

This can be done by engine/cruising, shoreline hookup, solar, genny whatever. As far as voltages go, a steady 'resting voltage' of 12.2V is about 50% charge remaining, so 12.0V isn't great but not the end of the world.

 

Best way to tell when they're reaching full charge is with an ammeter, checking when the charge current at max charge voltage 'tails off' to a steady low level. Something worth having is a £25 DC clamp ammeter, Maplin also do one for £40:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=68151&page=2#entry1351502

 

7 years is pretty good for batts but if they're doing well enough why not keep them. If they're the non sealed type a decent battery hydrometer will tell if any of the cells are getting quite weak.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smtp~

Edited July 15, 2014 by smileypete