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Missing diesel

Keeping Up

By Keeping Up
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  • 2 weeks later...
Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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On Thursday the inside of the tank was drained down and pressure washed, then treated with biocide and disinfectant. Three times. This morning it was rinsed out and was found to be full of bug again. Treatment today continued until their machines broke down (like every other machine that comes near us). The filters, which had run for just a few hours after the previous cleaning, were all full of bug as were the pipes and drain-tube. The bug is obviously a type they've not seen before, it has a consistency like a 50/50 mixture of slime and sand; it grows incredibly fast and seems to be resistant to all known biocides. Unless their scientists can grow some culture in the lab and find out what kills it, our main hope lies in them getting their steam-cleaning machines fixed. Meanwhile we've been here for nearly a week and look like being here a few more days yet, but I will say that Sirius Marine Services are being very good to us.

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jenlyn Veteran II

jenlyn

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On Thursday the inside of the tank was drained down and pressure washed, then treated with biocide and disinfectant. Three times. This morning it was rinsed out and was found to be full of bug again. Treatment today continued until their machines broke down (like every other machine that comes near us). The filters, which had run for just a few hours after the previous cleaning, were all full of bug as were the pipes and drain-tube. The bug is obviously a type they've not seen before, it has a consistency like a 50/50 mixture of slime and sand; it grows incredibly fast and seems to be resistant to all known biocides. Unless their scientists can grow some culture in the lab and find out what kills it, our main hope lies in them getting their steam-cleaning machines fixed. Meanwhile we've been here for nearly a week and look like being here a few more days yet, but I will say that Sirius Marine Services are being very good to us.

Starting to sound like someone has infected your tank with something. Perhaps time to think of a new one?

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

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On Thursday the inside of the tank was drained down and pressure washed, then treated with biocide and disinfectant. Three times. This morning it was rinsed out and was found to be full of bug again. Treatment today continued until their machines broke down (like every other machine that comes near us). The filters, which had run for just a few hours after the previous cleaning, were all full of bug as were the pipes and drain-tube. The bug is obviously a type they've not seen before, it has a consistency like a 50/50 mixture of slime and sand; it grows incredibly fast and seems to be resistant to all known biocides. Unless their scientists can grow some culture in the lab and find out what kills it, our main hope lies in them getting their steam-cleaning machines fixed. Meanwhile we've been here for nearly a week and look like being here a few more days yet, but I will say that Sirius Marine Services are being very good to us.

 

This is all very worrying Allan, not only for you but also everyone else. If the bug is so virulent, and nothing seems to be able to kill it off, I would not want to have my tanks polished by the same machine for fear that it might contaminate my tanks.

 

You have not been specific about the brand of Biocide that you have been using, which is fair enough, but are they the people who are investigating the contamination?

Edited by David Schweizer
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Theo Veteran

TheoDonate to Canal World

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Would it be possible to heat up all parts of the fuel system to a temperature that would kill the bugs. Diesel is a poor conductor of heat so it would take some time to ensure that the pipes were heated right to the centre. I am musing on the use of an electric tracer wire wrapped around everything which carries fuel. The steam cleaning should take care of the tank.

 

N

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  • 2 weeks later...
Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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After the chemicals and pressure-washing, Sirius brought out their secret weapon, the high-pressure superheated steam. The tank and all the pipes were then given the steam treatment twice, following which the steam was blown into the tank until it was full to the brim with hot condensate. Apparently every part of the system should have reached at least 110 deg C, it was interesting to see the whole counter steaming where it sat in the river!

 

Eventually the system was reassembled with fresh filters, then a small amount of diesel was put in together with a cocktail of different chemicals. After a test run down the river, this diesel was drained off in case it had picked up any residual sediment, and replaced with more diesel and chemicals.

 

Strangely the (new) diesel joints to the CAV filter were leaking so the yard replaced the fittings and tightened them. Next day after 3 hours running they were leaking again so they came out to us and remade them using liquid PTFE. The following day they were leaking again so they came out to us and remade them using PTFE tape. The following day they were leaking again so they came out to us and sealed them with a sealant/adhesive which will probably mean they can never be undone in the future, but it cured the leaks. I wonder if the various chemicals were adding to the diesel's innate ability to leak from everywhere?

 

So now we've had 48 hours without leaks, and after 5 days the diesel still runs clear from the drain tap. I've changed the filters again and now, with hope in our hearts and more biocide in the tank, we're at Wheaton Aston ready to fill up.

 

ETA So far there's no word of the lab report, that's due later this week.

Edited by Keeping Up
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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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I don't like the sound of that leaking filter saga. It should work through a metal to metal seal, the unions have a tapered end that matches the base of the hole they screw into

 

Richard

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furnessvale Influencer

furnessvale

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So now we've had 48 hours without leaks, and after 5 days the diesel still runs clear from the drain tap. I've changed the filters again and now, with hope in our hearts and more biocide in the tank, we're at Wheaton Aston ready to fill up.

 

 

Where did you fill up last time? Just asking! detective.gif

 

George ex nb Alton retired

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Psycloud Rising Star

Psycloud

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How much has it cost you so far to rectify the problem? I wonder if next time they got a call like this Sirius would go straight for the steamer option (rather than having it as a secret weapon)?

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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

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I think I'd be inclined to get white road diesel fuel 'DERV' from a garage in cans for a while, at least until boatyards which have a high turn over of fuel are found. Many boat yards may have a very small turnover of fuel and most of it has probably been in their tank all winter. I never fill up at any marina or boatyard during or well into the spring. I have 3, 4 gallon Jerry cans and buy it from Tescos or Sainsburys and get me clubcard points.

That filter needs more investigation.

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

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This may, or may not have anything to do with Allans problem, but I was recently talking to someone who used to be in the motor trade, and he told me that not all diesel is the same, even if it comes from the same refinery. Apparently at least one Supermarket chain (he did name them) pays less for their diesel than roadside fuel staions, because they take the fuel which is left in the bottom of the tank after all the main branded fuel suppliers have taken theirs. Of course this will contain a degree of muck despite filtering.

 

Some years ago I also met a diesel boat who was selling at rock bottom prices, and ha told me that his fuel was filtered flushing diesel used to flush out the refinery tanks before they were re-filled with new fuel. He reckoned that old slow revving engines ran fine on it, but needless to say, he did not make a sale with me.

 

I stopped buying fuel from slow turnover boatyards with rusty old tanks on stilts several years ago, and will only now buy from sources which have a high turnover, which of course includes diesel/coal boats, and Marinas with a big hire fleet.

Edited by David Schweizer
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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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How much has it cost you so far to rectify the problem? I wonder if next time they got a call like this Sirius would go straight for the steamer option (rather than having it as a secret weapon)?

I reckon I've spent about £1500 so far. The insurance company didn't dismiss my approach out of hand, so I am hoping they'll be covering it under the "consequences of theft" category.

 

Sirius always do the full set, starting with the cleaning and ending with the steaming, it's one of the reasons I went to them.

I don't like the sound of that leaking filter saga. It should work through a metal to metal seal, the unions have a tapered end that matches the base of the hole they screw into

 

Richard

Nor do I. If it doesn't leak again, it stays. If it leaks again I'll just fit a new filter housing. At least Sirius always came out to us (FOC).

Where did you fill up last time? Just asking! :detective:

 

George ex nb Alton retired

So far this year we've filled up at the ABC hire base at Worcester and at Norbury Wharf (plus now at Wheaton Aston)

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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This may, or may not have anything to do with Allans problem, but I was recently talking to someone who used to be in the motor trade, and he told me that not all diesel is the same, even if it comes from the same refinery. Apparently at least one Supermarket chain (he did name them) pays less for their diesel than roadside fuel staions, because they take the fuel which is left in the bottom of the tank after all the main branded fuel suppliers have taken theirs.

This sounds frankly ridiculous.

 

Most delivery road tankers fill up several times a day. The companies share common gantries, and any any time the DERV drawn by all of them will be getting drawn from a particular tank, that happens to be as full as it happens to be.

 

The system couldn't work if it relied on different retailers only being able to fill when a tank is at a particular state of fill.

 

Anyway it would be highly unusual that a tank is filled from a pipeline, then near emptied before it is refilled, I think. The likelihood is that when a tank is nowhere near empty the next product will be put into it, because the usual objective is to carry many days stock at a terminal, not to run the tanks near empty, so that if there was a supply problem they were in danger if running out.

 

I call the bluff of the person who used to be in the motor trade.

 

Alan, who used to work on the stock control systems for oil distribution depots, and has regularly watched operations at the oil terminals, including the trucks loading......

Edited by alan_fincher
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frangar Veteran II

frangar

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Slightly off topic....

 

I know someone who worked at Fords R & D dept at Dunton in Essex....and they used to test engines using fuel supplied by a garage that was known to be the cheapest in the area by a long way as the fuel they supplied barely made the relevant British Standard. They reckoned if the engines ran ok on it then they would be ok with anything.....he was also not very complimentary about supermarket fuel!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

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