This is a service update sent to me by Crusader Corp. on 10/2006 regarding ethanol in fuel:
This product information update addresses the use of ethanol blended fuel and it's effects on Crusader engines. The implementation of ethanol-based fuel is spreading rapidly throughout the United States. As such, Crusader Engines provides the following information regarding the use of this fuel.
Ethanol blended fuel rated E-10 or less is acceptable to use. Fuels rated higher than E-10 SHOULD NOT BE USED. Ethanol fuels rated higher than E-10 could potentially damage the engine and/or present an unsafe boating condition. Damage to the engine due to fuel rated higher than E-10 is NOT covered by the warranty. DO NOT use any gasoline containing methanol. This very corrosive a will create an unsafe boating condition.
It is important to note that ethanol blended fuel will act as a solvent and will attract and hold moisture. Without proper fuel stabilization and fuel filtration, ethanol blended fuel may cause the following:
- Excessive moisture(water) may cause lean operation to include hard starting and operating difficulties such as, vapor lock, low speed stalling and shortened fuel shelf life.
- Acting as a solvent, ethanol blended fuel may cause gum, sediment, sludge and other particles to be loosened and carried through the fuel system to the engine.
Fuel Stabilizer Recommended for Ethanol Blended Fuel
The use of a commercially available fuel stabilizer, such as Star Tron or Sta-Bil is recommended when storing ethanol blended fuel for more the 2 weeks.
New Fuel Filter Recommendations for Ethanol Blended Fuels
Because ethanol blended fuel will act as a solvent and will attract and hold moisture, Crusader Engines recommends the use of a water separating fuel filter, for each engine, between the fuel tank and the engine.
The filter must be rated for gas use and have a 10 micron filtering capability and a minimum rating of 90 gallons per hour. Water separating fuel filters should be checked frequently for water and contaminants.
WARNING
Accumulation of water and other fuel contaminants may form corrosive compounds that can damage the fuel filter and result in leakage. Ethanol blended fuel may increase this risk. For this reason, annual replacement of the fuel filter, at a minimum, is required to avoid risk of explosion or fire.
Crusader Engines recommends that the fuel/water separating fuel filter be mounted as low as possible, relative to the fuel source, away from heat and easily accessible.
Pflieger Marine Service recommends Crusader part number RA080033 fuel filter assembly. This, as well as the replacement elements, can be purchased at a great price at www.marinediscounters.com .
We were taught that ethanol blended fuel, if not stabilized, will start to break down in 21 days. It will beak down over time to water directly by 10%. If a 100 gallon tank was to be not used through the summer , then stored through the winter, unstabilized, this tank can have 10 gallons of water in it come the spring. I am giving this information to you to help you avoid the problems that I fix on my customers boats everyday.
Pflieger Marine Service prefers the Star Tron product, especially for diesel. The product is less expensive than StaBil and goes farther. For the diesel guys, why spend 20.00 for a water absorber, 18.00 for a stabilizer and then another24.00 for an antimicrobial? The Star Tron does all of this in one product and I sell the 32 oz. size for around 21.00 at www.marinediscounters.com
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Vacuflush F.A.Q.'s
Here some of the most frequently asked questions I get at boat shows and on troubleshooting calls;
1) Why is my Vacuflush pump running very slowly and then trips the breaker or blows a fuse?
answer: Three things usually cause this. Most often someone is using non marine toilet paper or a sanitary napkin being flushed through. What happens is that the non-marine toilet paper cakes in the suction pump bellows. The bellows in the suction pump is shaped like an acordian. Imagine an acordian that had the bellows seems all clogged with something. You could not close it. Same principle, the pump is trying to make the bellows go up and down but it can not go down(or compress) because the bellows seems are clogged holding the bellows at full open. This causes to the electric pump motor to stop turning, and blow the breaker. The fix is simple, Remove top of pump and pull all caked in toilet paper. Also be sure a hole has not been punched in the bellows as this will cause a vacuum leak.
The second thing that causes breaker to blow is simply an old worn out electric pump motor, especially in salt water applications.
The third cause is that the holding tank is full and the vent line is plugged. This happens very often and can be a HUGE mess if not careful. Overflowing a holding tank into the vent line causes sewage to go up the vent line and plug it. If a Sealand holding tank vent filter is installed and the charcoal inside gets wet, it will cake, stopping air flow. All of this causes the tank to be pressurized. The pump cannot pump against the pressure so blows the breaker. Always check for a bulge in the holding tank or listen for air flow coming out the vent overboard before reomving any hoses from the tank.
2) Why does the pump not come on when I step on the peddel to flush and nothing will go down.
answer; Usually this means the toilet is plugged or a hose is kinked. In my extensive travels I have found an epidemic of kinked hoses in 50 ft Searays in the aft head. This is due to poor installation at the factory. The only fix is to replace that hose run.
If the head is plugged, the pump is pulling a vacuum against the plug and shutting off as it is supposed to. The pump doesn't know the difference between a plug or the bottom of the flush ball. It just runs until 9 inches of vacuum are reached and then shuts off. DO NOT USE A SNAKE in the Vacuflush toilets. I use a shop vac directly into the bottom of the bowl first. Often this will pull a plug out of a flush funnel or bend close to the toilet. If this does not work, disconect the hose at the vacuum side of the pump. Do you hear the shop vac in the hose? If not you have found your clog. Now use something to go up the hose(not a snake or anything rotary). I use an old control cable. Poke around untill you break through the plug. With the shop vac running at other end this will pull the plug through while making a minimal mess.
Another thing that will cause this is a tampon stuck in a duckbill valve. Replace duckbill valves if this is the case.
3) Why does water keep runing into the toilet after flush and not stop?
answer; Behind the toilet is a vacuum breaker. These don't go bad very often, usually from improper winterizing. Simply replace the vacuum breaker and this will fix the problem.
4) What is the best holding tank chemical?
answer; I like the "clean & green" product by Sealand. These are drop in disolvable pouches filled with crystalls that smell pleaseing. They come packaged in either a 6 pack container with lip or a 12 pack container, reclosable bag. The thing I like best is that the are not liquid. This meens no spilling or staining. No possibility of freezing and beaking and making a mess. Just drop them in and flush them through. 1 2oz pouch treats aprox. 40 gallons.
5) This one is not just indigative to Vacuflush. Why does that boat smell so bad after all I have done?
answer; Permiated sanitation hose. Grab the sanitation hose tightly with your hand and hold on to it for 15 seconds. Now smell your hand. If that smell is there the only thing you can do is replace ALL the sanitation hose. I highly recommend the use of Sealnd "odorsafe" hose. It is a little more expensive but worth it. Sealand gives a 5 year warranty against odor permiation. Other white sanitation hose can permiate in as little as 1 year. This is not a job you want to do very often.
As always, ALL these products are available on our webstore at http://www.marinediscounters.com/
Happy boating,
Brad
1) Why is my Vacuflush pump running very slowly and then trips the breaker or blows a fuse?
answer: Three things usually cause this. Most often someone is using non marine toilet paper or a sanitary napkin being flushed through. What happens is that the non-marine toilet paper cakes in the suction pump bellows. The bellows in the suction pump is shaped like an acordian. Imagine an acordian that had the bellows seems all clogged with something. You could not close it. Same principle, the pump is trying to make the bellows go up and down but it can not go down(or compress) because the bellows seems are clogged holding the bellows at full open. This causes to the electric pump motor to stop turning, and blow the breaker. The fix is simple, Remove top of pump and pull all caked in toilet paper. Also be sure a hole has not been punched in the bellows as this will cause a vacuum leak.
The second thing that causes breaker to blow is simply an old worn out electric pump motor, especially in salt water applications.
The third cause is that the holding tank is full and the vent line is plugged. This happens very often and can be a HUGE mess if not careful. Overflowing a holding tank into the vent line causes sewage to go up the vent line and plug it. If a Sealand holding tank vent filter is installed and the charcoal inside gets wet, it will cake, stopping air flow. All of this causes the tank to be pressurized. The pump cannot pump against the pressure so blows the breaker. Always check for a bulge in the holding tank or listen for air flow coming out the vent overboard before reomving any hoses from the tank.
2) Why does the pump not come on when I step on the peddel to flush and nothing will go down.
answer; Usually this means the toilet is plugged or a hose is kinked. In my extensive travels I have found an epidemic of kinked hoses in 50 ft Searays in the aft head. This is due to poor installation at the factory. The only fix is to replace that hose run.
If the head is plugged, the pump is pulling a vacuum against the plug and shutting off as it is supposed to. The pump doesn't know the difference between a plug or the bottom of the flush ball. It just runs until 9 inches of vacuum are reached and then shuts off. DO NOT USE A SNAKE in the Vacuflush toilets. I use a shop vac directly into the bottom of the bowl first. Often this will pull a plug out of a flush funnel or bend close to the toilet. If this does not work, disconect the hose at the vacuum side of the pump. Do you hear the shop vac in the hose? If not you have found your clog. Now use something to go up the hose(not a snake or anything rotary). I use an old control cable. Poke around untill you break through the plug. With the shop vac running at other end this will pull the plug through while making a minimal mess.
Another thing that will cause this is a tampon stuck in a duckbill valve. Replace duckbill valves if this is the case.
3) Why does water keep runing into the toilet after flush and not stop?
answer; Behind the toilet is a vacuum breaker. These don't go bad very often, usually from improper winterizing. Simply replace the vacuum breaker and this will fix the problem.
4) What is the best holding tank chemical?
answer; I like the "clean & green" product by Sealand. These are drop in disolvable pouches filled with crystalls that smell pleaseing. They come packaged in either a 6 pack container with lip or a 12 pack container, reclosable bag. The thing I like best is that the are not liquid. This meens no spilling or staining. No possibility of freezing and beaking and making a mess. Just drop them in and flush them through. 1 2oz pouch treats aprox. 40 gallons.
5) This one is not just indigative to Vacuflush. Why does that boat smell so bad after all I have done?
answer; Permiated sanitation hose. Grab the sanitation hose tightly with your hand and hold on to it for 15 seconds. Now smell your hand. If that smell is there the only thing you can do is replace ALL the sanitation hose. I highly recommend the use of Sealnd "odorsafe" hose. It is a little more expensive but worth it. Sealand gives a 5 year warranty against odor permiation. Other white sanitation hose can permiate in as little as 1 year. This is not a job you want to do very often.
As always, ALL these products are available on our webstore at http://www.marinediscounters.com/
Happy boating,
Brad
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