Adding tank pickup / Fuel Polishing System

[MVCaprice]

I have been piecing together a fuel polishing system. So far I have a Racor 1000 series, a Gulf Coast Filter F-1 and a 110v Oberdorfer pump and a 12 hour timer, lines and fittings. It should be a nice setup once its completed.

One area which I am still trying to plan for is around the main tank pickups. I already have 1/2" returns to each tank thanks to a previous owners efforts, but I need to add new pickups or tap the existing ones. In looking at the pickups that are already installed I was considering splitting the the existing pickup that is installed for the priming pump which seems to be a -6 or 3/8" JIC pickup on the main tank and splitting the primary generator pickup which his

-6 or 3/8" JIC pickup as well. While I have the 3 way fittings to split the existing pickups, I am sort of concerned that it will be a large enough line for the polisher and other potential consequences of this setup.

If I wanted to drop in new pickups what fittings are commonly used for this? I assume a brass street elbow with a interference fit copper pickup tube?



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[Cricket]

We installed a pickup in all three tanks for our polishing system, they are longer than the engine pickups so we can get all the way to the bottom, can't remember if we added the returns or were able to utilize unused ports, don't like sharing fuel lines for different purposes, especially with extra vales etc. The fuel polishing system has it's own valved manifold so we can pick up fuel and return it to any of the tanks, also use it for fuel transfer to get all of the fuel out without having to worry about switching the engine supply at the last second. Have a friend that was a steam fitter for nuke plants who can make anything so he took care of the pickups. Only thing I wish we would have added was an inline gallon counter to keep track. As far as the fuel lines just make sure they are matched to the pump capacity. No sense in not going all the way since you're so far into it.

Tell me about you fuel gauge senders, looks like they're nmea2k???

 

[MVCaprice]

Tell me about you fuel gauge senders, looks like they're nmea2k???

Thanks for the advice.

The senders are standard 12v WEMA sensors. I think they may make NEMA 2000 versions. They have been very reliable for us though for sure! They are also very helpful and custom make lengths and calibration curves etc.

 

[MVCaprice]

Got a few more parts for the system.

Gulf Coast filters are no joke!!!

 

[MVCaprice]

Here is my final polishing system layout....for now anyway. I may need to drop a return in the aft tank as well.

 

[MVCaprice]

Here is where i am at now. I still need a couple fittings for the pickups which i hope to finish up tommorow.

 

[MVCaprice]

Well i ended up using 1/2" pipe tees at the generator pickup which has been working ok. There were some old shut off valves in the line that were probably leaking due to age so i removed them.

On other fronts i got ready to start polishing and i found that the old 992 oberdorfer pump was pretty much toast. I was able to find a rebuild kit for around 100$ which included everything I needed to get it back up to par. Unfortunately the 992 is no longer made so I ended up using the N992 kit which only includes an oring seal. The original 992 uses a paper gasket so I made one out of .015 karopack. Good times!

 

[kelpy]

You might want to add a vacuum switch downstream of the Gulf Coast unit to shut the pump off if that sock gets plugged. Otherwise, you will trash the pump seals in a very short time.

 

[MVCaprice]

You might want to add a vacuum switch downstream of the Gulf Coast unit to shut the pump off if that sock gets plugged. Otherwise, you will trash the pump seals in a very short time.

That is a good idea. Also could use a WIF sensor. There is a port for this on the Gulf Coast. Although I suppose with the Racor in line it would in theory just stop the flow via the float ball.

Any brand suggestions for a vacuum switch?

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Ironically I took one out of the mix already, but it was an old rusty tird!