Friday, 24 June 2022
Monday, 13 March 2017
Spring is around the corner
Hello everyone,
Spring has sprung and we are promoting a 20% discount to our boating community through our FB page and I wanted to let everyone know that if you click on this link you can get a COUPON to use this summer while you are cruising the BC Coast - We do business in BC so we cannot come to you in WA or the USA or the REST OF CANADA - wherever you might be so there are some limitations that you need to be aware of.
It is a good deal though if you are cruising the BC Coast along the Inside passage this summer and could save you lots of money and it is always nice to feel safe.
Losing power because your fuel tank is dirty is very scary. I know because we are boaters too and we have taken on bad fuel from time to time and got stuck out in the middle of the straight - we always keep extra filter onboard so that we can make it back to a dock!
Bad fuel in your tanks is not safe! Get the Coupon!
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
What is Cetane and Octane Testing - How does it relate to Fuel Polishing?
Cetane & Octane Fuel Testing Services
Octane
A gasoline's octane number is a measure of its ability to resist knocking as it burns in the combustion chamber of an engine. A spark from the spark plug starts normal combustion. The flame travels across the combustion chamber rapidly and smoothly until all the fuel is consumed. Abnormal combustion occurs when part of the fuel/air mixture ignites spontaneously and burns very rapidly, causing the pressure to rise suddenly. This results in a metallic knocking or pinging sound. A gasoline's ability to resist knocking is called its anti-knock quality. The octane number of a gasoline indicates the anti-knock quality of the fuel. A gasoline's octane number is determined by comparing its resistance to knocking to the performance of reference fuels in a test engine
Cetane
The cetane number is one of the most commonly cited indicators of diesel fuel quality. It measures the readiness of the fuel to auto ignite when injected into the engine. It is generally dependent on the composition of the fuel and can impact the engine’s start ability, noise level, and exhaust emissions.
In short, the higher the cetane number the more easily the fuel will combust in a compression setting (such as a diesel engine). The characteristic diesel "knock" occurs when the first portion of fuel that has been injected into the cylinder suddenly ignites after an initial delay. Minimizing this delay results in less unburned fuel in the cylinder at the beginning and less intense knock. Therefore higher-cetane fuel usually causes an engine to run more smoothly and quietly. This does not necessarily translate into greater efficiency, although it may in certain engines.
In Europe, diesel cetane numbers were set at a minimum of 38 in 1994 and 40 in 2000. The current standard for diesel sold in European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland is set in EN 590, with a minimum cetane index of 46 and a minimum cetane number of 51. Premium diesel fuel can have a cetane number as high as 60.[2]
In North America, most states adopt ASTM D975 as their diesel fuel standard and the minimum cetane number is set at 40, with typical values in the 42-45 range. Premium diesels may or may not have higher cetane, depending on the supplier. Premium diesel often use additives to improve CN and lubricity, detergents to clean the fuel injectors and minimize carbon deposits, water dispersants, and other additives depending on geographical and seasonal needs.[citation needed]. California diesel fuel has a minimum cetane of 53.[3]
CETANE Ratings in Canada
Claim to EXCEED the minimum requirements:
45 - 52 Petro Canada
45 - 50 Sunoco Gold
45 - ?? Shell V-Power
45 - 50+ Autogas/Cascadia Biofuels (British Columbia)
42 - 45 Husky's DieselMax
41 - 43.5 Red River Co-op Co-op EP3000 Summer cetane is 46.5, winter is 44.0.
Fuel Polishing
How does fuel polishing affect fuel values?
Cleaning the fuel removes the impurities and improves the combustability of fuel.
After fuel polishing the Cetane and Octane levels will be much higher than before polishing.
Test Pricing – With fuel polishing ………………….$ 150.00 per test + gst
Cetane/Octane Test with labour …………………….$ 600.00 + gst ( This includes obtaining the sample on site)
CAll Us At 1 888 713 1090 to discuss Cetane or Octane testing on your site.
Octane
A gasoline's octane number is a measure of its ability to resist knocking as it burns in the combustion chamber of an engine. A spark from the spark plug starts normal combustion. The flame travels across the combustion chamber rapidly and smoothly until all the fuel is consumed. Abnormal combustion occurs when part of the fuel/air mixture ignites spontaneously and burns very rapidly, causing the pressure to rise suddenly. This results in a metallic knocking or pinging sound. A gasoline's ability to resist knocking is called its anti-knock quality. The octane number of a gasoline indicates the anti-knock quality of the fuel. A gasoline's octane number is determined by comparing its resistance to knocking to the performance of reference fuels in a test engine
Cetane
The cetane number is one of the most commonly cited indicators of diesel fuel quality. It measures the readiness of the fuel to auto ignite when injected into the engine. It is generally dependent on the composition of the fuel and can impact the engine’s start ability, noise level, and exhaust emissions.
In short, the higher the cetane number the more easily the fuel will combust in a compression setting (such as a diesel engine). The characteristic diesel "knock" occurs when the first portion of fuel that has been injected into the cylinder suddenly ignites after an initial delay. Minimizing this delay results in less unburned fuel in the cylinder at the beginning and less intense knock. Therefore higher-cetane fuel usually causes an engine to run more smoothly and quietly. This does not necessarily translate into greater efficiency, although it may in certain engines.
Typical values
Generally, diesel engines operate well with a CN from 40 to 55. Fuels with higher cetane number have shorter ignition delays, providing more time for the fuel combustion process to be completed. Hence, higher speed diesel engines operate more effectively with higher cetane number fuels.In Europe, diesel cetane numbers were set at a minimum of 38 in 1994 and 40 in 2000. The current standard for diesel sold in European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland is set in EN 590, with a minimum cetane index of 46 and a minimum cetane number of 51. Premium diesel fuel can have a cetane number as high as 60.[2]
In North America, most states adopt ASTM D975 as their diesel fuel standard and the minimum cetane number is set at 40, with typical values in the 42-45 range. Premium diesels may or may not have higher cetane, depending on the supplier. Premium diesel often use additives to improve CN and lubricity, detergents to clean the fuel injectors and minimize carbon deposits, water dispersants, and other additives depending on geographical and seasonal needs.[citation needed]. California diesel fuel has a minimum cetane of 53.[3]
CETANE Ratings in Canada
Claim to EXCEED the minimum requirements:
45 - 52 Petro Canada
45 - 50 Sunoco Gold
45 - ?? Shell V-Power
45 - 50+ Autogas/Cascadia Biofuels (British Columbia)
42 - 45 Husky's DieselMax
41 - 43.5 Red River Co-op Co-op EP3000 Summer cetane is 46.5, winter is 44.0.
Fuel Polishing
How does fuel polishing affect fuel values?
Cleaning the fuel removes the impurities and improves the combustability of fuel.
After fuel polishing the Cetane and Octane levels will be much higher than before polishing.
Test Pricing – With fuel polishing ………………….$ 150.00 per test + gst
Cetane/Octane Test with labour …………………….$ 600.00 + gst ( This includes obtaining the sample on site)
CAll Us At 1 888 713 1090 to discuss Cetane or Octane testing on your site.
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
Life As We Know It
My husband and I have been in the Fuel Tank Cleaning business together for more than 25 years. We now own a company called Fueltration Tank Cleaning and Services Inc.
This past year has been one of the most difficult for us and not because of the business but because of a loss in the family.
On May 10, 2015 around 6 AM (yes, Mothers Day) in the morning my son Ward O'Connor, my youngest of three children was mauled by a bear in Mackenzie BC and killed. It was all over the news. He was only 27 years old.
We were as usual working on a boat tank, under a deadline so that a mariner could go out for the weekend when we got the call. It changed everything in my life.
I can only speak to my feelings but I know Howard is having a rough time too.
Grief does not travel in a straight line. It is truly a wave that can over whelm you at any minute. Even as I type this I can feel it start to climb in my heart. At least where my heart used to be.
My son was an important person. He was a friend to his two sisters, he was an employee, business partner, and my baby. He was a partner, employee, ex employee, friend, son and all sorts of things to my ex husband Danny O'Connor. He was a confidant, lover, partner and soon to be married to Jami Wallace, his fiancee. He was a kind, loving, upbeat, positive and all around fun and nice guy to his friends - of whom there are many.
We all miss him in our own way every day.
I just wanted to share a little of my life instead of just the business end of our business.
Thanks
Elizabeth (Ann) Smith,
This past year has been one of the most difficult for us and not because of the business but because of a loss in the family.
On May 10, 2015 around 6 AM (yes, Mothers Day) in the morning my son Ward O'Connor, my youngest of three children was mauled by a bear in Mackenzie BC and killed. It was all over the news. He was only 27 years old.
We were as usual working on a boat tank, under a deadline so that a mariner could go out for the weekend when we got the call. It changed everything in my life.
I can only speak to my feelings but I know Howard is having a rough time too.
Grief does not travel in a straight line. It is truly a wave that can over whelm you at any minute. Even as I type this I can feel it start to climb in my heart. At least where my heart used to be.
My son was an important person. He was a friend to his two sisters, he was an employee, business partner, and my baby. He was a partner, employee, ex employee, friend, son and all sorts of things to my ex husband Danny O'Connor. He was a confidant, lover, partner and soon to be married to Jami Wallace, his fiancee. He was a kind, loving, upbeat, positive and all around fun and nice guy to his friends - of whom there are many.
We all miss him in our own way every day.
I just wanted to share a little of my life instead of just the business end of our business.
Thanks
Elizabeth (Ann) Smith,
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
An Excerpt from the book "Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Repair by Nigel Calder
"A fuel injection pump is an incredibly precise piece of equipment. The plungers in a jerk pump are machined to within 0.00004'' of the cylinder bores into which they fit. Unlike the pistons in the engine, no rings seal these plungers and while the pressures in the engine cylinders may reach 1000 psi, pressures in an injection pump are anywhere from 1500 to 5000 psi.
The accurate fit of the pump plungers in their cylinders is the only thing that prevents fuel from leaking past these plungers under extreme pressures. When you realize that the pump may be metering out only a few millionths of a gallon, you begin to understand how little leakage past the plungers it would take to completely destroy the smooth running and balance of the engine. If just one or two plunders are leaking by, then the other cylinders pick up more load, which leads to high temperatures, excessive wear of exhaust valves, and the danger of cracking the cylinder head or seizing a piston.
Imagine a tiny grain of sand or a little speck of metal finding its way into the pump. Even if this contamination passes through the pump without scratching the cylinder or piston, or doing any other kind of damage, it will now be on its way to an injector. Depending on engine size and type of injector nozzle (hole type or pintle) the holes in the tip of the nozzle through which the fuel sprays into the combustion chamber may no more than a few thousandths of an inch in diameter. It takes the merest piece of particulate from contaminated fuel to plug up an injector.
Water can be just as harmful to an fuel injection system. When the engine is shut down for periods of time, as is the norm for most generators or boat engines, rusting of critical parts will occur, which rapidly destroys the effectiveness of the system. When the engine is running, the super heated air in the culinders under compression will instantly turn into steam. This steam can generate enough explosive force to blow the tip clean off the injector.
Nothing plays more havoc with generator engines or boat diesel engines than water contaminated, bacteria contaminated dirty fuel. If right from the start the owner gets rid of particulate and water in the fuel, then 90% of potential engine troubles will be avoided.
The damage done by dirty fuel is concentrated on all the most highly machined and therefore expensive pieces of equipment in the engine. Damage to fuel injection pumps and injectors cannot be repaired by the user."
The accurate fit of the pump plungers in their cylinders is the only thing that prevents fuel from leaking past these plungers under extreme pressures. When you realize that the pump may be metering out only a few millionths of a gallon, you begin to understand how little leakage past the plungers it would take to completely destroy the smooth running and balance of the engine. If just one or two plunders are leaking by, then the other cylinders pick up more load, which leads to high temperatures, excessive wear of exhaust valves, and the danger of cracking the cylinder head or seizing a piston.
Imagine a tiny grain of sand or a little speck of metal finding its way into the pump. Even if this contamination passes through the pump without scratching the cylinder or piston, or doing any other kind of damage, it will now be on its way to an injector. Depending on engine size and type of injector nozzle (hole type or pintle) the holes in the tip of the nozzle through which the fuel sprays into the combustion chamber may no more than a few thousandths of an inch in diameter. It takes the merest piece of particulate from contaminated fuel to plug up an injector.
Water can be just as harmful to an fuel injection system. When the engine is shut down for periods of time, as is the norm for most generators or boat engines, rusting of critical parts will occur, which rapidly destroys the effectiveness of the system. When the engine is running, the super heated air in the culinders under compression will instantly turn into steam. This steam can generate enough explosive force to blow the tip clean off the injector.
Nothing plays more havoc with generator engines or boat diesel engines than water contaminated, bacteria contaminated dirty fuel. If right from the start the owner gets rid of particulate and water in the fuel, then 90% of potential engine troubles will be avoided.
The damage done by dirty fuel is concentrated on all the most highly machined and therefore expensive pieces of equipment in the engine. Damage to fuel injection pumps and injectors cannot be repaired by the user."
Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Winter Cruising
The days of summer are gone for this year. It was a great summer for nice hot weather and the best boating season for awhile.
Now its time to winterize and make sure that if you cruising the winter season that you have on board what you need.
Good fuel and a clean tank is a must.
Although it is great cruising in the winter you really want to make sure that your engine is running well, the filters are changed and no problems will arise. Winter boating is more serene with fewer tourists to take up all the favorite anchorages.
Its my favorite time to cruise. There's no one around and basically you have the best places to yourself.
You really need to be self sufficient in the winter. Make a list of what you need in the way of filters. A good 10 micron filter can get you back home if you run into bad fuel, a dirty fuel tank or weather that makes the fuel wash all the bacteria from your tank interior into the fuel - shutting you down.
We can help if you run into problems.
Call us at 1 877 794 3016 and we will come out to you wherever you are on the coast.
Good fuel and a clean tank is a must.
Although it is great cruising in the winter you really want to make sure that your engine is running well, the filters are changed and no problems will arise. Winter boating is more serene with fewer tourists to take up all the favorite anchorages.
Its my favorite time to cruise. There's no one around and basically you have the best places to yourself.
You really need to be self sufficient in the winter. Make a list of what you need in the way of filters. A good 10 micron filter can get you back home if you run into bad fuel, a dirty fuel tank or weather that makes the fuel wash all the bacteria from your tank interior into the fuel - shutting you down.
We can help if you run into problems.
Call us at 1 877 794 3016 and we will come out to you wherever you are on the coast.
Monday, 5 October 2015
Fuel Filtration - Water in Fuel
Water is the most damaging contaminant found in fuel.
Water destroys the lubricating properties of fuel and can quickly scour or blow injector tips and pumps.
Water can freeze and stop fuel flow.
Water destroys the lubricating properties of fuel and can quickly scour or blow injector tips and pumps.
Water can freeze and stop fuel flow.
Water can be present in your fuel as free water and or emulsified water.
Free water gets into your fuel as storage tanks condensate
while dispersing or receiving fuel. Dissolved water can turn to free water as
the temperature changes.
Diesel fuel has a saturation point and as the temperature
goes down the fuel will hold less dissolved water. Water will fall out as free
water.
Emulsified water is what causes fuel to appear milky and
will not allow fuel to look like apple juice.
Water, within limits, can be removed from fuel by absorption, coalescing
or by stripping.
Types of Filtration
Absorption of water from fuel takes place when the media (usually
corn paper) within the filter absorbs the water passing through it. If there is
significant water contamination, the filter’s media will swell and block the
fuel flow. The fuel delivery rate then slows or stops entirely. This will
signal the user to change the filter. Typical uses for this type of filter
would be on storage tanks for Aviation fuel, where you do not want any free
water to pass from one tank to another during fuel transfer.
Coalescing is the method that uses gravity and low flow
rates to let water droplets drop out of your fuel and collect at the bottom of
the fuel filter.
Stripping uses a
silicone treated medium in the filter that limits the flow of water though it,
while allowing free fuel flow through the filter and on to the injectors.
Using fuel filtration wisely on fuel tanks or any type of equipment
and understanding the principles of filtration and how it removes water you
will be able to prevent water in your fuel and equipment.
We can install pre filtration to suit your needs after we
clean your tank and your fuel.
Call us at 1 888 713 1090 to speak to a Fuel Tech today.
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