Fuel Water Separators

Fuel Water Separators

Water is potentially the most damaging of the contaminants found in fuel. Water reduces fuel's lubricating characteristics which over long the long term, can have severe implications on engine performance... Fuel with poor lubrication can scour pumps and even blow out injector tips which leads to unplanned downtime and significantly expensive repairs. The presence of water in fuel can also lead to fuel freezing at lower temperatures and cause a severe reduction in flow rate leading to complete loss of power.

Water is an ever present problem in fuel and for long term engine health this must be managed. The good news is that, within limits, water may be eliminated from fuel. The following are the three most commonly used filtration methods of removing water from a system:

• Stripping:  A silicon-treated medium inhibits the passage of water, but allows fuel to flow freely.
• Coalescing:  Gravity drags water droplets (heavier than fuel) out of slow-flowing fuel.
• Absorption:  A filter medium with a high affinity for water and a low affinity for fuel absorbs the water in the fuel.

When Should I change my Fuel Water Separator?

There is no hard and fast rule when to change fuel water separators as these filters are often the first line of defence and their performance can be significantly affected by the quality of fuel being used. If the fuel is clean to begin with fuel water separators will last a lot longer vs if the fuel is in poor condition as they will block up faster or reach saturation quicker if they an absorbing type, which will significantly reduce fuel flow rate. Many operators choose to change these filters more frequently, as the saying goes "filters are cheap compared to pumps and injectors". As a general rule the following guidelines can be followed

• Automotive - every 30,000 to 40,000 kilometers or as per the recommended interval in the service or owners manual. 
• Trucks - every 15,000 to 25,000 kilometers or as per the recommended interval in the service or owners manual.
• Machinery - every 500 hours or as per the maintenance manual.

FCP Solutions has a range of fuel water separators for almost every application from the best manufacturers in the business. If your looking to upgrade or improve your filtration we can help you to choose the right separator, to ensure it helps to prevent damage to your fuel system from water and contaminents and you achieve the correct flow rate. When's it's time to change your fuel water separator you can rest assured when buying from FCP Solutions your investments fuel system will be protected.

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