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The boat I just bought
has a Walker AlgaeSep installed in the engine room. How does this
piece of equipment work, and what are its maintenance requirements?
P.G., via e-mail
The Walker
AlgaeSep is a fuel polisher that removes algae and other particulate contamination
before fuel enters your engine’s fuel system. It comes in two models:
the AS700 and the AS1200. Both have the same processing rate of 40 gph,
but the AS1200 is for boats 60 feet and up, while the AS700 is for boats
40 to 60 feet, where space may be limited.
As illustrated here,
AlgaeSep is a closed-loop system with a separate fuel pump and separate
pickup that goes right to the bottom of your boat’s fuel tank. It’s
made of stainless steel, with the last five inches being fuel-grade hose,
enabling it to bend and move so it can reach contamination lying on the
bottom of the tank.
When the pump is activated,
it draws fuel from the tank and circulates it inside the main chamber
at high speed, which centrifuges out water and heavy contaminants, including
algae or “bugs.” There is no filter element here, but there
is a 25-micron secondary filter at the top that should be changed at least
every 250 hours. It captures any growth or solids that are not separated
out before the fuel is returned to the tank. (A replacement element
costs less than $10.)
One of the big advantages
of the AlgaeSep is that fuel can be cleaned underway or at dockside, without
running the engines. It is said to work well on boats with severe tank
contamination that would normally be candidates for fuel-tank cleaning.
For more information
visit www.walkerairsep.com or
call ( (818) 252-7788.
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