Refueling Pump Filters

[Freefall]

I am curious what you or your employers have chosen for a filter set up for light/intermediate refueling gear, and how happy you are with it?

 

We are currently using a wix filter bowl with a "go-nogo" water filter after it.It is the set up northern mountain used years ago. The biggest drawback I find is that if something is clogged, you don't necessarily know which filter it is, plus pushing the fuel through two filters is slower for the GPI pumps.

 

I know some people use just the wix filters alone. Is it as effective as other water blocking filters?

 

My old employer used the Velcon Spin on filters by themselves which seemed to work well. The downsides are the filters cost like 80 dollars each, so its expensive if you have to change them, plus you can't visually see the fuel which you can do with the wix bowls. Also if you get any concentrated fsii in them, the filter breaks down and the pulpy mess goes into your helicopter.

 

What do you guys think is the best filter set up?

[skullcap]

I think the setup you are using is best, don't like the velcon as you may as you say get anti icing fluid pushed thru filter and no way to see fuel and to tell filter is plugging requires differential pressure or "the reduction in fuel flow"....

 

mil spec go no go are extremely effective and safe.

[Batiskaf]

Skully and Freefall:

I checked the Wix Filters website, quite a choice.

Would you have a reference for the go no-go that you are using?

I have always used the Velcon but of course they are not meant for additive...

The clear bowl is a very good idea!

Thanks, Skaf

[skullcap]

will check and get back to you. They are not cheap though around 50 ea for the go no go

[Freefall]

I will have to look on the filter to get the model number. We have always used a paper cartridge in them but perhaps I should investigate if its possible to get a "go no go" cartridge for the wix to get the best of both worlds. I see in their website they have many options. I've been told by another pilot that they have sucked fuel from a drum with water in it in a situation where they had little choice and the wix filter with the glass bowl on the bottom did not allow a drop of water to get through. The pilot said he had to vent the water from the bottom of the filter bowl frequently while fueling but after letting the machine sit for 30 minutes and taking a generous sample there wasn't a drop of water in it. This was with a wix filter alone and no "go nogo" after it.

 

I don't want to start a discussion about those actions being right or wrong but it is encouraging if the filter is that effective alone.

[lamanated]

Make sure the filters you get are compatible with Anti ice additives. the ones we bought had warning labels that they weren;t

[Heliian]

Velcon or puralator spin ons are cheap and simple. If you are concerned about FSII letting water through then go for the more expensive one that can handle FSII. Having 2 filters on one setup is cumbersome and unnecessary. If you really want to be more accurate with your filters, get a filter head unit that incorporates a differential pressure gauge. A clear bowl is not needed if you look in the drum first with a flashlight. I can personally vouch for the velcon, no matter what because it will stop undisolved water instantly, those slugs of water are what will cause a flameout.

[skullcap]

Velcon or puralator spin ons are cheap and simple. If you are concerned about FSII letting water through then go for the more expensive one that can handle FSII. Having 2 filters on one setup is cumbersome and unnecessary. If you really want to be more accurate with your filters, get a filter head unit that incorporates a differential pressure gauge. A clear bowl is not needed if you look in the drum first with a flashlight. I can personally vouch for the velcon, no matter what because it will stop undisolved water instantly, those slugs of water are what will cause a flameout.

 

 

Can personally vouch for two times water has gone past Velcon filters, one with anti-icing fluid caused aircraft that was hotfuelling to decel on ground, new location of tank but same fuel,,,water had accumulated to one end on tank and when moved went to drain. Velcon said the filter never saw water,,,,,because the water molecules were surrounded by anti icing fluid which the fliter allows to pass freely,,,,niether water nor anti-icing fluid burn,,,, Pressure for these types of filters is also an issue, too much can push thru and I think to little also as the problem I had last summer the pump was just idling as don't like much pressure to fill drums or astar.

 

Last summer had water pumped thru velcon filter into drums,water had gotten into bowser via heavy rain and poor gasket on manhole cover on top of bowser, fuel drained from filter prior to start of pump....am theorizing water was in lines leading to pump or in pump thus not in filter prior to starting pump.

 

Have had so many issues with fuel that to say an extra filter installed is unneccessary when using velcon is scary. Our large filters we have on trailers are facet and the small gpi's are wix and go no gos, that will stay that way until proven that better filters are available, am interested in the wix with go no go capabilities though! Mil-spec is a good qualifier for searching for filters too.

 

Cannot always see water in drum, had drum that someone had screwed with, had water up to first bump on drum which made almost impossible to see(in fact didn't at first)the line where fuel stopped and water began. Paste found it. If out of paste would have seen in clear bowl by turning cloudy. Saves valuable time by seeing issue prior to water by chance getting into tank.

 

When we had cloudy fuel supplied four years ago in Ontario and the supplier complained why are we having fuel filter issues when our competition didn't,,,guess which type of filter they were using and not clogging,,,,velcon,,,our go no go's would last a few days,,,,

 

Had cloudy fuel pumped into drums by another company providing fuel to us from truck equipped with large velcon, we pumped fuel from one drum to another with our gpi and wix/go no go's and fuel was clear. Make up your own minds. Number one issue of fuel control issues in past was bad fuel, people like to blame the use of drum fuel but personnally I think is bulk fuel from bowsers. The fuel you buy at airports is mostly pumped thru large go no go's set ups. Maybe not at the truck but from the tank into trucks it will be.

 

Just my opinion!

[Freefall]

I like the velcons but I was told 80 dollars a cartridge I don't really consider them cheap. Is there a cheap source for them somewhere?

[skullcap]

I like the velcons but I was told 80 dollars a cartridge I don't really consider them cheap. Is there a cheap source for them somewhere?

 

Probably the more expensive one that will handle fsii! Not sure why you think $80 is expensive unless you change the filters every month(or have crappy fuel). Have had filters last a year with no issues.