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From: Alex Hirsekorn (no email)
Date: Sun Dec 12 2004 - 19:37:12 EST
----- Original Message -----
From: <>
[snip]
> Prior T & T threads have concluded, I think, that the Algae-x
> magnetic fuel
> teatment didn't work, or at least not very well.
> [snip]
> A Hatteras owner (Karl Denninger) has conducted his own tests
[snip]
Hi Rob,
Although Denninger is to be lauded for attempting to test these units
objectively, it appears to me that his methodology isn't completely
valid. Although he doesn't show numbers for actual fuel consumed it
seems reasonable to guess that he didn't use much over a thousand
gallons over the course of a one season test. Additionally, he
switched back and forth between 'treated' and 'untreated' status for
each engine often enough that it's difficult to tell whether a given
result was the result of the magnetic fuel treatment or not.
For the sake of argument, let's assume that his methods and
observations are valid; are there conclusions different from his that
also fit the facts?
The main question has to do with definitions. Denninger believes that
the Algae-X device "works" but what does that mean? Does it mean that
the device eliminates the bugs and therefore eliminates the problem or
does it only mean that the unit eliminates certain symptoms and
therefore hides an existing problem?
Presumably, the goal is to have a trouble-free fuel system. To me that
means more than just avoiding biofouled fuel filters. I think that
it's fair to say that everything in the fuel system, from the tank
(with corrosion and sludge issues) to the injector nozzle (with
erosion and deposit issues) is interrelated. I'll come back to that
shortly, but for now let's think about what happens when you've got
bugs and what a magnet system does about it.
First off, fuel bugs and water go hand in hand; if you've got water in
your fuel you will have bugs. By the same token, if you eliminate the
water you will eliminate the bugs. Second, the bugs themselves aren't
really the problem since they are more than small enough to pass
through the filters found on our boats (even the much vaunted GCF).
The actual clogging is due to biofouling which is a nice way to talk
about bug poop. BP aggregates into clumps that are large enough (over
100 microns sometimes) to clog even the coarsest filters. Magnetic
treatment has been shown to break up these aggregations such that the
result will pass a typical fuel filter. [Actually, the research
evidence shows that the BP will be reduced to less than 30 microns and
there apparently is anecdotal evidence that the reduction is
effectively down to a size to pass a 2 micron element.][BTW: It's
pretty well accepted these days that magnets don't actually kill the
bugs and most of the magnetic widget companies no longer make that
claim.] You'll recall that Denninger's test resulted in increased
smoke from the engine that was drinking treated fuel; that strikes me
as being consistent with the idea that magnets mask symptoms rather
than eliminate root causes and that diesel engines are more efficient
at burning diesel than they are at burning BP. That conclusion is also
consistent with the observation that the filter elements were cleaner
with treated fuel. I should say that I couldn't see as marked a
reduction in filter fouling from the pictures as what Denninger
reports (with the exception of the last pair of photos) but maybe
that's just me.
OK, you can conclude from Denninger's test (but more so from other
tests) that magnetic treatment will reduce the clogging of filters due
to biofouling. IMHO that's not the same as saying that such a system
is a good investment for a recreational boat. For the same money spent
on adding a magnet system you can create a system that will deal with
basically all of the potential fuel problems rather than just the
biofouling thing. Basically, such a system is simply an efficient and
high capacity filter such as a large size Racor, GCF, or DAHL and the
means to pass your fuel through that filter at a pretty good clip. For
a boat that is used all the time and that passes a high volume of fuel
(a Hatteras SF with dual Detroits* is the epitome of this) it could be
that you don't need anything beyond the filter. At the other end of
the spectrum, a boat that isn't used consistently and that doesn't
pass much fuel when it is running (such as the Lehman*) probably needs
a little something extra in the flow/circulation department. The
'extra' is nothing more than an electric pump to circulate the fuel
when the engine isn't running. [IOW: An onboard fuel polishing
system.]
To review:
I. A magnet system will break up BP so that your engine burn it (or
attempt to).
II. Proper fuel maintenance (which may include polishing) will:
A1. Eliminate water.
A2. Eliminate bugs No water=No bugs
A3. Eliminate BP No bugs=No BP
A4. Reduce rust contamination of your fuel.
B. Remove dirt.
C. Remove fuel degradation products (asphaltines).
The bottom line is not that these things are ineffective it's just
that what they do is better (and more cheaply) accomplished in other
ways.
*Some engines, such as the Detroit Diesel recirculate several times
the amount of fuel that they actually burn while others, like the
Lehman, burn all but a fairly small portion of what is pumped to the
engine.
Magnetically yours,
Alex
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