Antisiphon Checkball - is it nessessary?
#13
HP,
No I haven't had two fires in boats, I've had THREE fires. Two were inmy boats, one in a friend's. One was a cheap failed bronze tee in the fuel system on one of my houseboats that would have resulted in a total loss, had the A/S devices not been installed. One was a backfire into an automotive "weiand style" triangular foam air filter that caught fire and burned the rubber fuel line off the motor - where the flames came out the bilge blower vents. The friend's was due to an electrical short. All 3 fires were in the engine compartments. All 3 fires burned through fuel lines. And all 3 fires took more than one extinguisher to knock them out.
The air filter fire would have been a killer, if we hadn't had the sense to NOT open the hatch. We crammed beach towels in the bilge vents and then cracked the hatch open just far enough to blast one full extinguisher into it, then opened it and finished it off with the second extinguisher.
You seem to be of the opinion that braided hoses are indestructible, but they are NOT. Old ones crack. Hot ones melt. Sure, they're better. Not foolproof.
All I can do is give my opinions. If you want to replace your fuel system with paper sacks and plastic straws, then be my guest.
I'll still stop to help if I see you on fire...
No I haven't had two fires in boats, I've had THREE fires. Two were inmy boats, one in a friend's. One was a cheap failed bronze tee in the fuel system on one of my houseboats that would have resulted in a total loss, had the A/S devices not been installed. One was a backfire into an automotive "weiand style" triangular foam air filter that caught fire and burned the rubber fuel line off the motor - where the flames came out the bilge blower vents. The friend's was due to an electrical short. All 3 fires were in the engine compartments. All 3 fires burned through fuel lines. And all 3 fires took more than one extinguisher to knock them out.
The air filter fire would have been a killer, if we hadn't had the sense to NOT open the hatch. We crammed beach towels in the bilge vents and then cracked the hatch open just far enough to blast one full extinguisher into it, then opened it and finished it off with the second extinguisher.
You seem to be of the opinion that braided hoses are indestructible, but they are NOT. Old ones crack. Hot ones melt. Sure, they're better. Not foolproof.
All I can do is give my opinions. If you want to replace your fuel system with paper sacks and plastic straws, then be my guest.
I'll still stop to help if I see you on fire...
#15
There must be larger anti-siphon devices out there. How does Merc. deal with the problem on their big HP motors? What about all those 1000 and 1200 hp Sterlings out there. If they all only had 3/8" check balls we would be hearing about alot of motors running lean and blowing.
#16
Registered
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,777
Likes: 12
From: San Diego, California
MY suggestion is that Kokopelli be hereby assigned the duty of calling two big boat builders, lets say Cigarette and Fountain and ask their rigging deptments what they do for check valves on their boats with big HP motors and then report back to us all on this thread.
Swords at rest gentleman!
Raylar
Swords at rest gentleman!
Raylar
#17
Originally posted by Kokopelli
There must be larger anti-siphon devices out there. How does Merc. deal with the problem on their big HP motors? What about all those 1000 and 1200 hp Sterlings out there. If they all only had 3/8" check balls we would be hearing about alot of motors running lean and blowing.
There must be larger anti-siphon devices out there. How does Merc. deal with the problem on their big HP motors? What about all those 1000 and 1200 hp Sterlings out there. If they all only had 3/8" check balls we would be hearing about alot of motors running lean and blowing.
BTW be prepared to pay; size 12AN is 225 bucks
#20
Registered
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 0
From: ST. Louis, MO, USA
Originally posted by HP350SC
OK fair enough on the valve function. Any boat I have seen or owned would have braided lines throughout and it is a much bigger concern to have inadequate fuel volume. You have had 2 fires? Are you a firefighter? j/k! Seriously though, I have had 2 insurance claims since 1988 (not related to fire) and boats were never scrutinized to find a way not to cover the claim.
OK fair enough on the valve function. Any boat I have seen or owned would have braided lines throughout and it is a much bigger concern to have inadequate fuel volume. You have had 2 fires? Are you a firefighter? j/k! Seriously though, I have had 2 insurance claims since 1988 (not related to fire) and boats were never scrutinized to find a way not to cover the claim.



