4 Reasons Your Boat Should Have a Fuel Water Separator

Are you trying to decide if you need a fuel water separator for your boat?

It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned boat owner or just starting out with your first watercraft. Your boat is going to require fuel filtration to prevent unnecessary damage to its engine. Just like the fuels you put into your automobile, the fuels used in most marine applications contain contaminants and additives such as ethanol, which facilitate the attraction of water. Both substances can cause serious damage to your boat’s engine, and the best way to protect your engine against these elements is to install a fuel water separator.

Why Have a Fuel Water Separator?

A fuel water separator is a standalone in-line filter installed between the fuel tank and engine. These filters are designed to remove 99% of the contaminants that are found in your fuel, but at the same time they filter out any water which has found its way into your fuel tank; thus, providing clean, water-free fuel to your engine.

Why is this filtering important? Just to drive home the point: If your fuel is not filtered, the contaminants in it will cause unnecessary wear and tear to the critical components of your boat’s engine. Likewise, any water entering your engine will quickly turn into water vapor, which is not compressible, and will cause unnecessary pressures in the engine’s combustion chamber, which will result in misfiring and, ultimately, engine damage.

If you’re still on the fence about having one, here are the top four reasons why you need a fuel water separator.

1. It Saves Your Engine from Serious Deterioration

As we just discussed, fuels contain contaminants such as rust, dirt, resins, etc. If these contaminants enter your engine, they will cause unnecessary wear on critical sealing components, which in turn cause other “softer” components such as gaskets, O-rings, and various seals to deteriorate and fail over time.

Water particles are commonly found in marine fuel and can cause significant damage to your engine. No matter how hard you try to prevent it, condensation will find its way into your fuel tank, and onward to your engine if it is not properly filtered out of the fuel.

The installation of a fuel water separator prevents these deterioration activities and prolongs the life of your boat’s engine.

2. It Keeps Unnecessary Boat Engine Repairs to a Minimum

Harsh weather and fuel contaminants can wreak havoc on your boat’s engine. With moisture and condensation in the picture, bacterial and fungal growth is inevitable. It isn’t only the muck, sludge, and rust in the fuel that you have to worry about, it is the unexpected failure of your boat’s engine as a result of these contaminants. And as you know, these failures will occur at the most inopportune time: out in bad weather and trying to get back home, starting out for a big weekend fishing trip, etc. However, with the installation of a fuel water separator and some simple maintenance activities (i.e., visual inspection of the filter and draining the water collection bowl on a regular basis), these unexpected events can be kept to a minimum.

3. It Prevents Future Boat Engine Failure

Having an inefficient and unsound engine can only lead to one thing: boat failure. Being stuck in the middle of a body of water is no one’s idea of a good time. Not only is it inconvenient, but it’s also dangerous.

Engine failures can represent 50-60% of the total cost of your boat, and in most cases the root cause of these failures is poor fuel filtration and the lack of scheduled engine maintenance. Don’t put yourself in this situation. To lessen the chances of boat engine failure, invest in a water fuel separator and perform the recommended regular maintenance.

4. It’s a Long-Term Investment

Save yourself time and money in the long run by having a fuel water separator. It’s best to conduct filter changes every year and inspections of all components on a per outing schedule. This gives you a full year of protection, and peace of mind when you are heading out on the water. It is also recommended to have an extra fuel water separator in your boat’s tool kit just in case you encounter any unforeseen fuel issues. Not worrying about your engine’s health, extra expenses, and future mishaps are more than enough reasons to get a filter.

Invest in a Fuel Water Separator Today

These are some of the crucial reasons why your boat needs a fuel water separator. Providing the cleanest, water-free fuel to your engine is the best way to prevent unexpected issues, dangerous situations, and unnecessary costly engine repairs. Giving it the utmost care is the best way to secure that investment.

Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned sailor, having someone you can trust to provide a high-quality filtration system is indispensable. Clear Flow Filtration Systems (CFS) has been in the fuel water separation business for over two decades. Specializing in more than marine applications, CFS has been providing fuel filtration solutions to various industrial, agricultural, and recreational industries since 2004. You can also count on us for other fuel water filtration needs. For any queries, quotes, and other available services, contact us today soon.