Water in Diesel, how to fix

[billsmax]

I filled up at Russellville, Ar Flying J Sat and about 45 min later started getting intermittent "Water in Fuel" warning light. I drained some diesel from primary filter and no water seen. Resumed driving but this kept happening thru Sun morning with same results when drained cup of fuel.
Finally Sunday I began to see very small beads of water in the drained fuel and stopped in Amarillo. I've used all but about 1/4 tank of that diesel and it appears there is just a little water in the tank but enough to begin picking up small amounts now that fuel sloshing around in tank. Is there really anything I can do myself to fix this or is it off to the truck repair shop?

[Elkhartjim]

I use this product at my farm where I purchase off road diesel in bulk. The tank will collect water just from condensation. Power Service Products, diesel fuel additives, prevent gelling, clean injectors, disperse water, boost cetane, reduce emissions, improve fuel economy

You don't say, is the motorhome running okay with just the water in fuel light on. If thats the case, I would refuel and possibly add some additive that can probably be purchased at any of the major truck stops. Good luck.

[Mike Canter]

I agree with Jim. That Clear Diesel works to get rid of the water. Most truck stops sell it. I have bought it at Wal Mart. Since it started hapening right after the fill up sure makes you think that it was the Flying J but that is hard to believe because they dip test the tanks on daily and can tell if there is water in the tanks. The fuel pickup in these filling station tanks is not on the bottom so if there is a water it would not be picked up. It would be a nightmare to have a bunch of pissed off truck drivers at your front door. It is still a possibility but given todays technology on tanks and the amount of diesel fuel pumped at these large truck stops I would go with the assumption that it is condensation that has built up in the tank from being in Florida for so long and maybe the previous owner didn't keep the tank full while it was sitting. If you pumped water out of a truck stop tank then you would have a lot of water in your tank and not just traces. Water doesn't float around in diesel fuel. Did they change the fuel filters when you bought it? I would just put a bottle of that Clear Diesel in it and see if it clears it all out. The other thing I would do is to buy a bottle of Hammonds Biobor JF and do a shock treatment on the fuel in the tank at the next fill upjust to make sure that if it sat with water in the fuel it didn't start developing Black Slime (algae). You can buy it at most boat stores. One shock treatment will do the job. I put the preventive amount in the tank anytime I store my MH for a month or two.

[billsmax]

I do appear to be running ok. I talked with an Rv service tech and he suggest, as long as I'm not getting a significant amount of water in the sediment bowl, just keep draining it off and run out as much of that tank as possible, then refill and maybe use some additive. I will try a truck stop for something to add to thank

[billsmax]

mike,
they did replace all my filters when I purchased the coach. I've put about 2500 miles on this before I started with the water problem. There had been heavy rains in Arkansas that night, so possible some water had gotten into Flying J's tank. I'm calling them today to see if they've had any other complaints from this weekend.
I'll try to find some Clear Diesel and disperse that water.

[Mike Canter]

Other than a little water how is your new rig doing? Are you liking it? Kind of hurts your brain learning all about it.

[billsmax]

mike,
You're right, it is a strain on this ole brain, learning all these systems on this rig.
we're loving the coach but there have been quite a few minor and a couple of major bugs we're having to work out.
One of those appears to be some kind of electrical problem. I have 4 new batteries but in a days driving using the inverter, I have such a high amp drain that it runs my batteries down to 11.8 v and genie has to start to charge. I have all lights and ever other amp drain except the resid fridge turned off that I know off. but the amp draw shows about 43 amp then jumping up to 140 amps at times??? I'm assuming I must have a short somewhere. Yesterday I left the inverter turned off and the batteries stayed at 12.7v, so it's some where probably in the 120v system??

By the way, my current problem with the water in fuel is not going to be as easy as expected. I cranked the engine this morning, it sputtered and shut off and now can't crank it. I called Cummins service which happens to be across I-40 from where I'm camped and hopefully, the primary filter change will fix this

[Mike Canter]

If they change the fuel filter and it again runs have them cut the filter open and see if you have Black Slime in the pleats of the filter. Had the same thing happen on my old MH. First had indications of water in the fuel then found the Black Slime in the filter. Used the Biobar and killed it in 10 hours. If you do have the slime then after it is dead you will have to change the Aqua-Hot and generator fuel filters also. I now always carry a complete set of fuel filters with me just in case.

On the battery drain...is your 120 v Insta Hot turned off at the sink and are your extra electric baseboard heaters turned off? I have 120 v auxiliary electric baseboard heaters in the kitchen and in the bathroom with their own off/on switches. Also there is a 120 v electric heating element in your Aqua-Hot with a separate switch.

[billsmax]

When I'm off shore power, I always turn the AquaHot 110v off and the baseboard heaters are off.
I know there is some kind of dc electric wire problem due my amber side markers are on dimly all the time, unable to turn off. I cut the ground wire to both to keep them from being on and draining batteries and plan to have that traced out for the problem at a later time.

[Mike Canter]

Your running lights will be working off your chassis batteries and not your house batteries. If it was a short drwing 43 to 140 amps then it would melt most 10-16 gauge wires. It would look like Edison's first light bulb filement for a short moment in time. Maybe if you have time start turning off AC circuit breakers and see if you can figure out what is drawing that much power from your batteries. Then if that doesn't show that it is a AC draw then pull DC fuses. Let us all know if you get that motor started and what the problem was. Lucky there is a Cummins place close by.

[Elkhartjim]

140 amps? There must be a direct short. There are many stick houses that don't draw 140 amps with everything turned on. I would think at 140 amp draw the batteries would be dead in minutes and there would be some smoke.

Where are you measuring the 140amp reading?

If your connected to 50 amp shore or running the genset...how are you even getting 140 amps? I must be missing something.

[MARANATHA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billsmax When I'm off shore power, I always turn the AquaHot 110v off and the baseboard heaters are off. I know there is some kind of dc electric wire problem due my amber side markers are on dimly all the time, unable to turn off. I cut the ground wire to both to keep them from being on and draining batteries and plan to have that traced out for the problem at a later time.

Hi,
Your current draw reading for me is probably right because your resid fridge may be is drawing 10ac amp which is equal to 100dc amp. What you are reading frm your meter is an amp reading between the battery and inverter. Everytime i use my microwave my current reads from 180A (start) and then down to 150A (continues operation) and my voltage down to 11.8V but after using my micro it goes back to normal 12.6V. Your side marker has nothing to do with your house battery, that would be a different problem. Check your fridge rating. If is says 14A, it means 140A DC amp draw from your battery, that is why your meter reads 143A. You should have more batteries to operate a residential fridge. No wire will melt between battery and inverter, they #00 or #1 ga wire.

[Mike Canter]

Although Bill said he had 4 new batteries I believe he also has 4 other (old) batteries for a total of 8 six volt batteries with a domestic frig in a Sig. Thats the way it is in my Sig. It is easy to see if it is the frig because all you have to do is turn off the circuit breaker. I agree you are not going melt the cable between the inverter and the battery but if you have a short drawing that much current after the inverter then you will melt that wire. Bill should also have a 270 amp alternator on the motor which should be more than enough to keep the batteries charged while driving with the frig is on and that doesn't include the 100 watt solar panel. There is a warning in my Monaco book that says to not run the microwave just on the batteries. It says to use the microwave you either need shorepower or the generator.

[billsmax]

This morning my coach wouldn't start due to clogged primary fuel filter. Cummins Tech came over and replace the filter, I filled tank and added a qt of Howe's and it ran like a charm to Santa Fe today.
Now my electrical problem.
I'm reading the discharge rate on my Alladin Video Coach Monitor. I found that when I turned inverter off yesterday, I could stop the heavy drain on the batteries. But when I started out this morning, the inverter was one and the amp draw was 40 or less, then about an hour later dropped to 2 to 15 amp draw, even with the resid fridge on and a small crockpot. I think there is wire or connection somewhere that is shorting at times but not others. We that bad a short, I don't understand why it's not throwing a breaker or blowing a fuse. Also today my batteries stayed fully charged at about 13.1v