Clear Fuel Line for Gen Sets

[rumplecat]

Has anyone used some of the clear fuel line(diesel) that is available, if so where did you buy it and how has it held up? The last couple of military gen sets I have gotten had what I guess was clear when it started out but turned yellow and brittle!

 

[MtnSnow]

http://marinehose.com/mpi/products_fuel_155.htm

or

http://www.marineparthub.com/12_0012_Motion_Pro_Braided_Vinyl_Fuel_Line_3_8in_ID_x_5_8in_OD

 

[87Nassaublue]

I recently got a 016B that had some clear fuel line. They were broken and mostly rotted off the unit.

 

[juanprado]

For whatever you think it is worth...

I sold parts for a few years and can tell you the clear hose does not hold up well over time. Cracks, leaks, turns yellow and hard as a brick. It is single walled where quality rubber fuel hose is multi layered and woven. Much better to replace with quality hose. Now if you want to "see" in it, I would sell the quality glass fuel filter set up. Not sure if it is diesel rated but you can always remove the filter cartridge and use it as a looking glass.

 

[rumplecat]

On Gen sets i store them dry, and since I seem to have s hoarding mentality on them(i have over a dozen of them) it is really nice to rule out fuel as an issue why one is not cranking, if you can see it you know it is there!

 

[M543A2]

An industrial supply house called McMaster Carr has fuel and lubricant rated PVC and Tygon hose in sizes 5/64. 3/32, 1/8, 3/16/ 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4 ID. Color is "clear yellow". They advertise the Tygon as being higher quality than PVC and able to withstand lower temperatures than the PVC. Depending on size, available in 10, 25, and 50 foot coils in most cases. Their phone number is 630-833-0300 in Chicago. I always get good quick service and quick shipping from them for big and small orders. It is listed under the title of "Fuel and Lubricant PVC Tubing" in the catalog.
Regards Martin

 

[rustystud]

An industrial supply house called McMaster Carr has fuel and lubricant rated PVC and Tygon hose in sizes 5/64. 3/32, 1/8, 3/16/ 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4 ID. Color is "clear yellow". They advertise the Tygon as being higher quality than PVC and able to withstand lower temperatures than the PVC. Depending on size, available in 10, 25, and 50 foot coils in most cases. Their phone number is 630-833-0300 in Chicago. I always get good quick service and quick shipping from them for big and small orders. It is listed under the title of "Fuel and Lubricant PVC Tubing" in the catalog.
Regards Martin

The problem with all "clear" fuel hoses is they are not really rated for fuel. They can function for awhile but go bad pretty quickly. The hoses on the MEP-531a is a prime example. They must be replaced every 2 years. That is why I'm going with a real fuel rated hose this time.

 

[Guyfang]

We tried every clear hose on the face of the earth. They all turn yellow and get brittle after a while, and the JP4 or JP8 made it worse. Once, a unit in the first sandbox war called me to ask about JET-A1 fuel. I told them you can use it for generators, but try to not use it over a long time. The additives in the JET-A1 turned the lines brittle MUCH faster. But when that's all you can get, that's all you can get.

 

[DieselGenAC]

The clear fuel line allows you to see if the fuel system is air bound. The little 2kWs and their gravity feed don't run well if there is lots of air near the injection pump. If you know a set well and can spot fuel issues by ear, you can replace the clear tubing with proper fuel line.I have also had good luck with fuel specific PVC, usually yellow tinted but still translucent. It stays flexible much longer than typical cheap clear PVC. http://www.flextubing.com/products/fuel/fuelflex-65/ or http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=85324&catid=579EDIT - stupid truncated URLs, search for Excelon Fuel & Lubricant Tubing

 

[Guyfang]

That is the biggest, and almost only problem of the 2KW. You can bleed forever, that fuel line, and under load, STILL hear that little bit of stutter.