Ethanol effects on tanks, hoses, fittings.......

[onel0126]

Ethanol Takes Toll on Older Fuel Tanks 06/01/06

“Here to stay”
“The industry needs to recognize that 10 percent ethanol [E10] is here to stay,” says John McKnight, director of environmental safety and compliance for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Boat fuel tanks, hoses, fittings, fuel pumps and marine engines all need to handle the drivability, durability and emission issues associated with ethanol.

”Today’s marine engines are designed and calibrated to operate on E10, “ he maintains.

Last spring boatyards, boat owners and marine surveyors in the Northeast and in California began reporting fuel and engine problems. These regions were the first to introduce the 10-percent ethanol blend.

For nearly all boaters the problem is clogged fuel filters, explains Bob Adriance, editor of Seaworthy and assistant vice president of technical services for BoatU.S. When ethanol is mixed with MTBE formulations, gunk builds up, so boaters need to run the tank down before filling it with an ethanol blend, he says.

The same is true for marina operators. Alcohol is a very effective cleaning solvent, and whatever sludge is not removed from the storage tank prior to changing over to ethanol will be removed and dispensed through the fuel pump on the dock into the boat’s fuel tank, McKnight explains.

Ethanol is also hydroscopic, capable of absorbing 100 percent of its weight in water. This adds a new concern not only to the fuel retailer, but also the boat owner who needs to pay closer attention to the fuel/water separator, he says.

However, he adds, “As long as retailers follow instructions provided by fuel wholesalers, the transition to E10 should run smoothly.

The gas tank problem
Adriance says the problem with fiberglass tanks is more complicated. BoatU.S. says it has learned of more than 50 cases of fiberglass gas tanks that produce an engine-killing sludge or began leaking after being filled with E10 gasoline. Many of those tanks were manufactured before the mid-1980s, BoatU.S. says.

BoatU.S. also confirmed reports of tank wall failure in some tanks in which fuel was leaking into the bilge.

BoatU.S. commissioned laboratory tests to determine the exact cause. Seaworthy reported the results in its April issue.

One test found the fuel tanks had lost up to 40 percent of their strength. The report also says there is “resin softening and loss of adhesion between fiber and resin, evidence by a moderate loss in strength and stiffness.”

Another test found styrene mixed in with the gasoline that was taken from a failed tank. Styrene is a key ingredient in the polyester resin used to make older fiberglass tanks. The laboratory report indicated that ethanol dissolved uncured phthalates in the fiberglass, which then pass through the engine’s filters and get deposited on the intake valves, according to BoatU.S.

McKnight says there also have been reports of leaking aluminum fuel tanks. Aluminum is a highly conductive metal relying on an oxide layer for its corrosion-protection properties, he explains. Low levels of ethanol, such as E10, usually are not a problem in aluminum tanks because the oxide layer provides protection.

There are two mechanisms occurring with ethanol, McKnight explains. Both are a result of the ethanol absorbing water. The more ethanol in the fuel, the more water there will be in the fuel tank. Water not only corrodes the tank, it also causes the corrosion particles to clog fuel filters, fuel systems and damage engine components.

The second mechanism involved here is “galvanic corrosion.” Gasoline fuel is not conductive, but the presence of ethanol or ethanol and water will conduct electricity. The galvanic process affecting aluminum trim tabs, sterndrives, shaft couplings and so on also will occur within the aluminum tank. Boatbuilders can protect exterior aluminum boat equipment with sacrificial anodes known as zincs. This is not feasible for the interior of a fuel tank.

Despite all of its potential problems, the marine industry has no choice but to accept that the ethanol additive is here to stay, officials say.

Excerpts from Soundings Trade Only, June 2006

[RM]

Thanks for the info. What a mess.

Dear government,

F.U.!

So what are we keeping the corn frmers in business?

[finman]

yeah what he said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RM]

Guy across from me with an older Bertram is paying a few grand to replace his fiberglass tank that has worked for over 30 years! solely because of the fear that it could deteriorate and destroy his two brand new engines.

What exactly is the benefit of ethanol???

[Speedo66]

RM - 6/6/2006 3:44 PM

Guy across from me with an older Bertram is paying a few grand to replace his fiberglass tank that has worked for over 30 years! solely because of the fear that it could deteriorate and destroy his two brand new engines.

What exactly is the benefit of ethanol???

The benefit of ethenol? Depends on whom you're talking to. To a boat owner? None. To a farmer, plenty. More subsidies, higher price for his already subsidized corn. To a lobbyist, more work and money. To the president, more BS about how we're going to be independent from foreign oil. Only thing is is that it takes more energy (oil) per gallon to produce it than it produces itself. So we lose more oil on every gallon we make.

Hey, the farmer's happy, the lobbyist is happy, the Prez is happy. Three out of four's not bad, right?

[dougl33]

Speedo66,

Good points, but you forgot to add that your boat, car, law mower, snow blower, etc... will also get worse mileage on ethanol.

Given that it takes more crude to make a gallon of ethanol, I don't see how this will reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

I've actually traded emails with Bob Adriance from Boat Useless. As far as the fiberglass tanks are concerned, he has no clue. That entire mid 80's thing may in fact be BS. I spoke with Lee Dana (aka the Bertram Doctor). He was a big wig at Bertram back in the day and has access to all of Bertram's archives. He told me he has documents from Bertram that claims they used the same resins in all their tanks in all years up until the early part of this decade. I've also had a discussion with a gentlemen named Don Flippen who is currently at Bertram. He told me that he thought there was a change in the resins in the mid 80's.

The bottom line is that no one knows. We may all be screwed.

Regards,
Doug L.

[bobozinga]

RM and Doug,

I've decided to just take the medicine and replace the tank on my 1983 Bert 28'. RM: Where did the guy across from you GET his tank? If you know.....

[Bitefish]

We could actually fix our energy dependance problems if we'd drill for oil in the gulf and off our coasts, as well as recover the shale we have out west.

Yes, there are trade-offs. But guys - aren't you pissed off that we have something like seven times the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia on our land and we refuse to go get any of it?

That's a 20-30 year supply of domestic consumption - all on its own, ignoring the REST of our domestic supply.

[iron banks]

RM - 6/6/2006 2:02 PM

Thanks for the info. What a mess.

Dear government,

F.U.!

So what are we keeping the corn frmers in business?

That says it all

[jobowker]

Bitefish - 6/7/2006 12:22 PM

We could actually fix our energy dependance problems if we'd drill for oil in the gulf and off our coasts, as well as recover the shale we have out west.

Yes, there are trade-offs. But guys - aren't you pissed off that we have something like seven times the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia on our land and we refuse to go get any of it?

That's a 20-30 year supply of domestic consumption - all on its own, ignoring the REST of our domestic supply.

Every complex problem has an answer that is simple, easy to understand, and completely wrong. It's unfortunately not that easy.
1) Which gulf are you referring to?
2) We do already drill off our own shores
3) We do have large petroleum deposits, but many are not in a state that is easily extracted, like shale oil for example. It isn't cheap to heat a bunch of rock up to 500 celcius to extract those 750 billion barrels.
4) Don't you think that is there was an easy win, Bush would go for it? If there was a way to make him & his oil buddies rich, plus lower the price of gas, plus reduce dendence on a volatile area, he'd jump all over it. The guy was willing to drill the ANWR so it's not like he's out ther hugging trees for a living.