We sat down and spoke with Mark Frazier, our Fuel Manager at the Phoenix branch, about the fuel services DP Air offers and other interesting aspects of fuel that are not commonly known.
The main type of fuel used in the generators DP Air provides fuel testing and filtration on is #2 red off road low sulfur diesel fuel. This type of diesel fuel is regulated to have up to 5% biodiesel fuel and made of organic material.
When fuel sits for an extended period of time, it begins to break down naturally. Fuel has a shelf life that can be extended with fuel treatments and polishes. These fuel services can be done annually, semi-annually, or every three months. The frequency of treatments depends on the temperature and climate the fuel is exposed to which can cause a further breakdown of organic diesel fuel. DP Air recommends having filtration done at a minimum of once a year to maintain and extend fuel life.
When doing fuel filtration, DP Air looks for particulates, or fine sediment, in the fuel. The fuel is passed from the tank to the pump and goes through 25, 10, 5, and 1 micron filters before returning to the tank via the flow meter. These filters are a dense sheet of fibers that the fuel is passed through and the lower the number, the denser the sheet of fiber is. One micron is the finest you want to go through when filtering your fuel. If water is found within the fuel, it is pumped off into a waste bin. When doing a fuel filtration, you will want to turn the fuel three times over to ensure the best filtration has been done. A bacteria count test will be conducted if there is bottom sediment and water present in the fuel.
If fuel is left sitting in a generator, it can grow algae, turn to tar, and can harden. Once fuel hardens, it cannot be removed from the bottom of the tank. Fuel filtration and polishing is important, and should be a part of your generator’s preventative maintenance plan.
Contact us at 1-866-372-7771 to learn more about fuel filtration, and see if DP Air can provide you with the services you need to extend fuel life for your generator!
