SNAKE OIL CHRONICLES

The following is a set of images and text pertaining to my test of the Algae-X units on my 45' Hatteras. These test conditions are:

• Starboard engine is running WITH the unit in-circuit, the port engine is running with it OUT of the circuit.
• Each engine is fed from its own, separate tank.
• Both fuel systems have had trouble with microbial growth in the past, of approximately equal severity.
• Both engines would foul a Racor 1000 fuel filter within 10 hours or so; the secondary filters have had to be changed on approximately 80-100 hour intervals.
• The tanks have been occasionally dosed with biocide to attempt to control the microbial problem without significant success. PRI-D has been used on a regular basis in a (successful) attempt to decrease the amount of smoke, but without significant impact on the microbial or filter-fouling situation.

The units were installed the first week of August, 2001.

ROUND ONE:

The following images are of the filters pulled (and replaced) today after the first extended (10 hour) run with the Algae-X units installed. Each image is annotated, and the original high-resolution picture is available by clicking on the image here (warning: the originals are 1600x1200 and are approximately three quarters of a megabite in size each!)

Port side filter, top, Algae-X unit DISABLED. Note the particulate deposits on the top of the filter body. These were also found INSIDE the canister on the wall once the filter was withdrawn.

Starboard side filter, Algae-X unit ENABLED. Note the ABSENCE of particulate deposits on the top of the filter body.

Port side filter body itself. Note the warping of the element; this element is moderately fouled. (As an observation both vacuum gauges, checked while coming back in, showed moderate but not critical restriction levels)

Starboard side filter element. It is also moderately fouled.

Conclusions thus far:

1. The fouling of the elements is, within the limits of experimental determination, identical. That is, the material that the filters "caught" and is thus present on the pleats is approximately equivalent. Both are of roughly equivalent shade. No attempt was made to dry and weigh the elements (I do not have a gram scale or any other device sufficient to give enough resolution to be worthwhile in that endeavor)
2. The large particulate deposits on the port side are interesting - most notably by their absence on the starboard side! This is particularly interesting to me because it is the starboard side that has, over the last six months since the boat was purchased, shown slightly heavier fouling. That the pattern has apparently reversed is an interesting data point. I am not able to draw any conclusions at this point from that observation, but it definitely bears watching to see if it continues.
3. The behavior thus far is consistent with what I have experienced since purchasing the boat in terms of the degree and severity of filter contamination, with the possible exception of the deposits being absent on the starboard side.

We consumed roughly one half of both tank's initial contents while fishing Wednesday; we intend to use the boat tomorrow (Saturday, 8/18) but only for a cruise - perhaps two or three engine hours. This examination will be repeated either Sunday or Monday and another link posted.

ROUND TWO: 9/23/2001

We have now burned through the entire tanks of the original fuel and filled the tanks. During that burn-through the filter loading was approximately equal to that of the previous period of time.

The following are images after one approximately four-hour run after the fuel tanks were filled and the filters changed.

Starboard:

Port:

Observations:

1. The total fouling load has lessened significantly on both sides. It is presumed that the PRI-D and the intentional consumption of all the fuel in the tank before refueling is responsible for the change in both systems, as only one has an operating Algae-X unit.
2. The starboard filter is showing less fouling than the port. This is significant because the starboard filter is the one on which the Algae-X unit is operational.
3. There is, at this point, insufficient data to definitely call the difference a matter of a causal relationship. The difference, while clearly visible in the above photos
4. A small, but statistically significant, reduction in fuel consumption has also been noted. We burned 9.1gph this weekend on a mostly-cruising-speed trip; little low-speed running (trolling, etc) was performed. This is significantly below our previous consumption (by about 15%) for a trip of similar consumption and we were running at a higher RPM than usual (2000 .vs. 1900) as we had limited time this Sunday. This also bears future close monitoring!

These filters were not changed and will not be until we have loading figures suggesting that they need to be.

The intent is to run in the present configuration until we have what appears to be conclusive evidence, then to turn the port unit on as well for the purpose of confirmation.

Round 3 - 10/2/2001

This was a 10-hour fishing trip with a lot of cruise time operation. Several observations:

1. Fuel consumption continues to appear to be down about 15% from previous levels; this continues the previous observation.
2. There is still some smoke at cruise. It is nearly impossible to determine which engine is responsible (or if both are) at high speed due to the slipstream effect.
3. At IDLE, while fishing, the PORT engine (the one with the Algae-X unit OFF) smokes slightly; the STARBOARD engine runs cleanly. This is an interesting observation which I will test by switching the unit into the circuit shortly for the port side; if the smoke disappears, then we have our answer, yes?
4. Fuel clarity is excellent as is the general operation of the engines on BOTH sides.

Starboard filter:

Port filter:

The differences here are NOT lighting related; while they are small, the starboard (Algae-X unit enabled) filter is cleaner than the port (unit disabled.) The fuel system is running very cleanly, and the fuel itself is also very clean. The filters are acceptable (no clumping and no restriction of note) and will continue to be operated.

Currently I cannot discern a difference that is easily traceable to the Algae-X units, other than, perhaps, some difference in smoke production and fuel economy. The difference in fuel system clarity cannot be traced to the units conclusively at the present time. During our next fishing trip I intend to, after seeing the port engine smoke at idle, go below and switch the unit into the circuit in an attempt to verify whether or not the unit can be directly traced to lessening of that smoke.

Trips the second and third week of October - reported 10/21/2001:

Wow. That's all I can use to describe this.

During the month of October we have now run several trips since the 10/2 installment of the Snake Oil Chronicles. All filters were changed before we began this set of trips. We have now made three separate trips out and have made configuration changes while underway. The port engine and unit turns out to be the one on which we wind up with conclusions.

The trips have been made as follows:

• First and second trip were operated with the Algae-X unit turned ON for both the Port and Starboard sides. The first was 5 hours, the second approximately 8 hours.
• The third trip, of approximately 10 hours, was made with the unit turned OFF on the port side.
• The fourth trip of approximately 8 hours, was made with the unit ON for the port side.
• NO FILTER CHANGES WERE MADE during these three weeks.

The fuel tanks began full; after the second trip we were unable to fill due to the time of our return. We filled after the third and fourth trips as well. Fuel bowls have remained clear and clean with no debris or water during the entire test period. Most importantly, the third trip, on which the unit was disabled, was made without adding fuel to the existing supply in the tank - and on which, at that time, we had 13 operating hours on the filter inline with the Algae-X unit. With the exception of the third trip, at which time we filled just over a half tank, at no time did we run more than 3/8ths of a tank of fuel during a given trip.

From this you can see that the Algae-X unit has accumulated approximately twice as many operating hours as were accumulated with the unit offline.

Today, during routine maintenance, I pulled filters. The below picture speaks for itself; the forward unit (the one that I am holding up with my fingers) is the one that is connected to the Algae-X unit, while the aft filter is the RACOR that is NOT fed through the Algae-X device:

This photograph speaks for itself.

To those who claim that there were variables in this leg of the test other than the unit, I challenge you to find them. We had the same fuel in the tanks through one of the runs in each configuration with no additions. The aft filter is clearly far more fouled than the forward one - there is essentially no fouling on the forward filter at all, despite having 20 hours on it, while the aft unit has only 10 hours on it.

I may not understand how or why it works, but I'm sold.