On 2009-11-29, William Wixon wrote:
seeing your photos made me wonder, if you lose the fuel line prime on the
generator do you have to go through a procedure (venting the line, etc.) to
reestablish the prime? just curious. on a compact diesel tractor if you
run the tank dry you have to go through a (hassle!) procedure to re-prime
the engine.

This generator generally sucks in much more fuel, than it actually
consumes, at least under light load. It returns the excess back to the
tank via the return line.

Thus, it can work through and keep running, even if it has a lot of
air in the incoming line. It uses its fuel and returns the air back
into the tank.

For example, right now I have a 10 foot long fuel line, and it had no
problem at all starting and continuing to run, even when the entire
line was empty when I just connected this new fuel line.

reason i was wondering, this group, people working on projects,
exchanging ideas, seeing your project made me wonder, made me think,
if i ever needed to plumb up a bunch (9) fuel tanks (are ALL your
jerry cans EXACTLY the same?)

No, they are different.

i think i'd try to make a fitting
(clamp on seal, feed, return and vent) that goes onto the fuel
filler neck, so i wouldn't have to modify the can itself at all, but
that would necessitate repriming the engine every time i needed to
change cans or refill the can. i'm not criticizing your project.
i'm just wondering out loud, after seeing your project, if it would
be possible. an exchange of ideas, modifying someone else's work.

The diesels that I have seen, are very good at repriming themselves if
there is still some fuel in the fuel filter, injection pump etc. They
would get rid of the trapped air in short order. My familiarity is
with Cummins/Onan and Kubota engines that I bought, used and sold.

This Onan also easily primes itself from fully empty, after a bit of
cranking.

I personally want to have one jerry can as fuel tank, and just refill
it as necessary, even while the generator is still running.

I have a big Racor fuel filter, which I want to put in the incoming
line, with a fine 2 micron element in it. It will both filter the
fuel, as well as separate water from diesel.

My immediate plan is to make a welded frame from 1/2" pipes, that
would be the skeleton of the enclosure. After that is done, I will
have a good place to mount this Racor filter.

i