Best ways to separate diesel from water?

[Woodworks]

Somehow large quantities of water have got into our diesel tank and we need get rid of the water. Is it best to syphon the diesel off the top? If so any recommends on syphons? 

Just ran off a litre from the outlet which is at the bottom of the tank and 1/5 was water!

 

All discovered after killing the forklift which has not yet been revived.

 

Thanks

Edited February 21, 2018 by Woodworks

[aspenarb]

15 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Somehow large quantities of water have got into our diesel tank and we need get rid of the water. Is it best to syphon the diesel off the top? If so any recommends on syphons? 

Just ran off a litre from the outlet which is at the bottom of the tank and 1/5 was water!

 

All discovered after killing the forklift which has not yet been revived.

 

Thanks

 

Delivery tanks should be tipped back away from the outlet and a drain cock fitted in the lower end, water is easily drained off this way. This may be of interest

 

[dig-dug-dan]

You can buy a special funnel that filters out the water. Funnel man i think its called. It works a treat. Everytime i service my crushers, you see the amount of crap hirers put in instead of fuel!

[eggsarascal]

1 hour ago, Woodworks said:

Somehow large quantities of water have got into our diesel tank and we need get rid of the water. Is it best to syphon the diesel off the top? If so any recommends on syphons? 

Just ran off a litre from the outlet which is at the bottom of the tank and 1/5 was water!

 

All discovered after killing the forklift which has not yet been revived.

 

Thanks

I wouldn't syphon the diesel off the top. I'd drain/syphon the water from the bottom.

 

If your tank isn't letting water in from outside I suspect it's condensation in the tank.

 

There are plenty of cheap pumps about that will do the job.

[Woodworks]

12 hours ago, eggsarascal said:

I wouldn't syphon the diesel off the top. I'd drain/syphon the water from the bottom.

 

If your tank isn't letting water in from outside I suspect it's condensation in the tank.

 

There are plenty of cheap pumps about that will do the job.

Thing is I have tilted the tank so the outlet is now at the bottom but getting a mix of water and diesel coming out. Bit confused why it's not one or the other. 

[treequip]

43 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Thing is I have tilted the tank so the outlet is now at the bottom but getting a mix of water and diesel coming out. Bit confused why it's not one or the other. 

It will take a little time for the oil and water to separate. Set the tank on a tilt with the drain plug as low as you can get it then wait.  

[Kevm]

17 hours ago, dig-dug-dan said:

You can buy a special funnel that filters out the water. Funnel man i think its called. It works a treat. Everytime i service my crushers, you see the amount of crap hirers put in instead of fuel!

This, they are called "Mr funnel" expensive but they work perfectly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mr-Funnel-Fuel-Filter-Funnel-F15-Pro-Dual-Filter-Dirt-And-Water-Separator/192052270683?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D43782%26meid%3D5864add8619944bbb0ab9db3e00e0cff%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D142409715335%26itm%3D192052270683&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

petrol and diesel flows through but if you fill it with water not one drop comes out, amazing!

 

 

[Woodworks]

Think I might get one of them and put out petrol through it as well.

[openspaceman]

3 hours ago, Kevm said:

This, they are called "Mr funnel" expensive but they work perfectly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mr-Funnel-Fuel-Filter-Funnel-F15-Pro-Dual-Filter-Dirt-And-Water-Separator/192052270683?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D43782%26meid%3D5864add8619944bbb0ab9db3e00e0cff%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D142409715335%26itm%3D192052270683&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

petrol and diesel flows through but if you fill it with water not one drop comes out, amazing!

 

 

Mine's out on loan at the moment but the MR Funnel has a sump at the bottom for the water to collect in, this means that if you pour clean fuel in it there is always a residual amount of fuel in the bottom.

 

It's great for filtering a small amount of contaminated drainings  which you inevitably have AFTER you have taken the measures Bob and Treequip have advised, but it's slow. I'd use it to fill the machines with rather than try and sort an already contaminated tank, gravity will do the separation given time.

 

With diesel the worry will be that bugs have been living in the water and living off the diesel so there may be a gel of them on the bottom of the tank which needs dealing with.

 

Once sorted just make sure the fuel draw off point is a couple of inches above the drain tap.

[Woodworks]

Yep pretty much the plan.

 

Thanks all