cougar said:
I would of thought that fuel line is fuel line also,as long as you didnt get that cheap clear stuff.A car or truck is many times more likely to get hit or at least be driven in the worst of conditions then any boat would be.And not to muddle it too much as a Canadian you,re not required to follow any USCG rules or regs.Go to Canadian Coast Guard and see if there,s any particular stipulation about fuel line,ive been using high pressure auto line for years.You may find that our regs are totally differnt or maybe the same also.Ive seen the roll of fuel line at a local dealers and it doesnt look any differnt than the line you would buy from a good auto parts store.
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This is my thinking as well, fuel line for cars must have to meet certain specs as well, I am looking at black fuel line weaved with metal inside. I have looked at them both now from a marine dealer and from NAPA and they appear identical, only the marine fuel line has OMC stamped on the side, I would just hate to pay $60 for the 10 feet that I need over the $15 that I could get it for. I know with alot of these types of things its all made by one or two companies and they just sell it off to others who then stamp it with there own stamp. Maybe most auto fuel line meets USCG specs and its the exact same stuff from the same manufacturer but the auto stuff just doesn't go through the testing of it.
Re: Marine Fuel line VS autoThis is my thinking as well, fuel line for cars must have to meet certain specs as well, I am looking at black fuel line weaved with metal inside. I have looked at them both now from a marine dealer and from NAPA and they appear identical, only the marine fuel line has OMC stamped on the side, I would just hate to pay $60 for the 10 feet that I need over the $15 that I could get it for. I know with alot of these types of things its all made by one or two companies and they just sell it off to others who then stamp it with there own stamp. Maybe most auto fuel line meets USCG specs and its the exact same stuff from the same manufacturer but the auto stuff just doesn't go through the testing of it.
Question: In the photo I sent in you can clearly see the &#;A2&#; lettering on the side of the hose, along with a bunch of Lloyd&#;s approval numbers and such. My question has to do with the &#;A&#; letter designations.
I&#;ve heard that these have changed in their meaning over the last few years and I&#;ve also heard that the bar has been raised on the requirements. Can you clear the air on all of this? What does A2 vs. A1 mean for example?
Answer: You are correct. We covered this a while ago in
Things changed with these designators in when the EPA-mandated diurnal emissions requirements for gasoline fuel systems on boats went into full effect. Basically what happened as a result of the new regulations is that the permeation rate standard for marine fuel hoses was tightened up rather significantly. A new designation was established for fuel distribution hose that now requires a permeation rating maximum of 15 g/m²/24hrs (15 grams per square meter in 24 hours). This is the new maximum for what is designated &#;A1-15&#; hose.
Several things about this designator are important. First, any fuel hose with an &#;A&#; designator is fire-rated based on USCG requirements and specifications. It is the only rating allowable for fuel hose used in gasoline engine room spaces. In terms of the permeation specification, the new EPA required 1-15 designators are required for fuel distribution hoses. The assumption here is that these hoses are constantly filled with fuel and therefore we need to have a much lower permeation rate to keep fuel vapor leakage into the atmosphere at an absolute minimum. &#;A2&#; labeled hose is also USCG fire-rated but has a much higher permeation rate specification of 300 g/m²/24 hrs. It is also allowable in engine room spaces but should only be used for either fill or vent hoses going to the fuel tank. Again, the assumption is that these hose sections are not constantly exposed to raw gasoline, so a higher permeation rate is OK. There is also an A1 designation with a 100 g/m²/24 hrs. rating that is actually getting a bit hard to locate as most boat builders are using either the A2 or A1-15 hoses.
To add to any confusion here, there is also &#;B&#; rated hose available that has similar permeation properties but no USCG fire rating. They should only be used in non-engine room compartments.
For details on fuel hoses in diesel-powered boats, see
Written by: Ed Sherman
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit marine sanitation hose.
Ed Sherman is a regular contributor to boats.com, as well as to Professional Boatbuilder and Cruising World, where he previously was electronics editor. He also is the curriculum director for the American Boat and Yacht Council. Previously, Ed was chairman of the Marine Technology Department at the New England Institute of Technology. Ed&#;s blog posts appear courtesy of his website, EdsBoatTips.
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I&#;ve heard that these have changed in their meaning over the last few years and I&#;ve also heard that the bar has been raised on the requirements. Can you clear the air on all of this? What does A2 vs. A1 mean for example?You are correct. We covered this a while ago in What do the New Marine Fuel Hose Markings Mean , but it would be worth circling back again because this is still a fairly new topic, and not well understood. It&#;s especially important for owners who are considering replacing fuel hoses in used boats.Things changed with these designators in when the EPA-mandated diurnal emissions requirements for gasoline fuel systems on boats went into full effect. Basically what happened as a result of the new regulations is that the permeation rate standard for marine fuel hoses was tightened up rather significantly. A new designation was established for fuel distribution hose that now requires a permeation rating maximum of 15 g/m²/24hrs (15 grams per square meter in 24 hours). This is the new maximum for what is designated &#;A1-15&#; hose.Several things about this designator are important. First, any fuel hose with an &#;A&#; designator is fire-rated based on USCG requirements and specifications. It is the only rating allowable for fuel hose used in gasoline engine room spaces. In terms of the permeation specification, the new EPA required 1-15 designators are required for fuel distribution hoses. The assumption here is that these hoses are constantly filled with fuel and therefore we need to have a much lower permeation rate to keep fuel vapor leakage into the atmosphere at an absolute minimum. &#;A2&#; labeled hose is also USCG fire-rated but has a much higher permeation rate specification of 300 g/m²/24 hrs. It is also allowable in engine room spaces but should only be used for either fill or vent hoses going to the fuel tank. Again, the assumption is that these hose sections are not constantly exposed to raw gasoline, so a higher permeation rate is OK. There is also an A1 designation with a 100 g/m²/24 hrs. rating that is actually getting a bit hard to locate as most boat builders are using either the A2 or A1-15 hoses.To add to any confusion here, there is also &#;B&#; rated hose available that has similar permeation properties but no USCG fire rating. They should only be used in non-engine room compartments.For details on fuel hoses in diesel-powered boats, see Diesel Fuel Hose Ratings Explained
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