TECHNOLOGY
Steve D’Antonio
All plumbing components used on the Smart FPS are metallic,
and most are stainless steel, which means there are no hoses
to wear out, leak, or replace.
I was pleased to see that the recommended installation
diagrams make it plain that the polishing system must be
completely segregated from plumbing used for engines,
generators, and other fuel consumers. This critical aspect
of any fuel polishing system is often overlooked by
manufacturers and installers.
In examining the Smart FPS, I could find but one area
that I believe warrants improvement. The digital display on
the Siemens Micro PLC is extremely small and difficult to
read. I suspect any user would appreciate a display that’s
easier to view, particularly when it might be mounted in
the engine room and not necessarily at eye level. In this
day when large digital displays that are easy to read
—
even from oblique angles—are used in everything from
navigation electronics to cell phones, it makes one wonder
why Algae-X didn’t take advantage of such hardware.
Perhaps this will be incorporated into future models.
The combination of a rugged polishing system and an
equally rugged yet versatile plug-and-play programmable
controller makes the Smart FPS a truly impressive piece
of marine technology. What’s more, its compact footprint
means there’s a place for it aboard virtually any diesel-powered vessel. Smart FPS systems start at $3,995 (the
SFC- 50 controller is included). It’s tough, however, to place
a price on the peace of mind afforded by knowing that the
fuel that keeps your engine running is clean.
