How full do I fill my diesel tank?

[captain58sailin]

I think he was refering to "Joy" which is not allowed in the US, but I have seen even the USCG, using it. Also who is to say you can't be washing your boat down while loading fuel?

[Matt sachs]

This web site is going to get me fired. Every time I read something that helps me (every day) I want to go to the yard and work on the boat.

This week I'm building four tanks, I'm using 11 guage steel and custom fitting them into nooks and crannies to save room. Two of them are 75 gallons and 2 a 25. Its amazing how much room they dont take up when you get creative. The bottom of each tank has a deep end where the water and gunk will collect. This is where the polisher pick up is located. They will fit thru the companion way so they can be drained and removed easily if needed. I plan to have only one filler tube and use the pump in the polisher to transferr between tanks - unless there is a reason to do it another way. any thoughts?

[daddle]

11 gauge steel? Sounds heavy and rusty.

[DeepFrz]

How many baffle plates?

[Captain Jeffry]

You can hear the fuel rising in the pipe if you listen. I'm on a lot of different boats and none have been hard to tell if you listen. First sound change and should stop. Wait if it was just a burp. Begin fueling slowly again. You'll hear the same 'rising' sound if it is near full. Try to keep the tanks full to help prevent condensation and growing an algea farm

[Captain Jeffry]

Originally Posted by Matt sachs

This web site is going to get me fired. Every time I read something that helps me (every day) I want to go to the yard and work on the boat.

This week I'm building four tanks, I'm using 11 guage steel and custom fitting them into nooks and crannies to save room. Two of them are 75 gallons and 2 a 25. Its amazing how much room they dont take up when you get creative. The bottom of each tank has a deep end where the water and gunk will collect. This is where the polisher pick up is located. They will fit thru the companion way so they can be drained and removed easily if needed. I plan to have only one filler tube and use the pump in the polisher to transferr between tanks - unless there is a reason to do it another way. any thoughts?

One fill is good idea and cotrol tank filling with good manifold. Just saw it on a Swan 53 and thought is was great installation. Sight guage/tube?

[Bash]

Originally Posted by perchance

Google Barton Marine fuel tank whistle.

Way cool! I've just forwarded this thread to Santa Claus.

[Irish rambler]

Hi Matt, if you have a sump on each tank, simply put a drain cock each one and drain it regularly. Keep it simple, cure the problem not the symptoms. Just crack the valve until the fuel runs clean every couple of months, No water,No sediment, No problem. Many people are a salesman's dream, fitting fancy filters and pumps that aren't necessary, a simple filter/water separator (I use Caterpillar) and a normal spin on fuel filter are all that's required.
Good luck with your installation.

[svWindfall]

I mix a diesel biocide with our (2) 100 gallon tanks when storing for a long period. Cheap insurance for the long run (about $30)

1. " It can be used to eliminate and/or prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi, organic reactions, sludge formation, and also acts as a corrosion inhibitor.
2. And "Promotes fuel stability during storage"

[DumnMad]

I'm with Bobconnie & Irish rambler. Drain the water from the bottom of the tank. Add a little biocide for good measure.
Diesel spills - When they workout how to stop God from washing the oil drips off the highways and stop black smoke coming out of trucks I will start to think a few liters of diesel spill may be an environmental threat. Best treatment for a diesel spill is the wind, it spreads it so it will evaporate more quickly. Heavy Oil spills are another story.

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by agilmore

Newbie question:

If this were to happen on my Tartan, the fuel would run down into the bilge and stink up the cabin, and probably take a full season for the smell to go away.
Alan

I have come love the smell of diesel mixed with salt water in the bilge

[Irish rambler]

Black smoke from a diesel engine, truck or boat is unburnt fuel, usually the injector pump has been 'opened' up to give more power and it's totally unnecessary if the engine is 'set up' correctly (i.e timing, valve clearances,etc) and simply a waste of fuel ! Diesel fuel doesn't evaporate. If you have a diesel smell in the bilge, check there's no leaks and the breather pipe is high enough to the overboard vent, if not re-route it. Put a good squirt of washing up liquid in your bilges, leave for a day or two to slosh around and clean your bilges & break up the oil molecules before pumping out, do this as a matter of routine after each bilge pump out and you'll have no smell.

[Matt sachs]

Thanks for the tips. The tanks weigh about 75 pounds each. They look great, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately they will be hidden from view. The next step is to blast off the mill scale and epoxy coat them when it warms up a bit.

[DumnMad]

Irish rambler; Diesel smells so it evaporates. (It might be slow in the confines of a bilge and it does leave a residue.) If it is accidentally pumped overboard with the bilge water then wind and waves can spread it out for quicker evaporation and its dealt with quite well. A little bilge water spill is no big deal environmentally speaking compared to what comes off our roads via the rivers and storm water reticulation. Any air pollution is minimal compared to truck smoke.

[agilmore]

Originally Posted by tbodine88

I have come love the smell of diesel mixed with salt water in the bilge

Yeah, I love the smell of diesel in the mornings . . .