Auxiliary diesel tank

[oldbilbo]

I've been musing over fitting an auxiliary diesel tank which can be stored in a cockpit locker and 'ported'. I also want to fit a 'hand-squeeze' bulb into the supply line, before the filter, to facilitate bleeding air after changing the filter. It has been suggested here that such a bulb, fitted permanently, is vulnerable to burning through in event of a 'modest' fuel fire, thus making a drama out of a crisis.....

So now I'm considering the merits of having something like this....

....with a sufficient length of supply pipe, which I can attach to a twin shutoff 'Y' connector close to the filter. The existing supply would be connected to one branch of the 'Y'. That would permit, I think, the supply of clean, fresh fuel via a 'hand-squeeze' bulb when I need to bleed the filter.... and a secondary supply/store of diesel fuel to augment the modest 17L (!) main tank.... detachment and removal of the vulnerable rubber bulb and hose when 'normally' not needed.

All the bits would be specified for diesel rather than petrol, of course.

Can sharper minds than mine see concerns in this notion?

 

[prv]

Great minds think alike . I bought a portable fuel tank off the forum last year for exactly this purpose. Haven't done it yet though. Not sure that I will (may just use the tank as a large jerrycan) due to the plumbing involved in adding it to my twin-filter system.

The main thing you've missed is that you need a return line to the tank as well as the supply. Otherwise the engine will rapidly pump all the fuel from the reserve tank into the main one.

Pete

 

[Rossynant]

The main thing you've missed is that you need a return line to the tank as well as the supply. Otherwise the engine will rapidly pump all the fuel from the reserve tank into the main one.

Pete

Or install return line going to pre-filter, not to tank - kiss ways work best

 

[prv]

Or install return line going to pre-filter, not to tank - kiss ways work best

I've heard of several people having problems with this. Some engines are self-bleeding, with any air in the fuel going back down the return line where it escapes into the tank. If you connect the return line directly into the supply line instead of into the tank, this doesn't happen.

If connecting the return to the supply was such a good idea, engines would have it built in, and halve the amount of external plumbing required.

Pete

 

[Rossynant]

Well, mine has it this way. For the simple reason - there are two tanks...