Fuel shut off valve

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richardh10

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As a safety measure I am thinking of fitting a manual fuel shut off valve somewhere in the fuel system. My question is do many people have these, and if so what sort of valve do they use? Ok, that's 2 questions.
A worthwhile safety feature, or a bit OTT?
 
richardh10 said:
As a safety measure I am thinking of fitting a manual fuel shut off valve somewhere in the fuel system. My question is do many people have these, and if so what sort of valve do they use? Ok, that's 2 questions.
A worthwhile safety feature, or a bit OTT?
Click to expand...

I have an ordinary stainless steel ball valve in the fuel line on top of the fuel tank. To be honest, I've only ever turn it off when I change the filter.

In an emergeny of some kind, like a fire, it would take me a few minutes to get to it as it's under the aft mattress.

Richard
 
I too have a pair of ball valves on top of the tank - one in the supply line and one in the return. I never switch them off, as the filters are above the tank so fuel won't flow out when changing them, but it still seems worth having them. More for convenience when working on the fuel system than for safety.

I think a fuel shutoff may be required for charter coding; one had been clumsily added to Ariam when we got her and the only mods on board were generally charter-related. So someone thinks they're worthwhile for safety.

Pete
 
RichardS said:
I have an ordinary stainless steel ball valve in the fuel line on top of the fuel tank. To be honest, I've only ever turn it off when I change the filter.

In an emergeny of some kind, like a fire, it would take me a few minutes to get to it as it's under the aft mattress.

Richard
Click to expand...
I suppose that would shut the motor down immediately once it was turned off as the pump would "starve".

I have two of these installed: one for the fuel Port/Starboard tanks and one for the fuel return Port/Starboard tanks

View attachment 58048

Maybe I should add one of these as well before the motor filter.

View attachment 58049

Clive
 
One tank has a ball valve with lever style handle, the other has a needle valve with a wheel style handle, two different types for two tanks with different space around them. They were fitted for tank isolation, not emergency fuel shut off. Where I have worked on charter boats the fuel tank valves had to be accessible to shut off in case of a fire, most were fine as is but some remote ones (or any in the engine space) had to be fitted with a device to close the valve remotely, which invariably was a lever type pulled closed with a wire strop; same for the seawater inlet valve. On a small yacht if it goes on fire one is likely to be abandoning quickly. The remote shut off is a big ship idea transferred to small yacht coding.
 
It is a requirement for the Boat Safety Scheme so someone else thinks its a good idea. As a fire prevention aid, it is probably a good idea. If something strange happened down stream in the fuel system it could be used to stop it siphoning...????

I'm not convinced it would provide a quick shut off to the engine...... It may be that my fuel system is crap, but I know from bitter experience that with the tap turned off at the tank, my boat will run for at least 15 mins at slow speed..... as it empties the fuel filters and the agglomerator. Gently comming to a halt when I was feet away from a tight marina entrance, boats on both sides, slight current on the river, single handed........ agh!!
 
If you've decided to do it, then it's probably best to incorporate it into your daily controls rather than introduce a little used extra item. I was thinking of a ball valve with a bracket fitted to allow a cable to pull the lever to the closed position. It would be more difficult to rig it successfully so that it could reopen on releasing the cable, needing a strong return spring and the cable would have to be like the old car choke cables which could be twisted to lock them in position (to keep the valve shut). Having said that, I was driving a coach the other day which had just such a system - to isolate the fuel, pull out and twist.

Using it daily as part of your engine start/stop procedures does ensure it is serviceable when needed.

Another likely system could be adapted from fire extinguisher systems. A valve is rigged with a big spring to close it and a wire with a fusible link used to hold it open. In the event of a fire, the fusible link burns out and the valve snaps shut. Rigged with a demountable fitting to release it in an emergency, this could cover any type of emergency requiring fuel shut-off.

Rob.
 
If you run electric pumps then they are a fuel shut of device. Pick up pipes are on top of our our tank to very little benefit for us in having a valve that adds nothing to safety. Just another potential source of air leak
 
geem said:
If you run electric pumps then they are a fuel shut of device. Pick up pipes are on top of our our tank to very little benefit for us in having a valve that adds nothing to safety. Just another potential source of air leak
Click to expand...

Well I'll fit them even though I draw from the top of the tank because if the tanks were only half full the fuel could siphon to the low pressure pump.

(I bought the USCG/SAE J1527 diesel fuel hose and am about to fit it so that should keep the insurance company happy)
 
richardh10 said:
As a safety measure I am thinking of fitting a manual fuel shut off valve somewhere in the fuel system. My question is do many people have these, and if so what sort of valve do they use? Ok, that's 2 questions.
A worthwhile safety feature, or a bit OTT?
Click to expand...
I have 1 to aid filter changes & as you say it can be used as a safety feature
Mine ia a 6mm gas cock & the tank is below the engine
 
coopec said:
Well I'll fit them even though I draw from the top of the tank because if the tanks were only half full the fuel could siphon to the low pressure pump.

(I bought the USCG/SAE J1527 diesel fuel hose and am about to fit it so that should keep the insurance company happy)
Click to expand...

So your tank is higher than your pump? My tank is on top of my keel and therefore below the engine. No benefit in my case of installing a valve
 
geem said:
So your tank is higher than your pump? My tank is on top of my keel and therefore below the engine. No benefit in my case of installing a valve
Click to expand...

It would stop the fuel draining back when you change a filter.
 
richardh10 said:
As a safety measure I am thinking of fitting a manual fuel shut off valve somewhere in the fuel system. My question is do many people have these, and if so what sort of valve do they use? Ok, that's 2 questions.
A worthwhile safety feature, or a bit OTT?
Click to expand...

Fuel shut off valves close to the tank are mandatory on our boats in deep dark Africa.
 
Alpha22 said:
I'm not convinced it would provide a quick shut off to the engine...... It may be that my fuel system is crap, but I know from bitter experience that with the tap turned off at the tank, my boat will run for at least 15 mins at slow speed..... as it empties the fuel filters and the agglomerator. Gently comming to a halt when I was feet away from a tight marina entrance, boats on both sides, slight current on the river, single handed........ agh!!
Click to expand...

Glad I'm not the only one :)

We ended up coming into Portsmouth into a bit of a blow with the flubber's outboard on the back. Trying to keep out of the way of the Sunday raceing dinghy fleet was, shall we say interesting, as the bow wanted to blow off and not come back into the the wind, until a safety boat saw our predicament and told us to hold our course and they'd chase the dinghies out of the way.
 
nigelmercier said:
I fitted the same. Good, but awkward to mount. Anyone with a Bavaria should replace the factory one now.
Click to expand...

What makes you think there is a factory one? :cool:

Mine had no shut-off valves whatsoever, however there are two conspicuous holes cut into the bulkhead right where they ought to be. Maybe they cost extra?
 
I have a ball valve that sits just in front on the secondary filter. Easy to get too on the Tomohawk as their is an engine cover in the cockpit. I would think a shut off valve is essential if only for maintenance?
 
Looking at other replies, I now realise that you may simply have meant fitting a cock into the line. However, I see little safety in that if you have to (in my case) lie across the most likely seat of the fire (engine) to reach down to the cock... It's very convenient for maintenance but in an emergency I;d want the thing to be operable from outside the engine box.

Rob.
 
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