setting up the fuel tanks on my S42

[lanerboy]

ok I had a problem where the fuel taps were wrong on my S42 fuel tank set up and I ended up dumping fuel out of the overflow a costly mistake

I have now set the fuel taps up for all 3 fuel tanks to normal setting/ usage I then filled all 3 tanks up, I thought by setting it like this it would use equal fuel from each tank but it seems to be using more fuel from the starboard tank as this is now half full and the other 2 tanks are still reading full

Is anyone familiar with the set up of these systems on a S42 and can tell me what I am doing wrong, I have had 2 other people check the settings and they agree I have it set to normal conditions

cheers shawn

 

[sarabande]

have you tracked the return pipes from the engines ?

Are you confident the gauges are working properly ?

 

[lanerboy]

yes gauges are working correctly I have a complex system with about eleven different taps on the fuel lines and these are set up in accordance with the drawing on the engine bay bulk head for normal use

 

[benjenbav]

Maybe the "normal" setting draws first from the starboard tank with the tanks balancing once the starboard tank is depleted to a particular point?

 

[lanerboy]

yes possibly just after some opinions as I have only had this boat a couple of months

 

[CharlieAlpha]

3 tanks and 2 engines bound be some imbalance. Are all three tanks the same size (approx) or is one a 'reserve' type tank (or for heating)? The cross feed both out from tank and fuel return is going to be the key to whats happening

 

[dj43]

Cannot comment on your set up, but on our old f43 , the third tank was the lowest in the boat so always stayed full, I would recheck the return / bye pas valves to make sure you have them correct as normally each engine draws from a separate tank and return is matched

 

[No Regrets]

My Scand has two 70 gallon tanks, and each has a feed and return tap.

I foolishly left them all open, thinking it would take what it needed, and return the rest.

Sadly, it took what it wanted, and chucked the overflow of the overly full tank in the bilges! (I recycled it, don't worry!)

Upon reading the 30 year old poorly translated instructions, it appears I should use one tank on it's own, until a quarter full, then use the other tank on it's own, whilst refuelling the original one when practicable to do so

Makes sense really, just not what I expected.


No problems since I started to do it properly...