Simple diesel tank gauge

[stefan_r]

I have a reserve fuel tank under a bunk that is fairly inaccessible.

I am after a cheap / simple / easy to install gauge for the tank…the tank does not have an inspection cover and cannot be opened, or more importantly cleaned from the inside – therefore what I need is something with the minimum ‘invasion’ into the tank to avoid too much stainless steel filings and cuttings appearing in my filters!!!!

Likewise the tank is under a bunk not leaving much space to cut a really big hole, clean everything and then put in a large gauge.

Something that just needs a hole drilled, sensor dropped through and then sealed with a couple of screws and some gunk would be great.

Frankly even a dipstick would be suitable because all I need is an occasional check to see is the tank empty / half / full.

Cheers
Stefan


mailto: stefan@athito.com

 

[Trevethan]

Not sure how well this will work, but should do in principle...

Take a length of narrow bore (say 10 mm outside dia) PVC pipe with suitable fitting at either end. drill two holes in tank (when empty) one near bottom, one near top. affix pipe, seal properly and arrange where it it is unkinked and fairly easy to view

Fill tank. diesel should appear at same level in tube as in tank. If you fix the pipe with cable clips to a verticle surface you could also tape up a scale to give you a more accurate indication of contents.

It would likely be worthwhile trying this on an old oil can though before drilling into the reserve!

Regards,

Nick

 

[dickh]

Try www.tek-tanks.com I think they do a simple non electrical gauge which goes in the top of the tank, but you will still have to make holes etc.
Alternatively, fit a clear plastic tube with angle adaptors top & bottom as a simple sight gauge, but the tank would have to be empty.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[vyv_cox]

There is a unit that operates by applying a slight air pressure to the tank by a small press-button. A very old VW camper I once had 1962(?) had a fuel gauge that worked like this. In the past few years I have seen a commercial system that worked like this but sorry, don't know details.

 

[Guest]

No need to drill the tank

Why not go for the previous plastic sight glass idea but tee it into the lower tank pipe. If you use a brass press valve like the ones fitted to central heating oil tank level guages there is no safety problem with the plastic leaking through melting etc. and the upper end of the plastic need not go back into the tank provided it is supported correctly.

Just a suggestion....

Bernie

 

[stefan_r]

side access impossible (unfortunately!!)

tank is set in bunk so side access impossible - only way into tank is from the top....cheers though!!

mailto: stefan@athito.com

 

[Paulka]

Right!

A T-piece on both filling pipe and low pipe, and a transparent plastic hose in between.
If you want to be reasonnably safe, have a small ball valve on the low side.
Be aware that plastic is NOT safe in case of a fire thought, but the tank being plastic as well .....!

 

[Guest]

Re: Right!

The tank is stainless so quite safe but how about having a standard tap/cock at the bottom of the see thro bit just for safety?

 

[Bodach na mara]

I was going to try the stunt of tee-ing into the feed pipe on wy water tank with a simple ball valve at the bottom to prevent flooding. For the diesesl tank could you not tee in to feed and return pipes?

Ken johnson

 

[Guest]

An old trick used on many a ships tube gauge ... is to paint 'zebra-lines' behind the tube on the wall / plate - the lines at 45 degrees to vertical .... in other words slanted. With Red diesel you can see the level easily in the pipe, but if its clear-blue diesel or water, then its difficult in the 'half-light' under bunks etc. The slanted lines refract where the liquid is in the pipe and distorts the apparent lines when viewed through the pipe.... giving a very good level indication.

Another trick ... when its necessary to view more from above, instead of from the side ... such as an underbunk situation ... run the level gauge pipe from bottom corner to opposite top corner, so that pipe is at a slant and not vertical, where it would be harder to see level ...... simple really !

 

[seaesta]

I have a thin ruler that i poke down to the tank bottom through the filler. When it comes up I read the depth in millimetres and I know that each 6mm equals 1 litre of fuel. Need to be careful cleaning the ruler before and after each use - cleanliness in fuel is very important

 

[seaesta]

I have a thin ruler that i poke down to the tank bottom through the filler. When it comes up I read the depth in millimetres and I know that each 6mm equals 1 litre of fuel. Need to be careful cleaning the ruler before and after each use - cleanliness in fuel is very important

 

[tyger]

As I recall one of the books by Lynn and Larry Pardy had a simple manometer based tank guage.

If I can remember correctly the principle is as follows.

A thin pipe is inserted into the tank from the top with its open end almost touching the bottom of the tank. At the top of the pipe is a tee, one end of which goes to a simple air pump, and the other to a manometer. As air is pumped into the pipe the pressure will rise until all the liquid has been displaced from the pipe and air is free to bubble from the open end. When this happens the pressure ceases to rise and the manometer will show a steady reading.

The pump could be a bicycle pump or a rubber bulb of the type used in an outboard engine fuel line. The manometer is a simple "U" shaped glass or plastic tube filled with coloured water. The set up looks rather like a traditional blood pressure measuring device.

Calibrate the manomer by adding a few litres at a time to the tank and marking the level of the liquid in the open arm of the "U" tube.

The manometer can be placed wherever is convenient and does not need to be at the same level as the tank.