Which hose as sight tube for diesel tank?

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BabaYaga

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I have a small separate diesel tank for my Refleks type heater, up along the side runs a hose functioning as a sight tube.
Until now I have used a polyester braid reinforced PVC hose, but over time this has turned more and more opaque and yellow. The fuel level is now difficult to distinguish.
So I want to replace it with something better.
I am considering a clear silicone hose of the type used by home brewers. Is this a good choice? Or are there other hose materials more suitable?
I would be grateful for any ideas and comments.
 
My 15 gallon fuel tank had a sight gauge of unreinforced, probably polythene or pvc tubing which became inrpcreasingly discoloured. I changed it late last year, using similar tubing. I expected it to be a messy business and was prepared with lots of rags but in fact the loss of fuel when I removed the old tubing from the lower pipe was minimal even though the tank was about half full. I checked the new tubing for fit first at the upper pipe stub before tackling the lower one. One of the rare jobs which I expected to be difficult but was in fact trivial.
 
Thanks for your replies, especially the tip about the 'green pea'. I think one of those would solve my problem, even if the hose gets a little cloudy over time, as I have found is the case with PVC.
 
Just some feedback to answer my own original question:
To use silicone hose as a sight tube for a diesel tank turned out not being a very good idea at all.
The 10mm ID hose swelled in contact with the fuel and became something like 14mm ID. Also increased substantially in length.
Now back on clear PVC hose, which undoubtedly will become very stiff and turn yellow over time. I would still be interested to hear if anyone knows of a clear hose material that is unaffected by diesel.
 
I have recently replaced mine with cheap transparent flexible tube like what I had back in wine-making days. I did put in a homemade floaty thing in plastic to see the level easily but preferred to add a white-painted board with black diagonal lines (permanent felt marker) behind the tube. I find that this is easier to see than a float.
Even if it only lasts for a couple of years before it become too opaque to see through, it is easy and cheap to replace.
 
vyv_cox said:
OIl tanks for central heating use PVC tube of between 9-10 mm so that the little green balls that float on the surface are a standard size. For example http://www.fueldump.co.uk/products/PVC-Sight-Tubing.html?gclid=CP3RrKGngNMCFdS4GwodArAIPg The green balls are available from many suppliers, e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-A...1c0c83d&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=6&sd=272510202903
Click to expand...

Green peas........

About 10 years ago, we bought a house a few doors along from the one we then lived in. Did up the new house while living in the old one. Both houses where heated with oil and both tanks ran low at the same time. By filling both tanks on the same day we got a "deal" on the oil.

A few weeks after filling the tanks, the one at the new house was 3/4 empty! Even if the heating had been on 24/7 (it hadn't been used at all) we couldn't of used that much. There was no smell of oil anywhere and we assumed it had been siphoned off one dark night. Our insurance company paid up with no quibbles.

We moved into the new house some time later and asked our oil supplier to transfer the remaining 1/4 tank into a new tank we had installed in a better location. The oil company had a Landrover pick-up kitted out for the purpose. When the transfer pump had been running for a while, the operator said that there was clearly more oil then we where expecting. In fact the old tank turned out to be full. No oil was missing, stolen or leaked.

The moral of the story is that, "green peas" in sight tubes can sink! In a murky, yellowed tube you may not notice the true oil level if the pea has sunk.

And speaking of morals, we sent a cheque to our insurers!
 
Just done a friends fuel tank and replaced the 12yr old yellowed sight tube, and replaced it with a slightly larger diameter but still braided pvc tubing. It does have an isolating cock so will be easy and not very messy when it needs replacing in a few years time. Can see the fuel ok even with road diesel.
 
Just done the same job, got a tube kit of eBay for oil tank, tube and green pea etc for £8, tube 1500mm long so have enough spare for next few years. Fitted directly on hose tails, total job took 2 minutes as valves already fitted.
 
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