Barking Sands
Guru
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2019
- Messages
- 961
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- M/V Intrigue
- Vessel Make
- 1985 Tung Hwa Senator
I have two custom 105 gallon tanks on either side of the Perkins. They are tucked up under the floor leaving only about 6 or 8 inches above the tank. The tanks appear to be well made and have provisions for sight tubes at the aft end of each tank with shut off valves for both upper and lower portions of sight tubes. Fairly straight forward. To install a typical sender would require a ton of work and fuel logistics (both a re 3/4 full)
What I am contemplating is fabricating a 3.5 inch cylindrical tank the same height as the main tanks (maybe 16 inches tall). The top of the cylindrical tank will have provisions to mount a fuel quantity sender. The cylindrical tank will also have a lower and upper boss to connect fittings to the lower and upper fittings on the main tank where the sight tubes currently hook up. Removing sight tubes and plumbing in the tank using appropriate standards and methods and materials. Gauge hook up is pretty straight forwards from there. I imagine the quantity of these two cylindrical tanks would be around a gallon give or take. Accuracy can be adjusted by raising or lowering the cylindrical tanks in relation to the main tanks. Maintenance to the system/senders would be greatly simplified. Quantity readings should be very stable since the fuel needs to flow through small hoses as levels rise/fall. No real sloshing in a 3.5 tube.
What's wrong with this picture? Why isn't this done more routinely? There must be something wrong with the plan that I am overlooking.
The only thing I can see is the additional failure points. But using quality materials and practices that really should be negligible.
Feed back is of course much appreciated.
What I am contemplating is fabricating a 3.5 inch cylindrical tank the same height as the main tanks (maybe 16 inches tall). The top of the cylindrical tank will have provisions to mount a fuel quantity sender. The cylindrical tank will also have a lower and upper boss to connect fittings to the lower and upper fittings on the main tank where the sight tubes currently hook up. Removing sight tubes and plumbing in the tank using appropriate standards and methods and materials. Gauge hook up is pretty straight forwards from there. I imagine the quantity of these two cylindrical tanks would be around a gallon give or take. Accuracy can be adjusted by raising or lowering the cylindrical tanks in relation to the main tanks. Maintenance to the system/senders would be greatly simplified. Quantity readings should be very stable since the fuel needs to flow through small hoses as levels rise/fall. No real sloshing in a 3.5 tube.
What's wrong with this picture? Why isn't this done more routinely? There must be something wrong with the plan that I am overlooking.
The only thing I can see is the additional failure points. But using quality materials and practices that really should be negligible.
Feed back is of course much appreciated.
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