FW: TWL: When to stop Pumping Fuel?
Hi Al
It's not so the time, although I was surprised at how long a couple of
hundred gallons takes, but knowing when to stop. That's why my question
about how much time from when the sound changes to overflow. 10 seconds?
Cheers, Garrett
-----Original Message-----
From: Captain Al Pilvinis [mailto:yourcaptain@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2001 6:29 PM
To: Garrett Lambert
Subject: Re: TWL: When to stop Pumping Fuel?
Garrett........I'm not fueling, so it's how much time do you have. It's
probably just as much time it takes to over flow. Do you think every
fuel dock fuels at the same rate. Best thing is to sit there and listen
like the rest of us. Some times boating is a though row to hoe.
---===============================
How much time do you have to shut the nozzle off after hearing that
tonal change in the diesel fill pipe? Do gas-dock nozzles usually have
an auto shut-off feature as per a gasoline station's pump? If so, is it
generally trustworthy?
Cheers, Garrett
.
Captain Al Pilvinis
"M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47
2630 N.E. 41st Street
Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064
Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666
Email yourcaptain@earthlink.net
Website http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain
If knowing when the fuel tank is nearly full is important perhaps its
worth installing a sensor that tells you when the level is within a
certain amount from the top.
A failry simple volume calculation will determine how many gallons are
contained for each inch of tank space near the top.
If you want to know when you are 20 gallons away from full, calculate how
much space that will take.
Or pick any other amount to suit your tank system.
Now either mark the sight gage ( if you have it) or install a sensor
switch like I described about a month ago.
( one suggestion was to scrounge one from the auto wrecker since these
are standard on may car's fluid level systems)
The sensor can ring a bell, turn on a light as you please.
Cheers
Arild
At 06:42 PM 10/13/2001 -0700, Garrett Lambert wrote:
Hi Al
It's not so the time, although I was surprised at how long a couple of
hundred gallons takes, but knowing when to stop. That's why my question
about how much time from when the sound changes to overflow. 10 seconds?
I would think it depends on the length of the hose between the filler
opening and the tank. On most boats I have been on it's only a matter of
1-2 secs. Way not stop as soon as you hear it change?. That extra quart
of fuel (in the tank) will not last long.
Last year, we had Margaret's brother and his wife on board. She never
seemed to stop talking for the whole trip (I was warned). The only time I
got really upset with her was when she insisted on standing next to me
while I was fueling the boat and explaining something that happened to her
in a past life...jd
Old Chinese saying "Silience is golden when fueling boat"
Joe DellaFera / Margaret Murray
36' Prairie DC "Prairie Star"
Pompano Beach, Fl.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arild Jensen" elnav@uniserve.com
If you want to know when you are 20 gallons away from full, calculate how
much space that will take.
Now either mark the sight gage ( if you have it)
Hi Arild,
One caveat about sight gauges.
With the tube type gauges that are fairly common the level in the gauge will
lag behind the level in the tank during filling. Obviously, this phenomenon
is more pronounced at faster fill rates and in tall skinny tanks. It's
possible for the lag to amount to several inches so it's very possible to
overfill the tank while the sight gauge indicates that everything is OK.
FWIW: In the petroleum industry "believing the sight gauge" is one of the
most common reasons for spills by inexperienced operators (Overconfidence is
usually the culprit with the experienced guys).
Tube type gauges are the easiest way to tell how much fuel is in the tank
before you start filling but once the filling starts they aren't so good.
Sight glasses, which are essentially little windows into the tank don't have
the lag problem. OTOH: There are usually only a couple of them installed so
you really only know whether the fuel is above or below the glass.
Sight glasses will tell you precisely when the fuel reaches a certain level
but don't give you much idea of what you have on hand when you arrive at the
fuel dock.
My preference for a "belt and suspenders" sort of system would be to have a
tube type gauge and a level alarm on each tank. The gauge will tell you how
much fuel each tank needs and the alarm will warn you when it's getting
full. Of course, the operator should be using this information (and other
info.) to help his decision making not as a substitute for decision making.
Preachily yours,
Alex
Boy, all these problems with knowing when to stop refuelling sure makes me
glad that my old girl has 2 1/2 inch fill pipes, straight down into the
tanks about 10 inches below the deck. Give it all the pump will supply
untill you see the foam in the tank and then take it slow for the last 20
odd gallons.
Those commercial boys sure had some great ideas <grin>
Actually this method has some side benfits as well, if I give the tank full
bore filling and then do a circulating filter of the tank I get all the crud
that the rush of fuel stirred up out of the tanks. I run on a small 20 gal
reserve tank while this is going on and, touch wood (my boat) I've never had
dirty fuel problems since I started this drill. All the filter system
consists of is a Dahl 2 micron filter/seperator and a small rotary pump
(surplus military I think).
John Tones MV Penta (ex gillnetter, hard aground)
Victoria BC
Hey Fuelers.......there is a whistle you can put in the vent close to the
tank and it will stop whistling as soon as the foam hits, shut off and you
are full and clean.
I don't know of a reason to fill your tank to the very top. If you do that
on a cool day and the temp goes up fuel will ooze out of you vents.
.
Captain Al Pilvinis
"M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47
2630 N.E. 41st Street
Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064
Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666
Email yourcaptain@earthlink.net
Website http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain
At 09:39 PM 10/15/2001 -0700, Dolph & Bev McCranie wrote:
We have used a device used on many Coast Guard vessels to determine
when to shut off the fuel intake. It is called a whistler. It is in
the vent line and produces a loud whistle as the tank fills when the
whistle stops you should stop fueling immediately.
This device has worked well for us over the last several years.
REPLY
What size vent line is required to make this work or will any size be
suitable?
I'm only familiar with the home heating tank units which fit a 1 1/2"
pipe thread.
Regards
Arild
If knowing when the fuel tank is nearly full is important perhaps its
worth installing a sensor that tells you when the level is within a
certain amount from the top.
Arlid & the List,
We have used a device used on many Coast Guard vessels to determine
when to shut off the fuel intake. It is called a whistler. It is in
the vent line and produces a loud whistle as the tank fills when the
whistle stops you should stop fueling immediately.
This device has worked well for us over the last several years.
--
Dolph & Bev McCranie
M/V The Right Whale
At 09:39 PM 10/15/2001 -0700, Dolph & Bev McCranie wrote:
We have used a device used on many Coast Guard vessels to determine
when to shut off the fuel intake. It is called a whistler. It is in
the vent line and produces a loud whistle as the tank fills when the
whistle stops you should stop fueling immediately.
This device has worked well for us over the last several years.
REPLY
What size vent line is required to make this work or will any size be
suitable?
I'm only familiar with the home heating tank units which fit a 1 1/2"
pipe thread.
Regards
Arild
Arlid,
I believe they come in many sizes. The ones on the C. G. boats are
quite large. Our vent lines are about half inch and the whistlers are
placed in our flexible rubber vent tubing.
--
Dolph & Bev McCranie
(snip)
. Our vent lines are about half inch and the whistlers are
placed in our flexible rubber vent tubing.
(endsnip)
Did you install these & if so, do you know the source where you found them?
Brent Hodges
43 Albin