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My first purchase of diesel since November 2008

Daftmare

By Daftmare
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Daftmare Proficient

Daftmare

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I thought I was put this post in separately, so that I did not steer BSP's thread in yet another wrong direction!

 

 

 

We were very low on fuel on the Thames a fortnight ago and had to divert to Abingdon to fill up as our own boat yard had run out of fuel altogether!

 

It was my first purchase of fuel since November 2008 and I had not given it very much thought beforehand - just wanted to get there without running out!!

 

The price was £1.00 per litre (ouch!). I had no choice (but had I known that I could have got 65p at Banbury three days later, I would not have "filled right up"!).

 

I took on 123 litres and was charged approximately £123 (give or take a few pence).

 

I was asked what split I wanted "Oh heck I said, no idea mate". "60/40 is the usual one" he says. I says "OK!".

 

 

 

So my question is - If I had said well actually I want 75/25 or 90/10 or some such other split - would the price I paid been different?

 

The pump said "£1 per litre" on it, and I never really thought that the price would change if I had declared other than 60/40.

 

 

Daftmare or what?

 

 

Jo

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churchward Veteran II

churchward

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Yes it should have changed selecting a different split. The split is how much low or high/full taxed fuel you need ie low tax fuel for everything other than propulsion. Often the pump price these days can reflect the std(?) 60/40 split ie 60% propulsion (high/full tax)

 

By the way if the pump price shown was the 60/40 split then the low tax pence per litre would have started out at around 73p to get to approx £1 per litre at the 60/40

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Daftmare Proficient

Daftmare

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Yes it should have changed selecting a different split. The split is how much low or high/full taxed fuel you need ie low tax fuel for everything other than propulsion. Often the pump price these days can reflect the std(?) 60/40 split ie 60% propulsion (high/full tax)

 

By the way if the pump price shown was the 60/40 split then the low tax pence per litre would have started out at around 73p to get to approx £1 per litre at the 60/40

 

 

OK, decided to ring Abingdon and find out what I actually did. They confirmed that the price I paid was based on the 60/40 split and that is their "advertised" price for diesel, as it is the Government recommendation. However, they have a pump which will calculate any split required and they will calculate any split requested.

 

So there you go for Kingcraft, Abingdon.

 

 

Jo.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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I thought I was put this post in separately, so that I did not steer BSP's thread in yet another wrong direction!

 

 

 

We were very low on fuel on the Thames a fortnight ago and had to divert to Abingdon to fill up as our own boat yard had run out of fuel altogether!

 

It was my first purchase of fuel since November 2008 and I had not given it very much thought beforehand - just wanted to get there without running out!!

 

The price was £1.00 per litre (ouch!). I had no choice (but had I known that I could have got 65p at Banbury three days later, I would not have "filled right up"!).

 

I took on 123 litres and was charged approximately £123 (give or take a few pence).

 

I was asked what split I wanted "Oh heck I said, no idea mate". "60/40 is the usual one" he says. I says "OK!".

 

 

 

So my question is - If I had said well actually I want 75/25 or 90/10 or some such other split - would the price I paid been different?

 

The pump said "£1 per litre" on it, and I never really thought that the price would change if I had declared other than 60/40.

 

 

Daftmare or what?

 

 

Jo

 

Personally I would be more worried about letting the tank run low so that there's more condensation build up and more water in your fuel. I'd also avoid letting the tank run too low because when you do fill up you'll stir up any sediment at the bottom of the tank which could then block your fuel filter.

Keep the tank tiopped up - letting it run low doesn't save you any money.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Good advice. Its suprising the amount of crud in the bottom of a diesel tank.

 

We had to wash out our jerry cans last week after topping up. The amount of muck in the bottom of those was hard to believe. And we get our diesel from a reputable source.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Although very often on rear diesel tanks in steel narrowboats the draw off point is a very long way from the bottom of the tank anyway, so you will be drawing in air long before you draw in any water or any other crud.

 

When we were running low a couple of days ago, I took some careful measurements, and we have at least 8 centimetres of dead space below where the fuel is drawn off.

 

This is actually overkill, and reduces the capacity of a nominally 40 gallon tank to something more like 33 gallons - reducing range between refills rather annoyingly.

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Daftmare Proficient

Daftmare

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Although very often on rear diesel tanks in steel narrowboats the draw off point is a very long way from the bottom of the tank anyway, so you will be drawing in air long before you draw in any water or any other crud.

 

When we were running low a couple of days ago, I took some careful measurements, and we have at least 8 centimetres of dead space below where the fuel is drawn off.

 

This is actually overkill, and reduces the capacity of a nominally 40 gallon tank to something more like 33 gallons - reducing range between refills rather annoyingly.

 

 

Our tank has just such a high draw off point, so we get nowhere near the crud.

 

In fact, we ran out of diesel in our first year on the boat, because our crude measuring stick (an old broom handle!) showed loads of fuel, but it was all below the draw off point! As it turned out when I got to Abingdon to fill up, I had more than I thought, so was not in danger of running out (I should have checked the tank myself instead of believing OH that we were running very low).

 

I would have filled up earlier, but Oxford Cruisers had run out completely.

 

Jo

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Posted (edited)
Although very often on rear diesel tanks in steel narrowboats the draw off point is a very long way from the bottom of the tank anyway, so you will be drawing in air long before you draw in any water or any other crud.

 

When we were running low a couple of days ago, I took some careful measurements, and we have at least 8 centimetres of dead space below where the fuel is drawn off.

 

This is actually overkill, and reduces the capacity of a nominally 40 gallon tank to something more like 33 gallons - reducing range between refills rather annoyingly.

True, but my point was that if the crud has been stirred up and you start the engine then it will be drawn into the fuel lines.

For similar reasons most insurance companies insist that old barges being brought to the UK from Europe use auxillary fuel tanks such as clean plastic barrels rather than the boat's main tank when crossing the channel.

Edited by blackrose
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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

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Our tank has just such a high draw off point, so we get nowhere near the crud.

 

In fact, we ran out of diesel in our first year on the boat, because our crude measuring stick (an old broom handle!) showed loads of fuel, but it was all below the draw off point! As it turned out when I got to Abingdon to fill up, I had more than I thought, so was not in danger of running out (I should have checked the tank myself instead of believing OH that we were running very low).

 

Our tank has a neat arrangement where the auxiliary draw off is about 2" above the main draw off.

 

So, if I run low on fuel, the diesel stove will stop working whilst I still have fuel for the engine.

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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

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Bl**dy expensive way of having a fuel gauge. :lol:

 

:-)

 

More a case of protecting us from ourselves.

 

If we should run low on fuel, it means that we aren't going to waste the litre that might have got us somewhere we can fill up.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Its still not a good idea to let your fuel run too low. The condensation build up on the tank sides will lead to water in the fuel.

Whilst I accedpt the point that leaving the tank full over winter will minimise condensation, there would be little point in having a fairly big tank if you had to top it up any time a significant part of the sides were not covered in diesel

 

To me the main advantage is being able to cruise enthusiastically for nearly 3 weeks before a fill up, and being able to be selective about where I put my trade..

 

As the largest area in many narrowboat tanks likely to "condensate" is the top, (the stern deck, often), it's not possible to prevent that anyway.

 

When I went looking for water in our 13 year old tank, I couldn't actually find any at all. I think the point may often be over-stated.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Maybe i just prefer to see the fuel gauge nearer to full than empty :lol:

What's a fuel gauge, please ?

 

EDIT: Oh, and I'd rather have people try and pinch the air in my fuel tank than the gas oil!

Edited by alan_fincher
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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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What's a fuel gauge, please ?

 

EDIT: Oh, and I'd rather have people try and pinch the air in my fuel tank than the gas oil!

 

Its a little dial on the dash when its over to the right its full, middle it needs filling and to the left your in trouble cause you aint got enough to get you home.

 

They have to find the fuel filler to nick the diesel :lol:

Edited by Phylis
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Iain_S Influencer

Iain_S

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One could if one so desired circulate diesel tank contents through a sacrificial filter, with a pump that also stirs contents up, just now and then (annually?) and/or place a removable filter in the filler neck, like in a generator filler? Yes or no?

 

Yes.

 

Linky

 

Iain

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