Fuel Gauge.

[Tony Brooks]

That does not prevent them welding in a suitable angled plate but they will not do it because most people look at the price rather than the long term cost.. They could even angle the back of the swim upwards so the tank drains water to the front.

[nb Innisfree]

That does not prevent them welding in a suitable angled plate but they will not do it because most people look at the price rather than the long term cost.. They could even angle the back of the swim upwards so the tank drains water to the front.

Swim sloping to starboard or port for a right handed prop? wink emoticon.

 

ETA: The space created could serve as an extra white diesel or paraffin tank.

 

But that tank would require a slope, you can't win with boats.

Edited August 27, 2014 by nb Innisfree

[mango]

That does not prevent them welding in a suitable angled plate but they will not do it because most people look at the price rather than the long term cost.. They could even angle the back of the swim upwards so the tank drains water to the front.

I wonder if boat builders actually think about this or offer it as an option.

 

I know a boat (not a narrowboat) with a small sump at the bottom of the diesel tank, which is mounted on the bulkhead of the engine room. It's easy to drain off the small amount of accumulated water and debris on a regular basis and I doubt that there will be a problem with diesel bug. I suspect that the water is getting in via the filler on the roof, so I will see about getting a cover to protect it against rain.

[ditchcrawler]

That's another good way of doing it.

 

We had a Vauxhall frontera that had a faulty fuel gauge.

I used to fill the tank to the brim, Zero the trip when it got to about 300 miles on the trip it was time to start looking for a petrol station.

Never ran out using that method and didn't worry about replacing the sender which was a pig to get at!

My Fiat 500 Estate didn't even have a fuel gauge. The tank only held about 5 gallons and was under the bonnet, the engine at the back.

[Mark & Michelle]

Lots of good info there, thanks very much.

[Naughty Cal]

Some of us who dont live in the dark ages do have fuel gauges

 

It is still only a rough guide but there is no need to dip the tank. Just turn the key and you can see (roughly) how much fuel you have left in the tank.

[John V]

Some of us who dont live in the dark ages do have fuel gauges

 

It is still only a rough guide but there is no need to dip the tank. Just turn the key and you can see (roughly) how much fuel you have left in the tank.

 

Great thing about dip sticks (for tanks that is ) is that they don't go wrong

[Alan de Enfield]

Some of us who dont live in the dark ages do have fuel gauges

 

It is still only a rough guide but there is no need to dip the tank. Just turn the key and you can see (roughly) how much fuel you have left in the tank.

 

Could you even get a dipstick down thru the deck fitting, round the bends and into the tank ?

 

I know we wouldnt have been able to on our Tupperware boat

[RichardN]

Some of us who dont live in the dark ages do have fuel gauges

 

It is still only a rough guide but there is no need to dip the tank. Just turn the key and you can see (roughly) how much fuel you have left in the tank.

 

That sounds dangerously like 20th century thinking. When boats were horse drawn they had no fuel gauges so why on earth would someone want one now? So much better to use a mouldy stick?

 

Mark & Michelle: Not sure where you are based but an Electrician called Sandra up in Northwich installed our fuel gauge, really simple to do (PM me if helpful and I will dig out contact details). It was easier to run the gauge via a switch rather than the ignition, the switch is there as these modern fangled unnecessary things use a tiny bit of power. Oddly enough it never measures 100% full but it seems very accurate towards the bottom of the tank so I don't think about calibrating it.

[gazza]

My Fiat 500 Estate didn't even have a fuel gauge. The tank only held about 5 gallons and was under the bonnet, the engine at the back.

Big contrast to today's tech filled cars.

 

Imagine explaining to a young driver they have to use their noggin to work out when they need to fill up, most cars give a range read out now, making a fuel gauge fairly redundant as well!

[Dharl]

As SLIGHTLY , do people have gauges fitted to their water tank / pump-out tanks? I would find those more useful then a Fuel Gauge, especially as I don't want to go and dip the 'pump-out' tanks

[gazza]

 

Could you even get a dipstick down thru the deck fitting, round the bends and into the tank ?

 

I know we wouldnt have been able to on our Tupperware boat

NC.

 

this is the main reason yours will have a fuel gauge.

I am guessing your fuel tank is mounted across the beam of the boat rather than fore and aft?

It should be as it helps to keep the boat trimmed correctly regardless of fuel level.

Mounting across the beam of the boat normally means the filler cannot be directly above the tank. This prevents you getting a dipstick in for the reasons Alan stated.

 

Gauges are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable, they do give an indication there is some fuel on there, bit in my experience I wouldn't hold out too much faith in one.

[cheshire~rose]

My Fiat 500 Estate didn't even have a fuel gauge. The tank only held about 5 gallons and was under the bonnet, the engine at the back.

 

 

 

My Fiat 500 was not an estate. It was a Fiat 500L - not one of those monstrous overgrown things they produce today but a "proper" Fiat 500 where the "L" stood for Luxury. The extra items it had were carpets and a fuel guage!

 

Back on topic

 

If the OP does was to fit a fuel guage I happen to have one that has been donated to raise funds for Chesterfield Canal Trust.

 

It is this one:

 

http://mcsboatproducts.co.uk/portfolio/diesel-fuel-gauges/

 

It is brand new and complete. If anyone is interested then give me a shout and Auntie Wainwright will sort you our a deal

[Naughty Cal]

As SLIGHTLY , do people have gauges fitted to their water tank / pump-out tanks? I would find those more useful then a Fuel Gauge, especially as I don't want to go and dip the 'pump-out' tanks

Yes.

 

Great thing about dip sticks (for tanks that is ) is that they don't go wrong

Neither has our gauge

 

Although it is a little on the pessimistic side. When it is half way down the red we have 65 litres left.

 

Mind you would rather it was that way round

NC.

 

this is the main reason yours will have a fuel gauge.

I am guessing your fuel tank is mounted across the beam of the boat rather than fore and aft?

It should be as it helps to keep the boat trimmed correctly regardless of fuel level.

Mounting across the beam of the boat normally means the filler cannot be directly above the tank. This prevents you getting a dipstick in for the reasons Alan stated.

 

Gauges are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable, they do give an indication there is some fuel on there, bit in my experience I wouldn't hold out too much faith in one.

 

Most sports cruisers have a fuel gauge. It wouldnt be much use if you had to stop mid passage to dip the tank

[cheshire~rose]

As SLIGHTLY , do people have gauges fitted to their water tank / pump-out tanks? I would find those more useful then a Fuel Gauge, especially as I don't want to go and dip the 'pump-out' tanks

 

Our boat has a warning light on the pump out tank. The boat is 10 years old and it has never, ever been illuminated!

 

The reason is that a far better indicator of how full our pump out tank is whether the cutlery drawer will stay closed

[Dharl]

 

Our boat has a warning light on the pump out tank. The boat is 10 years old and it has never, ever been illuminated!

 

The reason is that a far better indicator of how full our pump out tank is whether the cutlery drawer will stay closed

 

 

he he like the cutlery draw option.... We don't have a warning light on our tank, one of the differences from the hiree boats we used previously...

[gazza]

Yes.

 

Neither has our gauge

 

Although it is a little on the pessimistic side. When it is half way down the red we have 65 litres left.

 

Mind you would rather it was that way round

 

 

Most sports cruisers have a fuel gauge. It wouldnt be much use if you had to stop mid passage to dip the tank

 

Um, they have them for the reasons I pointed out.

 

You shouldn't need to dip your tank mid passage....

A good rule of thumb is the Air Craft standard of 1/3 out 1/3 in and a 1/3 for emergency.

 

Tell me you don't set off to Hull on half a tank?

And why would you need to stop to dip the tank?

[furnessvale]

 

Could you even get a dipstick down thru the deck fitting, round the bends and into the tank ?

 

I know we wouldnt have been able to on our Tupperware boat

My last 2 historic boats have both had bends in the fuel pipe precluding the use of a dipstick (and incidentally slowing a potential fuel thief considerably).

 

The simple answer is to make an accurate measure of fuel use per hour by hours run and fuel loaded, and then to refill based on hours run. This is so accurate that I can tell the fueller within a couple of litres when he will get a kick up the filler pipe as it comes to full.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

(Just re-read the last comment......oooerr missus!)

[bottle]

Have gauges on all tanks (four) accuracy depends on how each of the tank levels are.

 

For instance as the water tank (bow) empties and the black tank (stern) fills the domestic fuel tank varies.

 

It all depends on where the tanks are, boat trim also the type and position of the sender.

 

As for marking a dip stick, I marked the full position, then marked the empty but up from the bottom so that the empty mark was above the fuel take off level then equally marked the quarters.

Edited August 28, 2014 by bottle

[gazza]

My last 2 historic boats have both had bends in the fuel pipe precluding the use of a dipstick (and incidentally slowing a potential fuel thief considerably).

 

The simple answer is to make an accurate measure of fuel use per hour by hours run and fuel loaded, and then to refill based on hours run. This is so accurate that I can tell the fueller within a couple of litres when he will get a kick up the filler pipe as it comes to full.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

(Just re-read the last comment......oooerr missus!)

My comment is specific to NC, She plays on the East Coast on proper lumpy stuff where weather and visibility can deteriorate rapidly.

Its not a good place to be if you don't have enough fuel to get to a safe haven.

 

On a ditch you are only ever 20' odd from being able to tie up if you run out of juice....

[ditchcrawler]

As SLIGHTLY , do people have gauges fitted to their water tank / pump-out tanks? I would find those more useful then a Fuel Gauge, especially as I don't want to go and dip the 'pump-out' tanks

I have one on the water tank as I can't dip it as there is not a straight drop into it. Water use is not as constant as diesel use, especially if you have guests onboard.For the poo tank I just look down the hole

[furnessvale]

My comment is specific to NC, She plays on the East Coast on proper lumpy stuff where weather and visibility can deteriorate rapidly.

Its not a good place to be if you don't have enough fuel to get to a safe haven.

 

On a ditch you are only ever 20' odd from being able to tie up if you run out of juice....

Fair enough. My comment is general to any boat with bends in the fuel filler.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[WJM]

If fuel gauges are such a good idea why then is it a legal requirement for light aircraft to have (and to use) a dip-stick? Pilots have excellently accurate fuel gauges and they do complex and accurate consumption calculations - but they must dip the tank before they even start the engines - you cant beat a bit of good, old-fashioned 'analogue' when your life depends on it!

 

You make your own luck!

[Dharl]

I have one on the water tank as I can't dip it as there is not a straight drop into it. Water use is not as constant as diesel use, especially if you have guests onboard.For the poo tank I just look down the hole

 

TBH the water is less of an issue as we tend to top up the tanks every other day.....but looking down the hole at the poo tank is less appealing! weak stomach I guess!

[Naughty Cal]

Um, they have them for the reasons I pointed out.

 

You shouldn't need to dip your tank mid passage....

A good rule of thumb is the Air Craft standard of 1/3 out 1/3 in and a 1/3 for emergency.

 

Tell me you don't set off to Hull on half a tank?

And why would you need to stop to dip the tank?

 

We set off for Hull with 3/4 tank. We know it takes us roughly 60 litres there and 60 litres back so no need to carry a full tank. Plus they sell diesel there and we had already checked they had plenty in stock.

 

If there was no gauge how would you gauge how much fuel had been used? Our fuel consumption varies quite a bit depending on sea conditions and loading of the boat. If the gauge wasnt there we would have to get a rough estimate of what we had left to decide whether to call into port to refill or carry on to the next. That would involve dipping which wouldnt be very comfortable on the sea (The fuel tank can be checked from the midships bedroom but wouldnrt be nice with the boat pitching and rolling)

 

If we used the rule of thirds our fuel tank wouldnt be big enough to make a "safe" passage on the east coast. Its all well and good making these "rules" but they are not always practicle on the water.

 

TBH the water is less of an issue as we tend to top up the tanks every other day.....but looking down the hole at the poo tank is less appealing! weak stomach I guess!

Our gauges on all the tanks are good enough to know when its time to empty/fill the relevant tanks.

 

Peering down holes and poking about with sticks is a bit antiquated in this day and age.