Sealing off the Fuel Locker - Ideas?
- Thread starter GorillaToast
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I want a permanant tank. I am wanting to cruise from Corpus Christi, TX. to Galveston, TX. it is over 150 miles and my 2 stroke is a gas guzzler, So if I don't have favorable wind it could take up to 40 gallons of gas. Hard to store that onboard, even 20 would be a lot. I have 2 6 gallon tanks right now, and I could carry a spare can of 5, that would get me halfway.
Gasoline vapors have a vapor density between 3 and 4 making it 3 to 4 times heavier than air, so you want to connect the front vent to the top fitting and the aft vent to the bottom to efficiently remove the vapors.
Captain B.Broyles, Engine Co. 35 Baltimore City Fire Dept, Hazmat Operations.
So, you're saying that the rear cowl's hose would suck the vapors out, rather than the front hose pushing them out, is that correct?
Thank you for educating me.
Thank you for educating me.
Where did you get the vented fittings?
Are you planning on putting PVC 90's to connect the vent hoses?
Are you planning on putting PVC 90's to connect the vent hoses?
The vapors will drop to the bottom of the container. The fresh air being forced into the top of the container from the front vent will help push the vapors into the bottom hose along with a small amount of draw from the rear vent will remove the vapors from the container. This only works when the boat is moving forward or there is a breeze blowing from front to back. If you can connect a vent line directly to the tank and run it though the container and out the rear of the transom. it will greatly reduce the or may even eliminate vapors from being released into the container. I hope that this info helps.
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I agree that direct ventilation of the tank would be seem preferable, but how would that be accomplished? Another hose barb where the full/empty gauge is?
All but the newest tanks have a vent of some kind already. One of mine is in the cap. My old steel tank had it in the cap. My new one by attwood has no vent and it swells up big time if it gets sloshed around, or gets hot. That is why My tanks are not in the cockpit.
Also the bridge deck is the low spot for vapors to escape from the cockpit, unless you have installed the over sized scuppers in the stern.
Anyone have a source for the factory style vents for the lazarette?
Also the bridge deck is the low spot for vapors to escape from the cockpit, unless you have installed the over sized scuppers in the stern.
Anyone have a source for the factory style vents for the lazarette?
Yes, my tank has the vent in the cap, which must be open when running the motor to keep a vacuum from forming in the tank and restricting fuel flow. It also allows vapors to escape, thus the necessity for a vented enclosure to ensure those vapors do not collect in the bilge, but are forced to the open air outside the boat.
What I think Barry is proposing is a venting hose/line attached directly to the tank to allow those vapors to escape without contaminating the inside of the boat.
My question was how he proposed to attach such a line to the vented cap on most modern tanks. Clamping a 2-3" vent hose to the fuel tank filler cap seems impractical for a number of reasons, the biggest being that if somehow a spark were to ignite the fumes from an open direct line to the tank...
What I think Barry is proposing is a venting hose/line attached directly to the tank to allow those vapors to escape without contaminating the inside of the boat.
My question was how he proposed to attach such a line to the vented cap on most modern tanks. Clamping a 2-3" vent hose to the fuel tank filler cap seems impractical for a number of reasons, the biggest being that if somehow a spark were to ignite the fumes from an open direct line to the tank...
You could probably glue another piece of HDPE (glued or melted onto the tank) to build up a spot and then drill and tap for the vent. This is how the pick up fitting is installed, threaded right into a thicker area of the plastic tank.
GorillaToast, I was thinking a small hose like a piece of 1/4" 0r 3/8" ID fuel line connected to the vent on the fill cap or to a new fitting on the top of the tank, preferably with a valve and run it to the outside of the boat. you could run this small hose through one of the the vent hoses and drop it over the edge of the boat outside of the vent cowl so it is below the the side deck. or you could run it through the container and use a regular fuel tank vent through the transom. even though the vapors are heavier than air they will be pushed out through the vent line to the outside by the vapor pressure as more vapors are are produced, this pressure is what causes the vapors to escape the tank and get into the boat in the first place.What I think Barry is proposing is a venting hose/line attached directly to the tank to allow those vapors to escape without contaminating the inside of the boat.
My question was how he proposed to attach such a line to the vented cap on most modern tanks. Clamping a 2-3" vent hose to the fuel tank filler cap seems impractical for a number of reasons, the biggest being that if somehow a spark were to ignite the fumes from an open direct line to the tank...
That's a good idea, Captain. I don't really use the in-the-cap fuel gauge, so I could put another cap with fuel line fitting there and run the vent hose, like you said, up inside the rear 3" hose, and out the rear cowl.
Update & WARNING!
Now that I've got the boat in the water and have my gas tank in the homemade fuel locker, it has proven to be less than satisfactory.
With the tank vent closed, and the 3"vent hoses connected to the cowlings, I still get fumes in the boat. I'm going to remove the mosquito netting covers I put on the cowls and see if that make the difference, but if not, I'm moving the fuel tank to the cockpit sole. The fumes seem worse than they did last summer. Of course, then I had the dinette seat-back cushion blocking the opening to the port storage compartment.
Anyone thinking of doing it the way I outlined, might want to wait until the jury is in on my setup.
Now that I've got the boat in the water and have my gas tank in the homemade fuel locker, it has proven to be less than satisfactory.
With the tank vent closed, and the 3"vent hoses connected to the cowlings, I still get fumes in the boat. I'm going to remove the mosquito netting covers I put on the cowls and see if that make the difference, but if not, I'm moving the fuel tank to the cockpit sole. The fumes seem worse than they did last summer. Of course, then I had the dinette seat-back cushion blocking the opening to the port storage compartment.
Anyone thinking of doing it the way I outlined, might want to wait until the jury is in on my setup.
Bill, you might want to consider a positive air flow through that thing, ie: blower.
I know down here at Atlantic Marine they have a Sea Choice for about 16 bucks. I personally think Sea Choice is kind of more cheaper built than some, but it's budget stuff. I have zero idea about amp draw on it, but it couldn't be tremendous..
I know down here at Atlantic Marine they have a Sea Choice for about 16 bucks. I personally think Sea Choice is kind of more cheaper built than some, but it's budget stuff. I have zero idea about amp draw on it, but it couldn't be tremendous..
Got down to the docks this morning, and I could smell gasoline 5 slips away from mine. When I got there, tho, the smell was gone. Turned out someone else's motor was leaking fuel in the lake.Chris Patterson said:
I'm going to order one of those blowers and try that approach. If that doesn't work, I'll try a cooler, as it will seal tighter.
GT,
I had a plastic 5 gallon gas jerry jug that was left outside my shed grow a hole over a period of days (spout screwed tight and maybe 1/2 gallon gas), warm days and cool nights caused the vapors inside to expand and contract which flexed and worked (kinda folded) the plastic and made a leak.
Might be you have a hole in the tank?
I had a plastic 5 gallon gas jerry jug that was left outside my shed grow a hole over a period of days (spout screwed tight and maybe 1/2 gallon gas), warm days and cool nights caused the vapors inside to expand and contract which flexed and worked (kinda folded) the plastic and made a leak.
Might be you have a hole in the tank?
Nah. The fumes would be a lot stronger. And when I threw that match down in there, I think something would've caught fire.merlinuxo said:
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