Top off the Tanks??? A survey for those that don't

[MoonSailer]

It seems to be popular opinion not based on any physics or experiments that topping off fuel tanks is a good thing.. This is a significant issue as fuel gets old and grows things. A lot of money is being spent to clean out dirty fuel tanks and add cetane boosters and biocides. In 5 years I have never topped off my tanks except on a long trip. I keep my tank about 1/4 full. NO water !!!! I understand those making money off of people with tanks full of old grundgy fuel wanting people to top off.
Please anyone not topping off their tanks???? Same results as mine or do you have water running out of the tank from condensation???

 

[Jim]

I don't

I would rather have fresh fuel. I understand this is going to be a bug issue with ULSD.

 

[sailaway78]

I read the other

posts with interest. Normally I use more fuel than most on this board, or more at least than most admit to. It is much easier for me to motor out through the Rigoles into Lake Bourne from here than try to sail what with the twisties, and currents in there. Being older, I am somewhat lazy, and sail for the easy times. I do not concern myself too much with condensation, algae and all the other problems that can occur. I use an algacide, and used to use injector cleaner from time to time. I am now using a cetane booster, as the ULSD is rated lower than my engine requires. So, when I need fuel, I fill her up. If I get home with a half tank, thats the way it sits till I am ready to go again. So far so good for me. No problems with moisture, or algae.

 

[Persy]

hard topic to get straight answer on...

but the best I've read concludes that topping off tanks has nothing to do with water in fuel and it is much, much more important to keep fresh fuel in the tank from reliable sources....most water that gets into tanks comes with the diesel or leaks in through bad seal at fuel cap....

(mine is just another unsubstantiated opinion though

 

[Ross]

I Just keep track of my motoring time and figure

about 1 liter per hour and a forty liter tank. So when I think I am down about half full I dump some more in . When my jerry can is empty I refill at the local gas station that sells automotive diesel. I never have had any fuel issues.

 

[Tom23352]

No water

after 8 years down here in this very humid climate. I usually keep my 25 gal tank between 1/2 and 3/4 full. Started to worry what with all the discussion about condensation on this site several times per year so last spring I accessed the bottom of the tank through the fuel level sensor port and siphoned out a pretty good sapmple into a glass jar. No water! I do use a biocide though.

 

[NYSail]

MHO

Personally
I do not top off my tanks as I would rather keep as much additives and old fuel out of my engine as possible. By the way, isn't a fuel seperator supose to get the water and debris out of the fuel prior to the engine? I have a Racor 500 as a primary filter, which has a clear bowl and a value at the bottom to drain any water or crud in the fuel. I have not filled my tanks over the winter in the 3 years I have owned this boat, and never topped off the tanks in the 5 years with my former boat and I never had any water problems. And the only thing that comes from my Racor is dirt and no water....Probably just been lucky and will have a fuel/water problem next weekend.


By the way, I'm located on Long Island with boat on the hard from Nov. to about May.

 

[Maine Sail]

During the summer..

my tank often sits at 1/2 to 1/4 full. Come fall layup time I drain it completely and burn it in my homes heating system. I am getting ready to fill it for a long trip and I hope it's near empty by the end of the season in October so when I transfer it to jerry cans to bring home it won't be multiple trips..

 

[Persy]

interesting reading...

certainly not definitive, but at least some scientific basis...

 

[Manny]

Mine's about 1/3 full

Been like that for about three years, seems to work okay. I hardly use the diesel engine though...

Manny