preventing fueling spills

[Jaxfishgyd]

I saw this in Passagemaker magazine, looks pretty neat. Has anyone tried this or something like it. Anything that can help prevent spilling fuel overboard I'm in favor of.

www.seacurefill.com

I have to "stick" the starboard tank to find out how full it is, the port tank has a kink in the line so cannot be stuck. Plus there are no fuel guages on the tanks themselves (trust me, I have all but destroyed the bunks looking) so use the overfill bottle that has suction cups and place it over the fuel vents.

 

[Genesis]

I saw this in Passagemaker magazine, looks pretty neat. Has anyone tried this or something like it. Anything that can help prevent spilling fuel overboard I'm in favor of.

www.seacurefill.com

I have to "stick" the starboard tank to find out how full it is, the port tank has a kink in the line so cannot be stuck. Plus there are no fuel guages on the tanks themselves (trust me, I have all but destroyed the bunks looking) so use the overfill bottle that has suction cups and place it over the fuel vents.

They work but can be a bear to install, depending on how access is to the requisite hosework.

I like the design far better than most other solutions to this problem.

 

[Pascal]

i did something similar on my boat... i put valves in the vent lines in the ER connected to a Tee and a short length of clear hose. when i refuel, I flip the valves, put the hose thru the ER vent, pullit from the outside and stick it in the filler. any spitting comes out the hose and back in the filler.

no drills to hole, no expensive fittings, etc.. no spills.

obvously it only works if your fillers are near the ER vents.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I use a Davis No-Spill on the vent line. It is not foolproof, but it works well. I also listen very carefully to the noise coming out of the vent- you can tell when it is changing and telling you to SLOW DOWN on the fill rate. The Davis device looks flimsy but does a good job. It is easy to lose the cap overboard- be forewarned.

I use the minimum fill rate. The fuel fill hose can airlock especially at the beginning of fueling, with very messy results. I have learned the hard way do not put anything in the fill handle to lock it in the on position. It is illegal, or probably illegal, and you won't get there in time when fuel comes fountaining out on deck.

I use an engine room diaper (3M absorbent sheet) around the fill and fill nozzle in case there are splashes.

Fueling is one of those things that makes me glad I do not have a bigger boat. Not the expense so much as the time I spend holding the fuel nozzle; it takes a long time to fill her up, and Blue Note only holds 240 gallons. I seldom let it get below 1/3 tanks.

 

[Genesis]

Around here the usual drill was to do two hoses. At the coop they're high speed and you MUST be careful or you WILL get blowback and a mess (or worse if it gets in the water!)

My usual drill was to lock the one I was not attending on the slowest rate and then manually fuel the other, attended, at a significantly higher speed. With both pumps in view you can see that you really are pumping faster/more than the slow locked one. When the first is full go to the second, take it off automatic, and finish it - then return both hoses to the walking bikini.

Pay up and you're done.

Gigabite held 590 gallons, and there were several times I put in 500. Its not THAT slow.

 

[(Nobody You Know)]

I also listen very carefully to the noise coming out of the vent- you can tell when it is changing and telling you to SLOW DOWN on the fill rate.

This has worked on every boat I've owned. With ear close to fill it's easy to detect the change in filling pitch. As soon as it changes to a higher pitch THAT'S IT, STOP fueling. No spillage. The tank is full. Pull out the wallet.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Yup, the Davis No Spill is the one I have. One time I forgot to take the black cap off and couldn't figure out why the container kept popping off, duh- pressure coming out of the vent.....
I did end up tying 4' of line to the container which I then loop over the cleat so if it did fall off and also super glued 6" of line from the black cap to the bottle itself so I do not lose it either.
Pascals idea is neat but I will have to check the closets and see where my vents are located and then how/if I can run a hose outside as the tanks are under the bunks.
And Heaven help me if I should go back and change the vaulves with a bit of diesel on my hands and it gets into the Admirals clothing!!!!!
For some reason no one HEARS the change of pitch on my boat as it gets full, even though we all listen for it and all are seasoned boaters. But the Davis bottle has never let me down either so maybe I'm just over thinking things.

 

[thoward]

There is a inline whistle I have heard good things about as well.

We hold 1600 gal and the comercial depot can crank out 30 gal/sec or some nonsence like that. We tried to let them crank it up but there was a little blowby in the vent so we had to slow it down. I am going to come up with a catch can for our next fillup. I have heard stories of fines for a small amount of spillage but we have never had a problem with a drop or 3.

 

[Fanfare]

Many years ago I installed Racor Lifeguard fuel/air separators, model LG100. Google search indicates they are still available. One needed for each tank. I used to get a lot of foamy diesel dribbling out the fuel vents before the tanks were full, producing the dread "sheen" of fuel in the water. These units have a screen which strains the air out of the fuel, stopping this, and a deflector which sends the fuel back to the tank. They also have a check valve which prevents a smaller surge of fuel from going out the vents. I still have to listen to the fuel fill to hear the whoosh of diesel comiing up the filler to know when to stop filling. My new FloScans give a reading of how much fuel was burned from each tank so I really only have to listen starting around the last 15 gallons or so.

The Boat-US Foundation tested these in their test #40 and liked them. They have pics. I have had them for more than 10 years and highly recommend them. They kept me from getting a ticket from a water cop who snuck up on me while I was listening as I filled. He already had this ticket book out! Ah, the little joys of boating.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Looks like I'll be sticking to the Davis No Spill routine I've been using. I checked and the only way to get access to my vent hoses would be to cut out the side panal of both closets. Not worth the hassle. I bought 200 oil pads a few months ago (38 cents each,delivered to the boat thru the internet) and like Dr Jim, always have a few out when I'm refueling.

 

[Trojan]

They make whistles that can be put in the vent. Then you fill till it stops whistling. My 43 is easy to here the tone change when refueling. But I think I would like the whistles.



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