Tapping into main fuel tank?

lvmci · January 08, 2018, 08:55:48 AM

There are baffles and the float inside the tank, if you see a weld dimple, try not to drill there, tom...

eagle19952 · January 08, 2018, 12:50:14 PM

what ever you decide, i would build the pickup tube more than 2 inches from the bottom..more like 4 inches.

hopefully the tank is taller than flatter.

most prime engine pickup tubes are set to leave at least 20 gallons unusable. iirc.

jmblake · January 08, 2018, 02:00:33 PM

Scott, I don't really want to pull my tank just for this, I don't want to open another can of worms right now LOL. I was looking and if I take the filler cap off I might be able to get a bulkhead fitting in right beside it, if I can squeeze my fingers in there or make something to hold it till I can get the nut on it. I will defiantly leave 4" - 6" off the bottom.
Thanks Jason

buswarrior · January 08, 2018, 04:56:15 PM

At the minimum, there should be a plate for where the fuel sender gets installed?

Do you have some pictures of this phenomenon?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Geoff · January 08, 2018, 05:19:30 PM

Jason, you should pull the exterior siding off the fuel tank bay. There may be a pipe plug at the lower part of the tank that you can put a 90 degree fitting on and run straight up to supply your generator. It will not interfere with the siding but you will have to keep an eye on your fuel level running the genset.

jmblake · January 08, 2018, 06:27:34 PM

BW here is a picture of what I got to work with.

Geoff I looked down in there and there is a plug at the very bottom, but I think I would get all the junk on the bottom of the tank

I do mostly try and keep the tank full very seldom do I let it get below a qtr tank

Thanks Jason

buswarrior · January 08, 2018, 07:41:44 PM

Whew! ok, that's a normal tank.

You have the aux fuel tank in the bay?

The centre high attachment is the vent to the aux tank.

You can re-work that vent pipe, get pick-up and return fittings fabricated into it, the vent won't care if it is somewhat obstructed when you are done. Note that the pick-up needs to go on an angle so it doesn't drop down blocking the fuel fill.

On coaches with no aux tank, that position has a simple round plate bolted in place.

The other piece, with wires attached, is the fuel sender. You could investigate whether you could squeeze the fittings into that plate without interfering with the sender movement.

Deciding the depth to send the pick-up is for you to choose. The return just needs to be into the tank and can dribble from up high.

Cut the pick-up a little shorter than the engine pick-up, to defend against stupidity, or boldly send it close to the bottom.

I will caution to not cut it too short, every inch of fuel in the bottom part of the tank is a lot of gallons, and you will suck air before you wish you didn't, and still have plenty to go for a drive. The calculation to find US gallons is length x width x height in inches, divided by 231.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Jim Eh. · January 08, 2018, 09:08:56 PM

Connect a regulated air source to the tank vent and pressurize the tank (no more than about 5 psi is needed). This will blow all your shaving OUT instead of allowing them to drop in the tank.

Dave5Cs · January 08, 2018, 10:28:04 PM

Jim excellent idea. Never tried that one. You always have good advice how in the heck did you get 3 ignores? LOL

windtrader · January 08, 2018, 10:39:27 PM

OMG - How'd you get ignored by 8! LOL

birdarchitect26 · January 09, 2018, 04:38:29 AM

I thought I would chime in because I recently removed my tank and cleaned it and had to create a new pick up tube for the main line. I removed the center "Curved" vent on mine. There is also a float vent just behind the front raised area, you can prob reach it by hand. My other suggestion is to take that main door off, it is just two bolts on the top side and two pins that will slide out in the bottom, its not fun working through that little flap door! My genny lines are just below my main lines, already installed when I bought the bus.

I cut a 3.375" little round plate out of 1/4" steel with a plazma and brazed on some HD fittings, of course you'll need a return line to but here is a pic, you can take a look at how I removed the tank here (PITA): http://busnut.com/forum/index.php/topic,3115.msg34781.html#msg34781

Oh, and make sure you use RTV for fuel, I think its like #2 or something

Jim Eh. · January 09, 2018, 04:52:26 AM

Quote from: Dave5Cs on January 08, 2018, 10:28:04 PM
Jim excellent idea. Never tried that one. You always have good advice how in the heck did you get 3 ignores? LOL

My safety officer (keep forgetting to advise safety glasses) and my wife are both on this board. My wife has two accounts.

luvrbus · January 09, 2018, 05:21:26 AM

That setup should be any problems for you Jason even if you still have the auxiliary tank you can have a spacer made to go under the vent with taps I have done it before,so you are dealing with a aluminum tank ? the magnetic drill bits wouldn't help you much drilling holes

jmblake · January 09, 2018, 08:02:42 AM

Would I be able to tie the auxiliary tank vent into the one from the main tank with a T ? Or wouldn't that be a good idea
Jason

jmblake · January 09, 2018, 07:12:54 PM

I was looking tonight and I think I have room to rotate the vent on the left a quarter turn clockwise and then put a T in and tie the center vent for the aux tank into it. That would leave me the center hole to put my pickup and return lines for the generator in. Is there any reason I couldn't tie the 2 vents together?
Jason