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Diesel Tanks: Things to consider


Are you are sick of hauling around 3 rusty old 20L drums in the back of the ute to keep your (running). We have an answer to your problem. New plastic fuel pod? There are a few things to consider before you throw one in the back.

 

  1. There are no noticeable differences when you compare any of these fuel tanks. What IS important is the equipment that goes on them.

 

The Pump

 

The MOST important thing to look at when considering purchasing a diesel tank  is the pump.. The first think to ask yourself is, does the build quality look ok? This will give you a fair idea before investigating further. Does the on/off switch  have any rubber around it? This may seem like a pretty unimportant part, you will most likely have diesel on your hands while using it and the first thing you will touch is the switch to turn it off. If the switch does have a rubber border r the diesel will eat it away therefore making a perfect entry point for moisture and crud to get in and cause you all sorts of problems!

 

Pump Fittings

 

Some pumps  have  standard BSP  thread,  other brands will have an o-ring on a flange with a retaining clip to hold it in. The o-ring is just something else to go wrong, if the o-ring fails it means taking apart the hose and replacing the o-ring. In comparison, if a leak occurs with your BSP thread you can seal up with some Loctite and they won’t leak.  Best to use the K.I.S.S method and stick with a thread and some sealant.

 

Hose

 

There is  nothing worse than  dealing with a cheapskate hose on these pods . A crappy hose will be forever kinking and being a general pain.

 

Nozzle

 

Auto nozzle or not? Think about the convenience of filling your car at a fuel station, there’s no need to worry about overfilling and wasting fuel because they are fitted with an auto nozzle. Manual nozzles means dedicated attention when filling and the risk of spilling expensive fuel. Auto-nozzles generally price around the $250 mark compared with the manual nozzle at around the $50 mark.

 

Pump Performance

 

There are a few things to consider when looking at pumps. Firstly,  what type of pump is it? Commonly there are two types of pumps, Vane pumps and gear pumps. Vane pumps are cheaper but won’t give you the performance of the more expensive gear pumps. In the 12v range vane pumps go from about 34 l/min up to 50 l/min. The gear pumps with crank between  45 l/min  to 85 l/min.

The vane pumps are fine when they are being used on the 200L and under tanks. The vane pumps are also fitted to 400L tanks as well but  I think that is stretching their capabilities.

Gear pumps, they are  more expensive, but you get what you pay for. They will be more reliable than a vane  pump and performance will be much better. They are usually a more robust design and can handle being out in the weather compared to the cheaper pumps.

 

Duty Cycle

The duty cycle is basically how long the machine will go for before it switches itself off. The duty cycle on a vane pump is 30 mins on and 30 mins off. The duty cycle on a typical gear pump is …..

Insert duty cycle here…..

 

Manufacturers can be creative with their numbers here as well, rough calculations will say that you will empty a 400l tank with a 40 l/min pump well before you hit duty cycle. But remember, the closer you run the pump to the limit the shorter its life will be.

 

Lockable or Not Lockable

Pretty easy decision to make. Don’t trust people. Get a lockable.  If you are only going to use it yourself, don’t worry about a lockable although the cover over the top of the pump is a good idea of you can put up with the inconvenience

 

If you have any other questions on tanks please contact me and I will do my best to find out what you need to know.
Thanks

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