Plastic under floor fuel tanks
Hi all just wondering if anybody has experience with plastic underfloor fuel tanks good and bad?
Currently going through the very slow going process of replacing the guts of my 17ft glass half cabin. Having just finished putting in the forward stringer and ribs under the cabin now looking to measure up the rest of the flooring under the main deck. Anyway I'm looking to install a fuel tank under the deck. I've been looking at the SS cruise tanks from BIAS boating but now i've been hearing bad things about stainless tanks cracking and hearing good things about plastic. The main reason I would go away from stainless is extra weight and if they are likely to crack in a few years of use,and well i was going to fully seal the deck up over the tank and would be another big job to get back to pull it out. To combat this tho i could always make it into a fully sealed well for the tank to sit in with a removable panel/lid flush with the floor.
Does anybody have experience with plastic tanks from the sizes 60-100liters? found plenty of US sites and one shop over east that sell em but postage would be horrendous! Does anybody know of a WA supplier of plastic tanks? have found a few moeller (68 & 98lt) low profile tanks that stand 200mm tall, I'll be raising the floor 40mm higher than before so for a flat bottomed tank i will have a clearance of 300mm at the base of the two stringers, elevated above the keel. That brings me to next question... will 100mm be enough for filler hoses and fittings? will putting too much of a bend in the filler hose(without kinking) slow the flow of fuel when filling up or cause problems?
Need to make a decision and purchase before measuring up the rest of the project for a snug fit. However dont want to outlay the money and realise it was never meant to be.
Any advice or experiences would be greatly welcome
Dave
Dave J.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8669
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Plastic tanks
Had a fifty litre one fitted to my boat when I took the diesel/jet out and put the outboard on. Had heaps of trouble with fuel leaking out from where the fittings screwed in to the tank. Used sealants, thread tape, you name it and finally after the company replaced 3 tanks they came up with one that had reinforced bits around to fitting holes.
If I was going to do it again I would go for an ali tank built to suit.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
I think thats why the
I think thats why the moeller ones have built-in fittings.
tiimmbo
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 16/08/09
we
we have a 68L plastic tank which from memory set me back about $550. Its a low profile one from a place called boat bits over east. I couldnt find anything here locally that was the same. Ours sits above the deck so i'm not sure about plumbing it in. If you want to have a look to see if it is what you want then let me know - more then happy for you to come round and have a look, measure it up and see if it is what you are after.
I'm sure you have come across it on your searches but here is the link for it.
http://www.boatbits.com.au/marine-parts/boat-fuel-tanks/fuel-tank-and-gauge-68-litre-18-gallon-us-low-profile
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Here are some other moeller
Here are some other moeller sizes for comparison;
http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/cart.cgi?group=71407&child=71409
Reefmonkey
Posts: 711
Date Joined: 22/09/08
Thanks guys
Thanks Tiimmbo, yea that is the site i found :) and the same tank as some of the ones from US, so may be the goer if i cant find local. thanks for the offer to veiw, i may just take you up on that offer if i have to order something online. Thanks for the link Till I've been looking at a few, the one that shapes into the keel would be ideal but just hesitant about ordering of the net with limited info incase it doesnt suit the deadrise.
Have also seen larger plastic tanks at all boats, might stick my head in tomorrow and see if they are and if they can order in somethin suitable..... hopefully
Also with alli tanks would any alli boat builder be qualifed to knock one up easy? with sender unit and all for a similar price $500-700
Dave J.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
There were ones on in Aus
There were ones on in Aus market by Mercury, but don't buy them either new or used. They had a recall on them.