Built A 60l Spare Fuel Tank

[Ed.]

I will be going to Agnes Waters Qld. with the missus for the 1770 AusFish meet and greet trip in about a month and hoping to get out a few times to the Barrier reef (about 65Km out to sea), whilst I have a reasonable sized inbuilt fuel tank I would hate to get there and find that I need more fuel. So decided that rather have portable fuel cans lying around I would build myself an extra 60L fuel tank.

Got a sheet of 3mm Ally 5083/H116 and cut it down to size, had to take it to a sheet metal worker who put the bends in, however found that this ally temper needs a much wider radius in it and it had developed many thin cracks in the 90 degree bends.

I set the TIG to 150A and just quickly blasted the bend corners inside and out, that caused the cracks to melt into each other and fuse solid. Put in a fuel filler cap and also a 3/8" NPT threaded Boss with a 90 degree elbow to a 1/2" fuel line plus with a tap, added 4 angles to the tank to screw it in place in front of the passenger seat. This tank will double as a foot rest for the missus. Thinking of gluing a bit of carpet to the top so the missus can put her feet on it in the summer.

Just need to have some sort of clip added to the seat to stop the tap from rubbing and becoming loose. Tested the tank up to 8PSI as it is a small tank and it is about twice the pressure that most manufacturers do, so no leaks.

So when I get to the reef, I will just open the fuel hatch near the base of the tank and just let the spare tank drain into the main tank next to it, which you can see the cover in the last pic.

I will be taking the boat to the mechanics on Wednesday to see if the problem I had with the motor going in to limp mode recently can be simply and cheaply fixed, otherwise this will have been a futile attempt.

 

[Towknee]

Great skills Ed, welding aluminium isn’t easy! 

[Ed.]

Thank you for that, unfortunately I don't do enough of TIG welding to become really good at it, as 99% of my welding is with MIG, about the only time I get to use the TIG is when a boat is involved.

[jon]

Looks good mate does it need a breather or not really as it is just for storage I spose?

Edited July 28, 2020 by jon

[Ed.]

Jon, no breather necessary, it is just for storage, fill it up, go to where I am going and completely drain fuel from it to the main tank. Done!

I would have liked to have it have it connected  the main tank but as that is sealed under the floor there is no way to get to it. An alternative way would be to connect it to the main fuel line via a T- piece where it comes out of the tank at the back of the boat but that is just an added complication. This way is simpler and I can just remove the tank easily (8 screws) when not needed. For around here where I mainly fish, my main tank is more than enough, I think it is about 150L and I think I go through less than half a tank for a days fishing here. Think of it as a big Jerry can!

[jon]

Yeah looks perfect I’ve contemplated adding something like that to my rig either fuel or water as my where windscreen Meets the clears is right at my eye level so a fifty to sixty litre “ step” would be a great option So I’m not ducking or tiptoeing especially when bar crossing.I think I’m gonna look into it.

[Ed.]

I had made something similar on my last boat but that one held water and it also was a "step/footrest" for the missus

 

[Cam Lenton]

So good.... well done!!

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Very nice job Ed.

It looks great. It sure will be handy to have around! 

Cheers Hamish

[Ed.]

Thanks Cam, the pump that you can see to the left of it was an 80PSI with auto on/off and connected to a dash switch, the pump outlet was connected to a tap above it so in effect I had pressurized cold water on demand.

[Ed.]

2 minutes ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Very nice job Ed.

It looks great. It sure will be handy to have around! 

Cheers Hamish

For my normal fishing around Morton Island, it isn't necessary as my main tank has more than enough fuel. but if I can get my motor sorted out, then a trip out to the reef from 1770 is about 65Km each way plus running around and if we hit rough seas the motor will chew a lot more juice so  will be nice to have more than I need.

[kmcrosby78]

Nice practical and also versatile solution there @Ed., well done  

[Ed.]

Thank you, I like to be safer than sorry, If you know what I mean, better to have  extra fuel and not need it, than need it and not have it.

[The Mad Hughesy]

13 hours ago, Ed. said:

Thank you, I like to be safer than sorry, If you know what I mean, better to have  extra fuel and not need it, than need it and not have it.

isnt that the old golden rule of calculating how much you need...its what i follow anyway

50% fuel to get there and motor around

50% to get back

50% extra as backup

[Drop Bear]

I wish I could weld aluminium... 

Great work mate that is a cracking tank and excellent solution. Jerry cans bouncing around is not fun.