Easiest way to get a fuel guage

[rogerwa]

I am trying ot figure a way I can easily install a fuel guage. This obviously starts with a sender. On my boat, which is a pontoon, I have a 6 gal portable tank.

Is it possible to install one of the senders, as seen on this site, in a new portable tank (I want a bigger tank as well). Or do I have to go the route of a permanent tank that is already supplied with a sender?

That route is a lot more expensive as i would need a more expensive tank ($150 vs $50) and would need to run a fuel hose to a filler thing. While that would be nice, I just want do this on the cheap.

Any ideas??

 

[jtexas]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

I bet you could add a sender - those polyethylene tanks must be pretty easy to work with...cut a hole, slide the float in, seal it up. The send wire would need a disconnect so you could lift the tank to the ground (or dock) for refueling - you do put it on the ground to refuel, right? Otherwise risk of explosion from static electricity discharge. Which is a good reason to add another 6-gal tank instead of getting a bigger one. Then you'd need 2 senders.

I'm really interested to hear how this project works out - I wouldn't mind having a fuel gauge myself......................

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

I do not pull the tank out of the boat when refueling. It sits in the back in a well ventilated area and i used plastic jugs to fill it. I would think I would have more risk pulling it out and risking a spill that way.

I had considered your approach but did not want to spend the moolah only to not have it work. Ther permanent tank would be nice as I could refill from dockside but it would cost a whole bunch more.. that filler hose is expensive stuff.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

Roger, Normally the Pontoon boats have a 12 gal above deck "portable" tank strapped to the rear of the deck or pontoon. The permanent tanks are not made for this application, since they require a filler hose and deck fuel fitting. You can probably buy a 12 gal portable tank with an electric fuel level sender. However, if you cannot, I also think the mounting of the fuel sender onto a portable 12 gal tank should be easy. The senders have a gasket between the sender plate and about six self tapping screws to hold it on. If you think the tank material is inadequate to hold the screws, you can install some backing material (wood, aluminum or plastic) inside the tank, after you cut the hole for the sender.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

Chris, thats basically where I'm at. I have not found a portable with a sender. I would think that they would make one with an upgradeable manual guage, but no go.. If the fittings were cheap I wouldn't mind going permanent as my tank is under the sundeck and not exposed.

 

[jddenham]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

I bought a 12 gal portable at my local Hewes dealer. It has a mechanical fuel gauge built into the top of the tank. I believe the hole is also the same to accomodate an electrical sending unit if removed. It was $70 or $80.

Any boat shop should have them.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

What about a sender like this
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MTCRAA...e=380333&creativeASIN=B000MTCRAA&linkCode=asn

or this one
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MTI15K...e=380333&creativeASIN=B000MTI15K&linkCode=asn

 

[jtexas]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

what kind of sealant would a person use, if a person wanted to modify portable tanks for a sender like that?

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

The problem I see is to find a portable tank with a flat enought surface to mount it. All of the ones I am seeing are plastic and have a lot of curvy surfaces. Would the self tapping screws attach well to the plastic??

 

[jddenham]

Re: Easiest way to get a fuel guage

Just got back from the marine store looking at the tank I had bought and sending units. The salesman said that there wasn't a sending unit available to go into the portable tank.