Gravity fed transfer tank?

[petebert]

Picked up this diesel tank on a trailer today. Looks like they were using it just with gravity? That won't fill anything taller than the bottom of the tank would it? I would assume not but wondering if the pressure of the fuel above would still force it out? If not wonder what they were doing with it... There's a vent line up top. Next to the vent line, there's a circular cover with 4 screws in it. Will I be able to put a fuel pump there if I wanted to?

 

[kthompson]

Interesting setup there. The fuel line on the bottom sure looks small to fill a tank of any size, looks more line to run a engine or even a heater than to transfer fuel or gas. Think fuel transfer lines are 3/4 or 1 inch in diameter on most pumps. Looks like there is bushing in tank for the fuel filter, may be large enough. Weight of fuel in tank should push fuel to near the height this tanks lever is, slowly. You probably could use an inline electric -pump with supply from the bottom if there is a bushing on the filter. Filling it to me would require some ladder. Is it possible this is a sprayer, converted to sprayer?

 

[petebert]

Does look like a sprayer setup although I'm pretty sure the glass jar on bottom is full of off road diesel. I haven't taken it off yet but there appears to be a small filter inside of there.

Wait, think I found an answer... Was just digging through the auction results and found this. Looks pretty familiar, it's running an irrigation pump. So you're probably right, they were using it to run a motor of some sort. So that probably answers what they used it for, now I need to figure out how to get a pump onto it.

My plan was to throw an orange triangle on the back and tow it with my truck up to the local station. I live in a rural of enough area that it won't be a problem. We have a station that does off road diesel and I'm tired of lugging 5 gallon containers back and forth.

 

[rustyshakelford]

To me it was for supplying a stationary Diesel engine. To get a traditional pump on there would take more than you probably have in it. Having it be gravity fed will be painfully slow with the size of the hose. Figure .43 psi per ft of fluid. Best guess is the tank is 36” tall, that’s about 1.3 psi with full. As mentioned I would consider an in-line fuel pump.

These are cheap and disposable, slow but will allow you to fill above the liquid level. Figure about .5 gpm and $22. Off the fuel bowl splice this into the line and find a power source ie tractor. Besides that you could go to a welder and have them cut and weld in a 2” bung for a gpi or tuthill pump but you’d be well over $200 for just a pump and a decent about for the welding

Brett

 

[petebert]

Took the flat plate on top off today, pic below is what I found. Would it be possible to thread that and put a traditional 12v pump on it? Although now that I look at the picture I'm wondering if that ring is threaded in there already...

I'll look into the inline pump today. Don't know how well you can see in the picture but there's a couple basic pipe fittings above the shutoff valve on bottom.

 

[boomer1025]

Took the flat plate on top off today, pic below is what I found. Would it be possible to thread that and put a traditional 12v pump on it? Although now that I look at the picture I'm wondering if that ring is threaded in there already...

I'll look into the inline pump today. Don't know how well you can see in the picture but there's a couple basic pipe fittings above the shutoff valve on bottom.

.
That Hole was for a fuel sending unit. You could make an adapter for around the pump stand pipe and bolt it fast using the threaded screw holes.

 

[LouNY]

As others have said you could put an automotive type inline pump in the existing line and get a couple of gallons per minute out of it and pump to any reason lift you want. Otherwise it will gravity feed to the height of the fuel in tank it won't be fast. You could certainly adapt the sending unit hole that you have opened up to a pipe thread collar and screw any conventional tank pump into it. I don't know how far you are planning on towing it, but I would be leery of much towing on public highways there are to many regulations on fuel tanks as the size increases. Have a fuel oil dealer come out and fill your tank at your location, you can then move it to different spots on your place where you want it.

 

[petebert]

So when you say inline pump, you mean something like this? Looks pretty simple. I may even be able to just use the existing rubber hose and filter.

 

[LouNY]

That would be the critter, it won't be the fastest fuel pump it will get the job done,

 

[4570Man]

I have a 50 gallon aluminium fuel tank off a semi I'd planned on making into a gravity feed fuel tank. I have an inch hose for it. It should flow pretty decent.