hooking in an auxiliary bed tank

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May 10, 2003 | 11:37 AM

Guest

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hooking in an auxiliary bed tank

I'm putting in a 22 gallon aux. tank tomorrow. It'll be fed by an electric "utility" fuel pump with an in-cab switch; I'll wait until the fuel gauge reaches 1/4 before activating. I know that a gravity feed will work as well, but there will be times when I'll want to switch over and use the tank as a transfer to small diesel engines. Got a question. In my searches here, I see that most people hook the aux tank into the main fill tube for the main tank, or to the parallel vent line, or directly into the fuel feed lines. Apparently, however, there's an "auxiliary capped fitting" on the fuel tank "module" that sits on top of the main tank -- the module with the supply/return fittings, electrical connector, and rollover valve. I'm assuming that this "auxiliary capped fitting" is for a feed from a second tank, and I'm wondering why no one seems to have used it. Any problems here I don't know about, or perhaps I'm wrong?

May 11, 2003 | 01:32 PM

turbo thom

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From: Milner, Georgia

Re:hooking in an auxiliary bed tank

If you get an answer type real loud. I have a 60 gal with a tool box I need to do the same to. I want to do the same thing you are trying to do but don't want to drop the main tank till I have an answer. ..Preston..

May 11, 2003 | 04:03 PM

fitzer

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Re:hooking in an auxiliary bed tank

To be honest, I don't know why we don't use that vent fitting, other than it's fairly small. I too just capped mine off. Just for your your own info., I did what you are thinking of doing, with the electric transfer pump, but scrapped that idea after 4 pumps in a year and a half. At 50-60 bucks a shot, it was too much for me. I think the pump was working too hard against the air pressure in the main tank. When you're pumping in, ther's no place for the air to escape. Just my uneducated opinion on why I couldn't get pumps to last.

May 11, 2003 | 05:17 PM

FiverBob

Proprietor of Fiver's Inn and Hospitality Center

Joined: Jul 2002

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From: Sarasota, Florida

Re:hooking in an auxiliary bed tank

That is why we drill the aux fill fitting into the truck filler pipe when using the gravity feed. It will gurgle when you open the valve and allow air to go up the tubing into the aux tank while it fills the main. The new sealed systems need an escape for the air. Sure beats buying pumps. Mine has worked very well. I guess you could stop, open your fuel cap, turn on your pump, wait for it to pump the desired amount, then close everything up and go on.

May 11, 2003 | 08:16 PM

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Re:hooking in an auxiliary bed tank

If you transfer fuel while driving, wouldn't vacuum in the main tank created by the lift pump cancel out a lot of the air pressure, and allow the transfer pump to work without too much stress, replacing the "vacuum" with fuel? The "rollover valve" would suck in little or no air, because it's a positive pressure check valve.

Or I could drill a hole in the fuel cap. :

BTW, turbo thom, why would you drop the tank? I can sit up between the frame and the body, eye-level with the module, reach over the frame rail, and pop a hose onto the aux fitting with no trouble.