Posted 2013-08-28 1:11 PM (#154383) Subject: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: iowa
My fuel gage says I have gas in my built in generator tank but the generator kept starting and dying like it was out of gas. It would not surprise me if the gage was incorrect because the generator has ran along time with out me adding gas.
I went to put gas in today and it would only take 10 gallons. Fuel kept over flowing out the tube and it was also coming out the overflow valve on the top of the tank. It is a 95 degree day so it would expand some but I would not think it would come out the top of the tank that easily.
I got home and got the generator started after a lot of priming so I feel being out of gas was the issue. I did a conversion on the size of tank to get an idea of how many gallons it should hold and I come up with about 34 which to me seems feasible.
Just wondering why I could not get it to take more gas than 1/3 of the tank. Any ideas.
Posted 2013-08-28 3:13 PM (#154397 - in reply to #154383) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Veteran
Posts: 178 Location: Richmond, Ky
35 gallons would be a very big tank for a genset, if you do have indeed a 35 gallon tank i would be looking into an in-tank filter that as the filter "stops up" the level of fuel needed to run increases. Farm tractors use this kind of filter sometimes. Good luck
Posted 2013-08-28 5:19 PM (#154403 - in reply to #154383) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: iowa
The generator is under the gooseneck. The tank is under the trailer. It is 22"x60"x7" and sits between the frame. It takes up as much room as the holding tanks. I took my measurements and got cubic inches and found something online to convert to gallons. I literally run it for days at a time sometimes and it runs for ever so I think it has a higher capacity than 10 gallions.
It has a fuel pump that pumps the fuel up to the generator. I also replaced the fuel pump about 3 years ago.
The vent tube did have a kink in it after I had the tank pulled but I fixed that. I will double check it again. If it is blocked should it have taken the 1st 10 gallons so easily? Oh and the gage says I have just under 1/2 tank. Can't remember what I had before but I think it was around 1/4 tank.
Posted 2013-08-28 6:43 PM (#154405 - in reply to #154403) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Veteran
Posts: 203 Location: Lander WY
...... It is 22"x60"x7" and sits between the frame. It takes up as much room as the holding tanks. I took my measurements and got cubic inches and found something online to convert to gallons. I literally run it for days at a time sometimes and it runs for ever so I think it has a higher capacity than 10 gallons............
With those measurement you have a 39 gallon tank .....
Posted 2013-08-28 7:19 PM (#154406 - in reply to #154405) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: iowa
Originally written by Bhill on 2013-08-28 6:43 PM
...... It is 22"x60"x7" and sits between the frame. It takes up as much room as the holding tanks. I took my measurements and got cubic inches and found something online to convert to gallons. I literally run it for days at a time sometimes and it runs for ever so I think it has a higher capacity than 10 gallons............
With those measurement you have a 39 gallon tank .....
Those are not exact as I was rough measuring it but for some reason I did think I had a 40 gallon tank. Thank you for confirming my calculations.
Posted 2013-08-28 10:58 PM (#154411 - in reply to #154383) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Veteran
Posts: 259 Location: Topeka Ks
I picked up on you saying it started after a lot of priming. I would suspect the pump. I'm guessing the pump on or near the genset which means the pump has to lift fuel 30-40". I would consider adding a second pump at the tank as close to the fuel outlet as possible. Personally, I have had good luck with the Faucet cubes. Fuel delivery can be a nightmare.
Posted 2013-08-29 10:13 AM (#154421 - in reply to #154411) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: iowa
Originally written by justgurn on 2013-08-28 10:58 PM
I picked up on you saying it started after a lot of priming. I would suspect the pump. I'm guessing the pump on or near the genset which means the pump has to lift fuel 30-40". I would consider adding a second pump at the tank as close to the fuel outlet as possible. Personally, I have had good luck with the Faucet cubes. Fuel delivery can be a nightmare.
It started with a lot of priming after I ran it out of fuel. It does typically take some priming after it has sat for a while also. It is delivering fuel fine after I put gas in the tank but I am having a ventilation issue getting the gas in the tank. I do believe it ran out of fuel as I ran it several weekends 16 hour days over the summer and I had not added fuel.
Posted 2013-10-20 3:01 PM (#155447 - in reply to #154383) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: iowa
still trying to figure out why the tank is not taking fuel. This has been an ongoing issue. Last year I pulled the tank and replaced the vent valve thinking I might have a bad valve. When that didn't solve the problem I found the kinked line near the fill neck and cut the kink out. So I tried again to get gas in it and no luck. It just keeps shutting off the pump and spewing out no matter how slow I go.
I should have approx. 8 gallons in a 40 gal tank. It seemed to take the first 6 gallons ok and then after that I had issues.
So today I pulled off the cover to check the lines by the fill neck, they were not kinked again and they looked fine.
This generator runs for ever so I rarely have to put fuel in it but this has been an ongoing issue.
Posted 2013-10-20 4:21 PM (#155448 - in reply to #154383) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
If the filler neck runs horizontal for a fair distance...current commercial fillers sense that the tank is almost filled...falsely of course, had this problem with an old pickup converted to a dump truck...:(The work-around was to fill the tank with hand cans...
Posted 2013-10-22 5:39 PM (#155475 - in reply to #155448) Subject: RE: generator fuel tank capacity/questions
Regular
Posts: 79 Location: iowa
Originally written by PaulChristenson on 2013-10-20 4:21 PM
If the filler neck runs horizontal for a fair distance...current commercial fillers sense that the tank is almost filled...falsely of course, had this problem with an old pickup converted to a dump truck...:(The work-around was to fill the tank with hand cans...
I will try that and see if that works. Seems like they should come up with a solution or put the filler neck closer to the tank.
generator fuel tank capacity/questions
