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Fuel gauge on PS34

6K views 27 replies 13 participants last post by  elliowb 
#1 ·
I committed an egregiously rookie mistake on my recent maiden multi-day cruise on this boat: I didn't keep track of my fuel consumption throughout the week and actually ran out of fuel about two miles outside of port on the second-to-last day of the trip. I managed to sail back to the marina and replenish my fuel tank. Then I went back on my merry way and no-kidding, about two miles out my engine started sputtering and choking. I kept re-starting it and it kept stalling, and eventually, once I was a couple more miles off-shore, the engine suddenly quit and wouldn't re-start. Adding to the complexity of the situation, the seas were 4 - 6 ft still, but the wind went down to < 5 Kts, so I couldn't even sail back again. At this point, I felt like I no longer had any choice and called TowBoat US for assistance... soonest anyone could reach me was more than two hours, and it was already getting dark. The guy I spoke with on the phone told me that the reason my engine wasn't starting was because there was air in the fuel line that needed to be purged. Great... how do I do that? Using my operator manual for my Yanmar, I eventually found the bolt on the fuel injection pump and the one of the fuel filter and used the hand-primer until diesel came out of both. Engine started right up, and I went back to the marina and stayed the night. Now I know how to do that... but that was a crappy way to figure it out - I felt like I was in a washing machine with the boat pitching and rolling violently, reaching into a hot engine compartment with a wrench while trying to brace myself against something and keep my flashlight shining in there.

I'm owning this screw-up... but it has to be said that my boat does not have a fuel gauge in the cockpit, unlike every other boat I have owned/sailed. Mine is a 1994, and the panel in the cockpit has only a tachometer. Does anyone else out there have a cockpit panel that has a fuel gauge on it? If no, has anyone had a fuel gauge installed in their cockpit?

I wonder if I could have a fuel sensor that is NMEA 2000 or Sea Talk compliant installed and connect to my Raymarine MFD...
 
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#2 ·
..... how do I do that? Using my operator manual for my Yanmar, I eventually found the bolt on the fuel injection pump and the one of the fuel filter and used the hand-primer until diesel came out of both. Engine started right up, and I went back to the marina and stayed the night. Now I know how to do that... but that was a crappy way to figure it out....

I wonder if I could have a fuel sensor that is NMEA 2000 or Sea Talk compliant installed and connect to my Raymarine MFD...
You went offshore before knowing....
What if you didn't have cell reception?
Now, you want some electronic system to tell you before you don't know what is going to happen...in real life...

You're in over your head and really don't understand.
 
#5 ·
That's real helpful... thanks. That's pretty arrogant - who do you think you are? You've never made a mistake? Don't talk like you know me or have any idea of what I understand or don't understand.

BREAK

Now, if anyone out there has anything constructive to offer about how they monitor the fuel state on their boat, I'm all ears.
 
#3 ·
Even if you install a fuel gauge in the cockpit.... don't trust it. You should be evaluating it's accuracy with each fill up and evaluate your fuel burn and using motoring hours to determine when to put more fuel in.

I think RU is overstating things. Yes you screwed up, but are learning as you go. Lesson #1 don't rely on fuel gauges. Lesson #2 get a lesson on maintaining and troubleshooting your engine.
 
#6 ·
Very good point, thanks. One of my neighbors at my marina gave me that very advice this afternoon. It's like general aviation in a way... seems like most planes I have flown or right-seated in had squirrely fuel gauges. Each pilot I asked said the same thing: "this is my fuel gauge" and motioned to their wristwatch.
 
#4 ·
I wouldn't over complicate fuel level. I assume there is a Gauge on the Tank, make sure it works and get to know it. Start a log and monitor consumption. You should have been through the bleeding process after filter changes unless the Boat is that new to you. Carry some spare fuel in Jerry cans if you need. Live and learn, die and forget it all.
 
#7 ·
Yes, there is a gauge on the fuel tank itself and it seems to be in good working order. I've had the boat for three seasons, but I've always stayed relatively close to homeport until this trip (though I have bare-boat chartered and taken numerous multi-day trips). I've always had the yard do the winterizing and spring commissioning of the diesel engine so I was unfamiliar with the requirement to bleed the air out (and I've never actually run a fuel tank dry before).

I've already resolved to start recording the fuel gauge reading in my daily log. Good advice, thanks!
 
#9 ·
We have the same setup on our boat (PSC34 1995). The fuel gauge seems fairly reproducible. One thing to realize is that because of the shape of the tank the fuel level goes down much faster once the tank is half empty. So when the fuel gauge indicates that the tank is half empty, you have in fact less fuel than the gauge would make you believe.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I think the Raymarine folks would make a device for this and it would be great to have the information on your MFD. I have an analog gauge and mine is less than accurate. Seems to be on full for a long time then rapidly moves after about half the tank is gone. Not sure what power plant you have but I imagine you burn around 3/4 gal per hour at hull speed. I have an hour gauge that I log in my deck log when I top off (that seems to be the only time I know how much is in the tank) and then I monitor the hour gauge. This is more accurate than the fuel gauge. When taking long trips I have 15 gallons strapped to the rail. You definitely know to run to the fuel docks when you have to pour diesel into a boat underway.

Good to hear you made it back. Hope this helps..

p.s. Rookie mistakes make for a knowledgeable skipper, never apologize for mistakes just don't repeat.
 
#12 ·
I think the Raymarine folks would make a device for this and it would be great to have the information on your MFD. I have an analog gauge and mine is less than accurate. Seems to be on full for a long time then rapidly moves after about half the tank is gone. Not sure what power plant you have but I imagine you burn around 3/4 gal per hour at hull speed. I have an hour gauge that I log in my deck log when I top off (that seems to be the only time I know how much is in the tank) and then I monitor the hour gauge. This is more accurate than the fuel gauge. When taking long trips I have 15 gallons strapped to the rail. You definitely know to run to the fuel docks when you have to pour diesel into a boat underway.

Good to hear you made it back. Hope this helps..

p.s. Rookie mistakes make for a knowledgeable skipper, never apologize for mistakes just don't repeat.
I have a Yanmar 3JH2E. I believe there is mention in the owner's manual that the fuel tank gauge tends to be inaccurate with less than 50% fuel remaining. I've never seen the tank out of the boat, but I'm guessing the bottom of the tank is angled, like an inverted trapezoid. If true, I can imagine that a float transducer would become inaccurate as the level decreases. Perhaps an ultrasonic one would be better?
 
#14 ·
You learned a couple of lessons. One is how to bleed the fuel system. I suggest topping off the tank when it gets close to 1/2 to avoid EVER having to do that other than after you've changed the filters. Second is to carefully learn how your fuel meter display correlates to reality. Each time you fill up, note the fuel meter reading and how much it takes to fill the tank. You'll soon be able to glance at the meter and know what that means.

And PLEASE don't look for an app to load on your phone to substitute for common sense.
 
#16 ·
I hate to restart this old thread, but it is the first time I have been able to photograph my fuel tank gauge since the thread was current.

The fuel tank gauge in my PSC 34 is non-linear to compensate for the near triangular cross section of the fuel tank.


In the photo the tank is full. You can see the gauge markings for E, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and F. The magic marker dot beyond full is when fuel backs up into the fill hose. When I filled the tank from empty from 5 gal jugs after cleaning the tank (http://www.sailnet.com/forums/pacific-seacraft/72278-crealock-34-fuel-tank.html), I found the gauge to be fairly accurate.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes
 
#20 ·
I have a 1987 Pacific Seacraft 34, hull #67, and have measured the fuel remaining at each level on the fuel gauge. The tank is original and the sticker says manufacturer is Vic Berry Sheet Metal, 760 Newton Way, Costa Mesa, CA, tank capacity 30 gals.

I am not saying that my measurements apply to your tank, but if your tank is from the same manufacturer they might, so I give them below.

First, with the inspection port on the tank open I found that the tank was not completely full when the fuel gauge read F. It is not actually completely full until the gauge pointer just touches the upper-left corner of the black square on the right side, which is above the F mark.

The amount of fuel remaining in the tank at different levels of the fuel gauge I measured approximately as follows:

-gauge pointer just touches the upper-left corner of the black square on the right side, 30 gal
-gauge pointer at F, 23 gal
-gauge pointer at 3/4, 15 gal
-gauge pointer at 1/2, 9 gal

--
Brian Stipak
S/V Ubiquity, Pacific Seacraft 34
My Pacific Seacraft 34 page on design, outfitting, and sailing characteristics
 
#22 ·
I hear you about not having the fuel gauge in a convenient location. I often forget to check my fuel before I turn the engine off.

I keep a log (I think most sailors do) and I include the engine hours and fuel level. One thing I've learned, but didn't see anyone mention, is how much more fuel you consume per hour at higher RPMs. Going from 2000 to 2500 doubles my fuel consumption rate.

One thing I learned from Nigel Calder who happens to live near me, is that if you need to stretch your fuel, drop your RPMs way down. I've done this on some long hauls and found it to work.

Good luck with it all.

cheers,
Bob Steneck
PSC Alaria
Christmas Cove Maine
 
#23 ·
Had a psc34. Great little boat. Enjoy. With the current boat put in a Phillipi ultrasonic monitoring system for fuel and water tanks. No moving parts so nothing to stick or fail in the tank. Able to compensate for pretty much any irregular shape so readings are true. BUT also had simple old school dipsticks installed. Have 2 water and 4 fuel tanks so not a trivial exercise. Still don’t want to be totally dependent on any mechanical nor electrical system to gauge these key fluids. Nor do I want to depend on observations made over time at varying fluid usage with the possibility or errors and small leaks being missed. Tanks should have a sight gauge or dipstick regardless of what other monitoring system is on them.
 
#27 ·
One bit I haven't seen in this thread is to keep track of engine hours along with your fuel in your ship's log. For one thing, you will see how to maximize your rate of fuel consumption. However, once you see the pattern, your engine hours are a back up way to see how long you have till you must fuel up.

My fuel gauge only read to 1/2 after I made a change to the fuel tank that caused it to press against the fuel level sensor. Engine hours was what saved me. My gauge read half but my engine hours suggested I had less than 1/4 tank. So I took out a clean stick and dipped it and sure enough it was less than half.

Bob Steneck
PSC 34 Alaria
Christmas Cove, Maine
 
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