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Boat Forum / Building / August 2006How to store integral gas fuel tank during work?
Hello; I have acquired a small runabout that needs some work. Gonna work on upholstery, etc. for the next winter, and perhaps longer... :-) She runs OK at present, and has an integral gas fuel tank in the floor. I can run the engine dry, then fog it and leave it, so not much problem there. How shall I 'store' the tank, given I don't know the length of time involved, and want to stay safe as well. If I was sure it was just the winter, then full of gas with stabil added would be fine, but there is a possibility that it won't be done by then. :-) Would 'empty' be better then? Thanks for any advice. sdg Is it a fiberglass tank? > Hello; > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Thanks for any advice. > sdg >Is it a fiberglass tank? Metal. Sorry I cannot be more specific as to the type of metal. Mounted in a 1985 fiberglass runabout. Original tank with the boat. Thanks for any advice. sdg "Empty" is a lot more dangerous that full. Gasoline vapors can remain in a good enough concentration to explode for a long time. The sure way to purge the tank is to fill it with water to overflowing and then drain it. Any remaining traces of gas will float on top and overflow first. If you can't purge and drain it completely that way open the inspection port and drop in some absorbent pads for a couple of days. Retrieve the pads and blow air over it for a couple of days to vent the remaining vapors. (use a spark proof fan.)  SignatureGlenn Ashmore I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com > Hello; > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Thanks for any advice. > sdg > "Empty" is a lot more dangerous that full. Gasoline vapors can remain in a > good enough concentration to explode for a long time. The sure way to purge [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > over it for a couple of days to vent the remaining vapors. (use a spark > proof fan.) How about throwing in some dry ice to displace the vapors? >> "Empty" is a lot more dangerous that full. Gasoline vapors can remain >> in a good enough concentration to explode for a long time. The sure [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > How about throwing in some dry ice to displace the vapors? That would have the additional benefit of also removing the oxygen from the tank. bob > How about throwing in some dry ice to displace the vapors? I'm not sure which is heavier but I suspect the gasoline would be heavier so it might get trapped under the CO2. Then when the CO2 disburses the gas vapor will still be there. SignatureGlenn Ashmore I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com >>How about throwing in some dry ice to displace the vapors? > > I'm not sure which is heavier but I suspect the gasoline would be heavier so > it might get trapped under the CO2. Then when the CO2 disburses the gas > vapor will still be there. The gasoline should be heavier (with gases, it is easy - it is all based on the molecular weight), but even if some gasoline vapors are still in there, there won't be any air. And all of this presumes that there is absolutely no turbulence during the sublimation of the dry ice, so that there is no mixing. Not very likely. At something like 12 cubic feet of CO2 for each pound of dry ice, a few pounds of dry ice should provide several tank volumes of CO2, which would sweep most of the air and gasoline vapors out of the tank, leaving behind an inert gas filling. bob > Hello; > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Thanks for any advice. > sdg I once needed to get a petrol tank welded on a motorcycle. The guy who was to weld it was obviously a bit fussy about how I cleaned it. I was told to fill with water and drain it several times, then steam it, I used an electric kettle, but I guess your tank is a bit bigger so maybe a steam cleaner would do the job. |
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