Best way to transfer fuel from Jerry Jugs to fuel tank?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Even if you do, the shaker valve is likely working against you.

...

Working against you in what way? Restricting flow?

Any fitting will restrict flow, but the shaker valve very little, not enough to be a practical issue though. It will empty a 5 gallon jug fast. I haven't timed it, but its a matter of a few minutes.

[Mahayana]

Originally Posted by Paul L

A cheap, shake siphon

We have one of these, too. Empties the jerry jug right to the bottom. Quickly! Cleanly. The best part is that it was a gift from a boater in Sandusky, OH we had just met. We were sitting at a picnic table by the docks discussing the same topic, fuel transfer, and he jumps up and heads to his boat, a beautiful C&C 41, and came back with this. It works.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Have you tried the shaker siphons? They are cheap , easy to use and work plus you don't need to blow or suck into anything. Not sure that saying you should transfer fuel in calm seas is any help to someone on passage and needing to add some fuel to safely finish.

The most important thing being having a plan whichever way you do it I suppose.
That plan should include doing it when the sea is flat... well ahead of time... not when you need it.
If you are motoring, there must be little wind, and thus not rough seas... otherwise ....why are you motoring?

[svmariane]

What we do: Fuel hose, squeeze bulb. Gravity/siphon feed.
Ensure hose entering jug has sufficient length.
Might need to tip jugs for last bit of liquid.
Show: As used for direct feed into motor fuel lines system, but used same principal for transfer to main tank.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by onavegador

On my boat, a 10m catamaran with 2 18HP engines. I use since years a cheap plastic transfer pump I bought in Vanuatu. I made the discharge hose about one foot longer so I can put the discharge hose really down into the deck filler. After squeezing the pump ball four or five times the pump is full and the Diesel Fuel go its way by syphon. No spilling at all and only about two minutes to empty a 5 Gallon. When the Jerry Jug is short to be empty I only tilt the Jug a little and so nearly all fuel is in the tank. I controlled that several times and found out that it always less than a cup.
Fair winds
James

I've used loads of those over the years. Generally they seem to last maybe half a dozen fills before getting a hole somewhere. Good job they are so cheap, you need to carry several spares all the time

[SeaSon]

May not be the best way for that last bit of fuel the OP is looking to get, but I love this little hand pump - it does everything including putting air in the bike tires. Bought one for $10 at harbor freight. About a pint per pump.

http://www.amazon.com/IIT-17544-Siph...K69QJRH19HKDDE

[Nicholson58]

Does anybody use these? They can get into the corners of a tipped fuel can. $2.98 at Wallmart Kerosene Pump, Manual Operation - Walmart.com

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Does anybody use these? They can get into the corners of a tipped fuel can. $2.98 at Wallmart Kerosene Pump, Manual Operation - Walmart.com

See post #50 above

[squarerigger]

I've used most of the methods described above including pouring diesel straight from a jerry jug into the fill, pouring it into a baja filter set into the fill, and siphoning it - either straight into the fill or via a filter first, using at least two of the siphon types described. All of these have involved some trouble in maneuvering/holding the jerry jug and because my fill is on the deck, keeping any water from getting into the tank when I had to do this at sea. Until reading this thread, it never occurred to me that I should just tee off the fuel polishing loop, sucking the fuel from whatever jerry jug, drum, etc that a hose could reach through THAT filter using the 12 volt fuel pump already in place, thereby circumventing the deck fill altogether - painfully obvious. Thanks to participants for turning on that lightbulb.

[Olorin]

When I designed my fuel polisher I added a manifold that allowed me to choose inputs and outputs between main tanks and jerry cans. So I can polish the fuels in my main tanks, polish the fuel in my jerry cans and transfer between them cleaning the fuel all the time. Works in a storm at sea and at anchor in a mill pond. I'm lucky that the main tanks and the storage areas for the jerry cans are collocated.

[Striker37]

I use a 12 volt jabsco water pump to pump diesel.It pumps about a gallon a minute.

[roland stockham]

I used a wale inline pump for years which was very good, a little slow but got the job done without spills. Low power pumps or siphons have the limitation that you need the can close to the filler which can be difficult at sea. Recently changed to one of these 12V OIL Diesel Fuel Transfer Pump Extractor Pump Self Priming Pump Siphon Pump | eBay Not 'marine' and has a steel body so wont store in the cockpit locker but looks well made. Not tried it yet but hoping it means no more lugging cans!

[Journeyman]

OP here. Thanks for all the inputs.

First, the fuel fill location does not allow the Funnel + Direct Pour option.

Although we have several Shakers aboard (for water & diesel) we no longer use them. We found starting a siphon with the "jiggler" often hard to do, and the Mexican Method starts it instantly. However if the siphon breaks towards the bottom its hard to get enough pressure to get it going again with normal lung volume, and you're stuck with the remaining fuel. Another general issue is that we store the clear plastic hose coiled in a big ziplock bag (to keep the locker clean) and it takes a set over time making the end curved and hard to get to the bottom of the jug.

I will try the Fuel Ball + 3/8" Fuel Hose method as that hose type should remain flexible. And I would think its a more robust design than those "turkey baster" looking squeeze pumps. Hopefully it has the ability to pump out the last few cups after the siphon breaks by repetitively squeezing the bulb?

The Gold standard seems to be the Fuel Polishing manifold as it does not require you to even open the fuel fill if I understand it correctly. That's an enormous advantage in rough seas (think Baja Bash). I assume to install a fuel polishing system I drill a hole in the tank and install a second pickup tube, and drill another hole for the return fuel path?

Does anyone have specs on their system? For example: Pump type, mfg, & flow rate. Diameter of fuel line for fast polishing & transfer. Type & mfg of manifolds and filters? Where to get a pickup tube & fitting? How to drill holes in the tank to minimize metal filings contaminating the fuel.

Beaucoup thanks people!



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[Liam Wald]

Shaker Siphon...
WOW!
No this is cool.
How did I get this far in life without knowing about these?
I just ordered some on E-bay.
Best thing that I have learned on this forum in a long time.
Thank you!!!!

[wsmurdoch]

The boat manufacturers can make transferring fuel from jugs to tank easy or hard. On our Pacific Seacraft it is easy. The fuel fill is in the companionway bridge, so I can do it in the cockpit, behind the dodger, and I can start the pour with the jug below the level of the fill hole. While the jug is draining it rests on the cockpit seat and is easy to hold in place even when the boat is bouncing around. I have taken a short length of threaded aluminum pipe and cut away some of it. When screwed into the fill the remaining part sticks up and functions like the back wall of a urinal as the jug is tipped stopping that first bit out of the jug that might otherwise splash.