Pouring fuel

Ive read the advice about running all your fuel from jerry cans - thru a filter - into the tank. This makes good sence.
How do you pour the fuel into the tank without spilling all over everything?
Do those sifon bulb things (like on outboards) work?
thanks

[GordMay]

Here’s a nearly fool proof way of siphoning fuel, from a Portable Jerry Can, to your Boat’s Fuel Tank; with little chance of getting it anywhere but in the tank where it belongs.

[Insert diagram]

First, make sure you have a sufficient length of hose. That usually means as much as 10 feet or more. I use 3/8 inch clear tubing so I can see what's happening.

1. Place the full Portable Jerry Can as high on the deck or coaming as practicable, near the Boat Fuel Tank deck fill.

2. Push the hose into the Portable Jerry Can so the end is at the bottom of the Jerry Can. Make sure the end is under the surface by blowing into the hose and listening for a bubbling noise in the Jerry Can.

3. Make a long loop of hose, such that it goes from the Jerry Can down beneath the level of the Deck Fill, and comes back up to a point well above the top of the Jerry Can.
Picture an asymmetrical sine wave, where the Jerry Can is at elevation “+1", the Deck Fill will be at elevation “0", the lower (bottom) loop at elevation “-2", and the free end (where you suck, then fill) at elevation “+5".

4. Now suck! Watch as the fuel comes up into the hose and starts to flow over the first (upper) loop (elev +1.5) , and into the (lower) bottom loop (elev. -2) . It will then start to fill the hose until the gas in the hose reaches the level of the gas in the Can.
If you keep the free end of the hose high enough (elev. +5) nothing will ever come out.

5. Pinch off the open free end. This will maintain a column of fuel in the hose.

6. Place the free end into the Deck Fill, and watch the fuel siphon from the Jerry Can into the Boat’s Fuel Tank. When you feel that you have enough fuel in the Boat’s Fuel Tank, simply raise the hose above the level of the gas in the Jerry Can - and the fuel will stop flowing.

***

Some siphon kits come with a priming ball. This priming ball is a soft, pliable rubber ball on one end of the siphon tube that can be used to start the siphon. To use one of these, you will need to plug the end of the tube near the open end (at the deck fill), and squeeze the rubber ball. Air bubbles should be forced out of the siphon into the Jerry Can. If you release the pressure on the ball while keeping the end of the siphon closed, then the fuel should be sucked into the siphon and over the lip of the Jerry Can where it can begin to flow down into the fuel tank (as soon as you release your finger). However, you will have to release your finger quickly after the fuel reaches the lip of the Jerry Can, because if air has a chance to get to the top of the tube, the siphon will not flow.

The Super Siphon: http://www.alaskapowersports.com/mall/super_siphon.htm
To start the siphoning action all you do is insert the end of the hose that has a one way check valve in it, into the tank that you want to siphon from, insert the other end into the tank you want to siphon to - move the check valve end of the hose up and down a couple of times in a rapid motion, and the hose automatically starts to siphon. The hose length is 6' with an inner diameter of ½" and can be used on any chemical that does not attack the plastic of the hose.

Fermtech Auto Siphon Pump: http://www.northernbrewer.com/siphon.html

FWIW,
Gord

[Alan Wheeler]

I would just like to add an ammendment to the "suck" advice. Blow instead. Block the neck of the can with a rag. Siphon hose through the middle of the rag of course. Then blow and presurize the can. It doesn't take much. Take your mouth away from the hose and the fuel will push itself out the hose to start the flow. Use your thumb to stop the fuel from pouring untill you get it near the tank opening. Doing it this way, stops the posability of sucking fumes or worse, a mouthful of fuel. Reminds me of a funny story.
Police were called to a street that had cars parked along it. Each car had fuel stolen via siphoning. They came to a campervan that had the siphon still in the tank, and a pool of vomit on the road. It seems the siphonee, had mistaken the Campervans fuel tank for the sewage holding tank and had "sucked". Resulting in sucking a mouthful of the contents of the tank. I would say it cured him of stealing fuel for just a little while.

[GordMay]

Wheels adds a good caution.
To pressurise the Jerry Can, use a second short hose, into which you blow. Both hoses go into the Jerry Can, and seal the opening /w a rag or sponge. Close the Jerry Can Vent, and Blow into the shorter hose.
Open the vent, and fuel flows out the longer hose.

[billangiep]

Okay...this is how I do it...and never have spilled a drop. Scew the fill spout on the jury can. Then take a 5' or so clear hose that will slide over the tappered spout. Remove the deck plate and insert the other end into the fill then pour. When finished plug the ends of the clear hose with a bit of rag. When refilling jury cans at the dock I use a Baha filter. Would rather dribble a bit at the pump than on the boat.
Bill,

[jim lee]

You may want to filter it from the jerry to the boat tank. The fuel station is not the only place to pick up gunge in our fuel. I've had (in mexico) gunge grow in my jerry jugs. Some diesel eating bio gunk. It was filtered out by the Baja filter when I filled the boat tank.

I'd been real carful about keeping the fuel going into the jerry jugs clean so this took my be surprise.

Now here's the odd part. This same tank that I filitered bio whatever fuel into and who knows what... I opend it up 10 years later. (after sitting about 7 of those years) sparkling clean! Go figure. I was sure it was going to be a complete overgrown mess in there.

-jim lee

[AdamY]

try these, they are brilliant. work like a charm. I wont have any other type of jerry can on board.

http://www.scepter.com/gc/gc_page.ex...35662496455284

http://www.scepter.com/gcimages/zoom/eco_5g.jpg

Seriously are spill proof and self venting, I have no afiliation with this company but their product is amazing.