Fuel gauge

[Richard Garlant]

Hi. We used to have a wooden dip stick to measure the fuel level in the tank in gallons.I wondered if anyone has another system or one in Ltrs. I could copy the graduations hopefully as ours has been damaged.

Richard

[Jeff]

Hi Richard,
Can’t help I’m afraid, but I’ve been thinking about the same thing for years now.
My original fuel dipstick was lost during the huge refit, when Sea Eagle was in the shed for about 6 months. I’d had x3 new fuel guages fitted & the graduated dipstick was discarded. It’s a lot handier to push a button on a display unit & see roughly how much fuel is in the tanks, but I don’t know whether there’s 20,30 or 40 litres left.
When I cleaned out the main tank 2 years ago I thought it might be a good idea to pour in 20 litres, mark the level on a stick, then scale it up to the full tank. Turns out that’s not very accurate, as the tank is not a perfect rectangle.
Assuming our main tanks are all made to the same spec’, they all hold 30 gallons, but the only way I can think of to get the dipstick absolutely right, is to refill the main tank by 20 litre jerry-can & mark your dipstick according to each fill.
Jeff

[Richard Garlant]

Hi Jeff

I have a feeling I’m going to have to empty the tank and do exactly what you suggested.

Richard

[Van]

If you can wait a few days I can measure the marks on our stick and post them.

[Richard Garlant]

Hi Van

That would be a great help. Thank you

Richard

[Van]

Length from the bottom of the stick in inches, measured to closes 1/8 inch or so.
Imp gal = L inches
2 = 2.125
4 = 4
6 = 5.5
8 = 7.25
10 = 8.75
12 = 10.5
14 = 12.0
16 = 13.5
18 = 15.0
20 = 16.375
22 = 17.5
24 = 18.875
26 = 20.0
28 = 21.25
30 = 22.5
32 = 23.75
34 = 25.0
36 = 26.125
38 = 27.0

Hope this helps! The overall length of the stick is 33.5 inches. Ours was broken in the past and epoxied together (it looks like epoxy).

Van

[Jeff]

Well done & Thankyou very much Van.!
I can re-mark my home-made stick now, & know that it’s accurate.
Cheers,
Jeff

[Richard Garlant]

Thanks Van
That’s saved me a load of work.

[David and Felicity]

For the benefit of those of us who buy our fuel in litres I have converted Van’s table to litres (and mm). David

Litres / mm
10 = 59
20 = 106
30 = 153
40 = 200
50 = 247
60 = 294
70 = 334
80 = 370
90 = 406
100 = 442
110 = 478
120 = 514
130 = 550
140 = 586
150 = 622
160 = 655
170 = 680
173 = 686

[Richard Garlant]

Thanks David and Felicity. That’s a great help

[Jeff]

Thanks very much David, my dipstick is now newly marked-up & varnished already:-)

[Author]

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