gas siphoning question

[lakergirltx]

Mates,

After our last couple of boating trips I'm starting to realize that gas is not always readily available on the lake where we boat. The lake is kinda rustic, i.e. not a lot of development. It's also not a constant-level lake, so no marinas (that I've found anyway). A couple of the "resorts" have gas, but they typically only get deliveries twice a month and so tend to hold the gas for their partons so it's always a crap shoot if they'll sell you any.

So I'm thinking that I'm going to have to find another way to gas up, especially on the holidays. Once I get my boat in the water for the weekend, it seems like a pain in the patoot to pull it out just to go get gas. I searched the existing threads on iBoat and found a mention of using gerry cans or the red 5 gallon gas cans and using a hose to siphon gas. Can someone give me more detail on how to do this?

BTW, I have a 20' Sweetwater ponton with a fixed, 25 gallon gas tank. There's a gas port on the port side, back at the stern. And we seem to have to burp it alot when fueling using a gas pump. I'm going to check the fueling vent on our next trip to see if it's blocked (see, I've been reading those threads) and make sure both lines (fuel, vent) aren't crimped. But if the burping situation is just how the fueling line works, will this affect my ability to go the siphoning route, i.e. do I need pressure on the gas to get it in the tank? Other issues?

BTW, I checked with the camp where we store and slip our boat when we're at the lake. They don't want us gasing up at the slip because it is a floating dock made up with a lot of styrofoam, and they've had problems with gas dissolving the styrofoam. So can you siphon when on the water? Would it be better to try to beach somewhere? Just trying to work this all out.

Thanks for your help!

Lakergirl

 

[tommays]

Re: gas siphoning question

The only safe way is a gas dolly they come in 14 and 28 gallons with the 28 gallon being on the heavy side

 

[Chris1956]

Re: gas siphoning question

Lakergirl, Four six gallon gerry cans will refill your tank from empty. If that is enough gas for an outing, great. Buy the upright kind with the moulded in handles. Pull the 'toon up to the shore close to the automobile, and carry one two at a time for balance. Use one of those "shake-shake" siphon hoses so you do not have to start the siphon by mouth.

If 24 gal is not enough gas, you wll need to buy a larger tank and keep it in the auto. Run a long hose (3/4 garden hose) mated to the shake-shake siphon from the tank to the boat. Since this has the potential to create a sizable spill, be very careful.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: gas siphoning question

Another possibility, is adding another tank. Moeller makes a 20 and 26 gallon above deck tank that would double your capacity for about $200. I am assuming that you are O/B so you would simply change over and re-prime the line of the 2nd tank when the 1st empties. You would lose some storage, but both are shaped to possibly fit into one of your bench seats.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: gas siphoning question

the problem i see with adding another tank is it is a pontoon boat, the additional weight would make a big difference.

tommays's tank is best. then the 5 gallons can next best.

 

[arboldt]

Re: gas siphoning question

The lake with our cottage (and boat) is only about 1.25 mile diameter, shallow, all developed, no marinas. Our boat has a permanent 16 gallon tank. I've always used 3 of the 5 or 6 gallon red plastic gas cans, and filled them in town. I wade out to our boat and fill it like I'd pour gas into anything (like a lawn mower or garden tractor). I'm careful, but may spill a drop or two, but not much. I suppose I could do this mid-lake but it's much easier when I wade out to it (our lake is rather shallow). I use a little red wagon to carry the gas cans from the car to the shore.

The wheel-around tank like pictured above wouldn't work for me because I can't get our boat close enough to shore (or the dock). If I could, that'd be an ideal. But at (approx) 8#/gal, that'd get pretty heavy to lift in/out of the vehicle -- and I'd need a vehicle it can stand upright in.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: gas siphoning question

Five or six gallon containers are now available that have a foot pump on them. My neighbor has some muscular issues that makes it difficult for him to hold the container while filling his tractor, ATV, etc. This container has a gas pump style nozzle and you simply stick the nozzle in the tank and step on the pump to pump the fuel. One of those and two or three regular gas containers would do the job. Since you have 12V on board, rig up a 12V electric fuel pump to pump from one container to the tank on the boat. Siphoning is slow when you are dealing with 15 or 20 gallons of fuel. Check a local farm store for hand operated fuel pumps as well. You actually have all sorts of options. You just need to think "container" and "transfer". Transfer = pump. I have the same issue but I handle it nicely with two or three five gallon containers. I fill them when I go into town for minnows, groceries, etc. The 'toon is always ready to go. Only two places on the lake to get fuel and both are 9 miles from the dock by water.

 

[lakergirltx]

Re: gas siphoning question

So given that I will be trying to transfer 10 or so gallons at a refueling (being newbies we typically don't like to go much below half a tank), it sounds like I need to come up with a pumping solution, rather than going with a straight siphon - to save time and reduce the possibility of spills.

I bought a basic 5 gallon plastic gas can from Lowes, but didn't see any other options. Good suggestion to check out one of the farm supply stores. Being in south Texas, there's several within a short distance of my house. So I'm going shopping for either a gas can with a pump or a separate pump I can use with my gas cans.

The fishing camp we use has a bit of a beach next to the boat ramp, so I'm going to check out the depth and see if I can beach my toon there to do the refilling.

Thanks for the info!

Lakergirl

 

[erikgreen]

Re: gas siphoning question

Dunno what you are going to use to carry the gas, but I was thinking of doing this with a "truck tank"... one of those tanks that fits like a toolbox into the back of a pickup.

They usually come with a rotary pump, and hold 50-60 gallons of fuel. The downside is that you need a hose reel too, since you have to get the truck close to the boat.

Makes me glad my boat's pretty easy to pull on the trailer.

Erik

 

[joed]

Re: gas siphoning question

I made my own spout for a 5 gallon red can. Took a 1 inch copper pipe and solder it to flat piece of round copper, sort of a large washer made of copper, found some gasket material and now I have short two inch long spout. To this I attached a 4 foot piece of clear hose. Now I can stick the hose in the tank on the boat and tip the can and fill. No more aiming for the funnel or tank filler hole. Everything goes in every time. To get the flat copper to make the washer shaped part I simply cut a piece of the 1 inch pipe lengthwise and hammered it flat.

 

[sonofmo]

Re: gas siphoning question

I gas up my 25 footer with 4 plastic 5 gallon cans and a "shake-shake"syphon. Never spill a drop. Drains a 5 gallon can in about 90 seconds. Everything in life should work like this. google "shake syphon"and you'll sources around $10. good luck.

 

[oops!]

Re: gas siphoning question

we have a stor here in canada ....canadian tire.....

it has a primer siphon....3 bucks.....squeez and pump......

works great......no turning blue after taking a mouthful o rew fuel

 

[External Combustion]

Re: gas siphoning question

How about genuine "Jerry Cans" with a genuine jerry can nozzel? I use two on a weekly basis or a daily basis in season for my tractor. Lessee...five gallons times 6.5 pounds per gallon pluss four pounds for the can equalls 36.5 pounds. Easy enough for this old fart. No drips, no fuss, no electricity, no siphoning, just seventy year old technology. Those Krouts knew a thing or two about field refueling.

 

[PhatboyC]

Re: gas siphoning question

Good timing on this thread. I'm also looking for a gas transfer solution. I have no problem with the 6 gallons jerry cans. But to fill my boat I need 9 of them so after a while it's hard to aim for the hole and gas can spill.

The siphoning isn't for me as I can't place the gas can higher than the boat's tank for it to work. The gas dolly pictured by tommays above the reviews on amazon for it are very poor. My uncle has just the pump end and says it's hard on the hand, cheap and takes forever?

I found this while searching. Battery operated siphon. Uses two D cell's. 25" long with siphon transfer hose measures 24" long. Pumps 5-6 quarts of liquid per minute. If my calculations are good this is 1.25 gallons per minute. Anyone tried it? Is it to slow?

 

[PhatboyC]

Re: gas siphoning question

I'm starting to realize the battery pump may be too slow. I need a minimum of 6 gpm.

I'm trying to find gas foot pumps but having a hard time finding one online. Any examples Silvertip? This is the only one I found and is available only in UK.

Having a 12 volt battery close buy I'm also looking at electric water pumps. Would it be dangerous to use these with gas? The ones I'm seeing are too big or too expensive. The only cheap ones with good gpm are bilge pumps but they have to be submerge which I don't want.

 

[PhatboyC]

Re: gas siphoning question

Apparently using a simple water pump for gasoline can be dangerous if the electric motor sparks. hey hey hey boom!

I though I found a good cheap one rated for oil. But it turns out not even that one is safe enough for fuel. I ended up finding a "good" price on a gasoline "explosion proof" rated 12 volt 15 gpm pump. At 20 amp wonder how long my battery will last? But that's ok as it's in a solar charging box. This unit will look good on the dock.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: gas siphoning question

PhatboyC,
I think the green jug pump you have pictured is merely an foot operated air pump.
You can do the same with any gas can.
I use a regular gas can but I made the spout kinda like joed posted but mine has a hose that goes to the bottom of the can also.
Then like the green jug PhatboyC posted, I installed a tire filling air valve into the spout cap.
A bicycle pump pressurizes the gas can forcing gas out the spout.
If you can is lower than the recieving tank you can pump as needed.
Or will siphon on its own if higher than recieving tank.
If you can siphon, you can eliminate the tire pump and valve and just blow into the gas can with a clear hose on the gas can vent hole.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: gas siphoning question

Your in Tejas...go to Tractor Supply and get a farm-grade, hand or battery powered fuel pump. That foot operated toy is a joke.