Fueling station/Generator Gas Tanks/Filling Question

[GlampinLife]

I've got a 2016 Jayco Seismic Wave 310W that has 2 gas tanks (generator and fueling station). I've only used it once and noticed when I filled up both tanks how long it took because you could only pump the gas so fast without it turning off like the tank was full. I didn't think of anything at the time other than you couldn't fill it up fast (like you can a car).

This past weekend I went to use my new Gastapper Transfer Pump to transfer fuel from the generator tank to the fuel station to empty both tanks, I use the fuel station for my lawn mowers and wife's car. I just don't like the idea of the fuel sitting in those tanks for a month or longer.

So as I went to feed the hose in the tank, it wouldn't go in very far. I looked in and there are green balls in the neck, just past where the gas nozzle would reach. I can't find much info about this... what's it for, the need and can it be removed.

You can kind of see it in this picture I took:

[joebedford]

It's an anti-siphon device. Yes, you have to fill very slowly. No, your gas won't go bad in a month. I use my rig for 6 months of the year - fill the tanks, then it sits. The fuel station gas gets used in my lawn tractor. The generator fuel just sits, other than regular monthly generator exercising.

[GlampinLife]

nayther wrote:

MMayleben wrote:
So I took the screws out of the fill neck and pulled it off of the hose. At the end of the metal neck was a 3 prong plastic piece with a green ball that could move up and down the fill neck about 2 inches. There was no spring. So the problem of the design is if you are pumping gas, it;s suppose to push the ball down, opening up the hole. However it doesn't unblock enough area to be able to pump very fast.

So I pulled the ball out all together. I'm going to look into another option to put in the line to close it off if the trailer were to turn over because I get the safety feature of it.

Personally I don't think I'd worry too much about the safety feature. If the trailer is on its side you've got a lot more to worry about than the gas draining out. Besides do cars have such a check valve? Isn't that what the gas cap is for?

That's a good point and it would probably leak out the vent line anyways.

[nayther]

MMayleben wrote:
So I took the screws out of the fill neck and pulled it off of the hose. At the end of the metal neck was a 3 prong plastic piece with a green ball that could move up and down the fill neck about 2 inches. There was no spring. So the problem of the design is if you are pumping gas, it;s suppose to push the ball down, opening up the hole. However it doesn't unblock enough area to be able to pump very fast.

So I pulled the ball out all together. I'm going to look into another option to put in the line to close it off if the trailer were to turn over because I get the safety feature of it.

Personally I don't think I'd worry too much about the safety feature. If the trailer is on its side you've got a lot more to worry about than the gas draining out. Besides do cars have such a check valve? Isn't that what the gas cap is for?

[colliehauler]

ramgunner wrote:
I can't tell you what that is - I haven't had any issues on ours.

I will make two recommendations on fuel.

1> Ethanol-free fuel (pure-gas.org and others can tell you where to get it)
2> SeaFoam

The combination will give you extended storage and reduce the **** (insert preferred term here) that shows up with Ethanol-added fuel.

This is exactly what I do Seafoam and ethanol free gas. Will keep for a couple of years.

[GlampinLife]

So I took the screws out of the fill neck and pulled it off of the hose. At the end of the metal neck was a 3 prong plastic piece with a green ball that could move up and down the fill neck about 2 inches. There was no spring. So the problem of the design is if you are pumping gas, it;s suppose to push the ball down, opening up the hole. However it doesn't unblock enough area to be able to pump very fast.

So I pulled the ball out all together. I'm going to look into another option to put in the line to close it off if the trailer were to turn over because I get the safety feature of it.

[Racebizz]

I have the exact same unit. Also had the exact same problem you are talking about (slow filling). The balls come out easily if needed. My 2016 from another manufacturer did not have them in its fill neck.

[walker111]

I use stabil as well and exercise the genny. Now if I can ever get my fuel guage to work....

[beemerphile1]

Maybe a small diameter dowel to hold it open while pumping?

[Strabo]

I fill with premium fuel, works fine and lasts a long time, in fact the tank is full as we speak.

[GlampinLife]

I just talked to Jayco - they said the point of that green ball is to keep people from siphoning your tank and a safety feature for sloshing and what not.

Which that's great but it makes filling the tank up at the gas station a huge pain because you have to pump super slow. The customer service guy I spoke with wasn't sure how easy it could be removed, I asked if it was part of the neck or just in the line. I guess I'll pull the black hose that connects the neck to the tank and see how easy it is.

[fj12ryder]

Just a data point, but the gasoline that's in my tank now is about 2 years old and I just started and ran the generator the other day. It started up easily and ran okay. I rarely use the generator so the tank is never full, which is not a good idea, but I just can't see hauling a full tank of gas when I may use it every two or three trips. Usually about a half-tank or less. I always drain the carb after every use so that may help.

I'm seriously leaning toward changing it over to propane to avoid problems with gasoline. I use it so infrequently that a 30# tank would last me forever, and probably a 20# tank would be all I would need.

As far as the green balls in the filler tube, I also lean towards the anti-spill/slosh devices.

[GlampinLife]

allcool wrote:

drmopar wrote:
I think the balls are a "ROLL OVER" valve to shut fuel off on vehicle roll over. Hope this helps.

Hmmm,interesting,Is this some new regulation..?
I've taken apart many fuel cells/tanks, fill tubes, and never seen this on any modern fuel tank. Have seen anti-siphon valves in tank fill tube/cap assembly. Modern tank caps are not vented so can't understand why a roll over shut off valve in fill tube would be useful..?

Its a 2016, and still under warranty ? I'd bring it back.

If not and you want to fix it yourself...
Have seen debris from installation floating around in new tanks. Cutouts that were not cleaned out after holes were cut, chunks of tubing, hose, etc...
Have also seen many fill tubes kinked so as to cause very slow fill ups. Also have seen vent lines kinked. Some California compliant tanks have evaporative emission systems in their vent lines.

If it were mine, and warranty can't take care of the problem, I'd drop the tanks and clean them out, and remove any obstructions. Can't see how little green balls in your fuel tanks could help you out at all. Can tell you with certainty, my tanks have no little green balls in the fill pipe. My tanks fill up fast, just like a car fuel tank.

jmo

I'm going to call the manufacturer and dealership today to get clarification on this but it's not a random green ball that got stuck in the fill neck. This is in both of them and apparently designed to be there, I'm just not sure the exact reason. What I do know is that it makes filling difficult because you have to pump super slow and I can't stick a hose down in to the tank to drain them.

The more I think about just using Sta-bil, which would work to solve one of my concerns, the other reason for draining is because it's extra weight to carry around that I don't need when I tow. 90% of the time I won't use the generator so there's no need to have fuel in the tank. The times I use the other tank for fueling of my RZR, I can just pump out when I get home and not have it in the tank on trips I don't need to carry gas if it's not a riding trip.

I'll post what Jayco says about it in case anyone in the future has the same curiosity as me 🙂

[allcool]

drmopar wrote:
I think the balls are a "ROLL OVER" valve to shut fuel off on vehicle roll over. Hope this helps.

Hmmm,interesting,Is this some new regulation..?
I've taken apart many fuel cells/tanks, fill tubes, and never seen this on any modern fuel tank. Have seen anti-siphon valves in tank fill tube/cap assembly. Modern tank caps are not vented so can't understand why a roll over shut off valve in fill tube would be useful..?

Its a 2016, and still under warranty ? I'd bring it back.

If not and you want to fix it yourself...
Have seen debris from installation floating around in new tanks. Cutouts that were not cleaned out after holes were cut, chunks of tubing, hose, etc...
Have also seen many fill tubes kinked so as to cause very slow fill ups. Also have seen vent lines kinked. Some California compliant tanks have evaporative emission systems in their vent lines.

If it were mine, and warranty can't take care of the problem, I'd drop the tanks and clean them out, and remove any obstructions. Can't see how little green balls in your fuel tanks could help you out at all. Can tell you with certainty, my tanks have no little green balls in the fill pipe. My tanks fill up fast, just like a car fuel tank.

jmo

[dedmiston]

Make sure you run your generator at least once a month for 30 min or more. Don't let that gas sit in the carb, because it will gum up.