Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
Forum Discussion
Fuel tank installation continued:
Now that the sending unit is finished I have to add two more items to the fuel tank before it will be ready to install. Need a way to draw fuel out of the tank. There are ready made fuel standpipes that screw into the tank but I think they are overpriced. These heaters are a specialized device and there are no outside manufacturers making replacement parts or installation hardware. Without competition the manufactures can charge whatever they want. My major complaint. Time for DIY.
Here's the parts I'll be using to make my own fuel standpipe.
Plastic fuel line. It's 4mm OD and 2mm ID.
Flexible Copper tubing. 1/4" OD.
1/4" x 1/8" Hex head bushing and steel brake line.
The bungs at the top of the fuel tank have a diameter of 1/4". Need to reduce the size down. Use Teflon tape on the hex head bushing.
Install the bushing onto the tank.
My original idea was to use steel brake line as the standpipe since the end fittings match the inside (1/8") of the hex head bushing. On reflection I wasn't sure how the coated steel of the brake line would react to being continually submerged in kerosene so I moved to plan "B".
Use copper tubing as the standpipe into the tank. The heater installation instructions warn that air bubbles could form within fuel lines larger than 4mm. These bubbles could then block fuel flow. So I'll take the 2mm ID plastic fuel line and slide it into the copper tubing. The plastic fuel line fits nicely into 1/4" OD copper tubing.
I'll still use the brake line fitting but it needs to be drilled out before the copper tubing will fit through. Start by drilling a hole in a block of wood. Screw the fitting into the hole.
Set up the drill press. Use clamps to hold and center the fitting. There's not much room for error so took my time with this step.
I've written before about using my drill press on metal but I forgot this step. There are a set of pulleys on the top of the drill press used to adjust the speed.
When drilling metal I change it from the fastest setting.
To the slowest setting.
Drill out the fitting.
Drilled fitting on the left.
The copper tubing now slides through the fitting.
continued -
Now that the sending unit is finished I have to add two more items to the fuel tank before it will be ready to install. Need a way to draw fuel out of the tank. There are ready made fuel standpipes that screw into the tank but I think they are overpriced. These heaters are a specialized device and there are no outside manufacturers making replacement parts or installation hardware. Without competition the manufactures can charge whatever they want. My major complaint. Time for DIY.
Here's the parts I'll be using to make my own fuel standpipe.
Plastic fuel line. It's 4mm OD and 2mm ID.
Flexible Copper tubing. 1/4" OD.
1/4" x 1/8" Hex head bushing and steel brake line.
The bungs at the top of the fuel tank have a diameter of 1/4". Need to reduce the size down. Use Teflon tape on the hex head bushing.
Install the bushing onto the tank.
My original idea was to use steel brake line as the standpipe since the end fittings match the inside (1/8") of the hex head bushing. On reflection I wasn't sure how the coated steel of the brake line would react to being continually submerged in kerosene so I moved to plan "B".
Use copper tubing as the standpipe into the tank. The heater installation instructions warn that air bubbles could form within fuel lines larger than 4mm. These bubbles could then block fuel flow. So I'll take the 2mm ID plastic fuel line and slide it into the copper tubing. The plastic fuel line fits nicely into 1/4" OD copper tubing.
I'll still use the brake line fitting but it needs to be drilled out before the copper tubing will fit through. Start by drilling a hole in a block of wood. Screw the fitting into the hole.
Set up the drill press. Use clamps to hold and center the fitting. There's not much room for error so took my time with this step.
I've written before about using my drill press on metal but I forgot this step. There are a set of pulleys on the top of the drill press used to adjust the speed.
When drilling metal I change it from the fastest setting.
To the slowest setting.
Drill out the fitting.
Drilled fitting on the left.
The copper tubing now slides through the fitting.
continued -
