Mark42
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
Last fall before putting away my two small boats for the winter, I siphoned the 14 gallon permanent tank in my MFG Niagara dry, the Bayliner has two 6 gallon portables that I also emptied. The boats were stored outdoors with plastic tarps covering them and their gas tanks.
This past week I took the covers off the boats to inspect for pest damage, etc and checked the gas tanks. All tanks are dry. No condensation. And this is in north New Jersey not far from the Pennsylvania ski areas. We get snow, sleet, freezing rain, and lots and lots of heavy fog all through the winter. Especially when it rains on top of a snowfall, you can't see your hand in front of your face. So with all this moisture laiden air around for 4 months or more, all the gas tanks stored outdoors show no water condensation at all. None whatsoever. Not a drop. Also my tractor with its 4 gallon tank has never had water in its tank, and it gets filled and emptied many times throughout the year. Same with the boonie bikes and off road karts. No water ever showed up anywhere.
Also, the three 5 gallon gas cans (vented) that are stored in my attached garage all winter to power the generator during power outages also show no water in the tanks. None. Not even a slight hazing of the alcohol laden gas we buy around here (up to 10% alcohol now).
I promised to post my findings last fall when storing the boats. I know my 14 gallon permanent tank, and 6 gallon portables are not the same as a 200 gallon tank, but the same principles apply be it a 1 gallon or 1000 gallon tank.
My years of dealing with stored fuel for generators in my garage and in my shed have never ever showed any water in the gas tanks. Period. End of story. No water.
The big difference between gas tanks stored at my home and gas tanks in boats is that gas tanks in boats are subject to water conditions. In other words, water gets in the boat tanks not by condensation, but because it is pumped there with the gas, or it leaks in through poor seals on fuel line connections or float gaskets, or through poor sealing fuel fill caps and most importantly, the gas vent. Boats have gas vents and far and wide most do not have a water trap nor do they have a simple loop in the line to prevent water from entering the tank from the vent on the hull.
I strongly suspect that all the water people find in their boat gas tanks was pumped in with the gas. BTW, I never fill my boat at a marina, I trailer my boats, and always fill the tanks at a regular gas station. Compare that to boats that are stored in slips and fill at marina tanks where water contamination of the storage tanks is an ongoing problem.
I also have a water filter with clear sediment bowl. Never had any water show up in the water trap. Thats because there is no water in my gas tanks.
I know that someone will attempt to dispute my findings, but facts are facts and you just can't change the facts by saying they are not true. You can try, but it does not change the facts.
Regards,
Mark.
This past week I took the covers off the boats to inspect for pest damage, etc and checked the gas tanks. All tanks are dry. No condensation. And this is in north New Jersey not far from the Pennsylvania ski areas. We get snow, sleet, freezing rain, and lots and lots of heavy fog all through the winter. Especially when it rains on top of a snowfall, you can't see your hand in front of your face. So with all this moisture laiden air around for 4 months or more, all the gas tanks stored outdoors show no water condensation at all. None whatsoever. Not a drop. Also my tractor with its 4 gallon tank has never had water in its tank, and it gets filled and emptied many times throughout the year. Same with the boonie bikes and off road karts. No water ever showed up anywhere.
Also, the three 5 gallon gas cans (vented) that are stored in my attached garage all winter to power the generator during power outages also show no water in the tanks. None. Not even a slight hazing of the alcohol laden gas we buy around here (up to 10% alcohol now).
I promised to post my findings last fall when storing the boats. I know my 14 gallon permanent tank, and 6 gallon portables are not the same as a 200 gallon tank, but the same principles apply be it a 1 gallon or 1000 gallon tank.
My years of dealing with stored fuel for generators in my garage and in my shed have never ever showed any water in the gas tanks. Period. End of story. No water.
The big difference between gas tanks stored at my home and gas tanks in boats is that gas tanks in boats are subject to water conditions. In other words, water gets in the boat tanks not by condensation, but because it is pumped there with the gas, or it leaks in through poor seals on fuel line connections or float gaskets, or through poor sealing fuel fill caps and most importantly, the gas vent. Boats have gas vents and far and wide most do not have a water trap nor do they have a simple loop in the line to prevent water from entering the tank from the vent on the hull.
I strongly suspect that all the water people find in their boat gas tanks was pumped in with the gas. BTW, I never fill my boat at a marina, I trailer my boats, and always fill the tanks at a regular gas station. Compare that to boats that are stored in slips and fill at marina tanks where water contamination of the storage tanks is an ongoing problem.
I also have a water filter with clear sediment bowl. Never had any water show up in the water trap. Thats because there is no water in my gas tanks.
I know that someone will attempt to dispute my findings, but facts are facts and you just can't change the facts by saying they are not true. You can try, but it does not change the facts.
Regards,
Mark.
