Installing a dedicated APU fuel tank?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Farmerbob1, Feb 9, 2019.

  1. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    Install an AUX tank. They can be had for cheap.

    I have a tank for my motorcycle. Gives me an additional 4 gallons and sits on my luggage rack.

    Buy a 12 volt automotive aftermarket electric pump. Those can also be had somewhat cheap. Then you can pump from truck to aux.
     
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  3. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    My head is hurting from this ...


    Don't forget it has to be a tank that conforms to the DOT standards, not one of them cheap aux tanks will do.
     
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  4. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    My cheap aux tank meets dot standards. Designed and bought from a company in Phoenix.

    Sorry about your luck.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2019
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  5. Old Man

    Old Man Road Train Member

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    Sounds like a lot of work don little gain, the apu is for comfort, not more trips to the fuel desk, wondering if you have enough fuel to go another night. I like to park, startthe apu, get something to eat, do paper work and shower and relax, I’ll pass on creating more work.
    I believe there is a form to get tax credit for fuel burned.
     
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  6. GreenPete359

    GreenPete359 Road Train Member

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    Sorry about it Ridge. A 25 gallon frame mounted saddle tank is relatively cheap and very easy to install. Like i said can be done in a few hours on a Satuday afternoon.

    You obviously have ZERO ambition. It’s ok tho, this industy is full of lazy people who have no ambition.
     
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  7. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    If you know the consumption rate for your APU you can track your hours and get a refund on the fuel you burn.
     
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  8. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    Zero ambition to haul for 1.30....
     
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  9. Old Man

    Old Man Road Train Member

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    Your right, no ambition, I got 250 gallons of fuel available to generator why bother with more.
    I already have a 40 gallon water tank and a 6 gallon black water tank and a 1 gallon gas tank on my trailer motor. That’s enough to keep filled.
    Rig up what you.
     
  10. Farmerbob1

    Farmerbob1 Road Train Member

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    After some thinking in the second half of the day, I realized that the hydraulic fluid tanks you see on yard dog trucks would be exactly what I want. Some of them have steps built in. They have sight glasses, so you could easily see if you needed to top off fuel.

    What I do not know is their capacity. Do they have hydraulic system components sharing space in those boxes? If not, then they are the right size.

    Hydraulic fluid and diesel are both flammable hydrocarbons. It seems like it might be possible that a hydraulic oil tank would also be rated for diesel fuel. That would have to be looked at carefully.

    If those hydraulic fluid tanks can hold 5+ gallons of diesel, safely and legally, then I might be able to pick one up in a scrap yard, get it steam cleaned, then mount it.
     
  11. Accidental Trucker

    Accidental Trucker Road Train Member

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    231 cubic inches per gallon.....
     
  12. Farmerbob1

    Farmerbob1 Road Train Member

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    Yup. But I have never looked closely enough at a yard truck hydraulic tank to see if it is all tank, or if there are system components in the box too.

    Well, until a few minutes ago. I found a PDF owners manual of a Capacity yard truck, and it indicated the hydraulic reservoir was for all hydraulic systems in common, with a volume of 20 gallons.

    Now I just need to do some research to see if those hydraulic reservoirs are diesel safe, and diesel legal for a highway truck. If so, I will need to see about buying one off a junker.
     
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