Diesel Tank Capacity

Submitted: Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 11:49
ThreadID: 6303 Views:4834 Replies:9 FollowUps:4
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This is a bit off topic, but wondered if any learned, or practical souls, can advise me how to calibrate a dipstick for a 4,000L overhead fuel tank. The tank is mounted horizontally, which creates the problem for me. If it was vertical, would only need a calculator and some school boy maths.

Thanks in advance, will even accept humourous suggestions. Hooroo...

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Reply By: crfan - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 12:17

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 12:17
Fill it it up (or drain it) 50 or 100 lts at a time marking the dip stick as you go..
May take a while but you only have to do it once.
AnswerID: 26518

Follow Up By: crowe - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 12:22

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 12:22
he'll be there all day :-)
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Reply By: crowe - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 12:19

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 12:19
Bob,

wait unitl the truck next comes to fill it up and use his flow meter in conjuction with dipping to get the levels right, that maths is way to hard to be attempted on a friday especially considering beer oclock is only a few hours away.

crowe
AnswerID: 26519

Reply By: gumagoo93 - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 13:11

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 13:11
Hi Bob

Should be able to calibrate a dipstickstick using your schoolboy maths (like mine!)as follows:

1. measure height of tank (on the side panel) and cut dipstick to corresponding length, then divide length of stick by 4 to give you quarters.

2. divide bottom quarter segment by 10 to give you gradients of 100

3. divide 100 gradients by 10 to give you 10's.

The dipstick may not be long, but it will be calibrated pretty accurately...
I used to work in the oil industry many years ago, and one interesting gadget was an indicator (a marker - you can make one from copper or aluminium) that was slipped over the dipstick and was locked in place with a grubscrew...there was a right angle bend on the indicator, so that when the fuel level was down to the level of the marker, you could see the arm of the marker sitting above the level of the fuel, thus indicating that you were getting low or whatever...hope it helps. if not it was worth a try...cheers...Don
AnswerID: 26529

Reply By: Hedonist - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 13:24

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 13:24
For horizontal tanks you can use:

V = L(pi*a^2/2 - a^2*arcsin(1-h/a) - (a-h)*sqrt(h(2a-h))

Where:
V= Volume of liquid
L = Length of tank
a = radius
h = height of liquid in tank

I can email an excel spreadsheet if you like.

Cheers,
Pete
AnswerID: 26534

Follow Up By: Hedonist - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 17:00

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 17:00
This is a table created using the formula above to convert the %level in a horizontal tank to % capacity.
Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Pete

% Level % of total volume
5 1.87
10 5.20
15 9.41
20 14.24
25 19.55
30 25.23
35 31.19
40 37.35
45 43.64
50 50.00
55 56.36
60 62.65
65 68.81
70 74.77
75 80.45
80 85.76
85 90.59
90 94.80
95 98.13
100 100.00
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Aug 02, 2003 at 06:57

Saturday, Aug 02, 2003 at 06:57
Pete,

Thanks offer, and follow-up. Please email to: ryoung@aaco.com.au

Hooroo...
Bob

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FollowupID: 18213

Reply By: bruce.h (WA) - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 14:46

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 14:46
bob
when the motor is running you have fuel
when your stops its empty
thats best i can do having looked at the formulars above ishould come &stand next to the tank because i feel like dip stick
Regards bruce
AnswerID: 26546

Reply By: Member - Bigbear - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 15:09

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 15:09
Some good answers but they are giving me a headache

Lower the hose below the outlet on the tank and if no fuel comes out it is a pretty sure bet the tank is empty.

Unfortunately this may not solve your problem. have fun.

PeterBush Bappo's 4WD Club
Get out there & have a look
AnswerID: 26549

Reply By: relaxed QLD - Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 23:29

Friday, Aug 01, 2003 at 23:29
Bob
calculate the volume in cm3 (LxBxD)for rectangler, for cyclinder use Pie (22/7)X Radius squared X Height. For every 1000 cm3 = 1 Liter. To calibrate a dipstick, do a number of measurement equations on the tank eg 1/4 of the depth X L X B, 1/2 the depth X L X B and so forth until your satisfied with what you want. By the way, these formulars came out of my daughter's year 7 maths book.
Relaxed
AnswerID: 26594

Reply By: Member - Alex B - Saturday, Aug 02, 2003 at 08:26

Saturday, Aug 02, 2003 at 08:26
Hi Bob,
Measure the tank – radius, length –sit down your desk with the above formulas and ideas, turn on your computer,calculator, plenty of paper, make sure you have a variety of coloured pens etc..... Then when you're set ...push it all to one side, open a "cold one" get out the Yellow pages and ring some tank companies eg – Gilbarco, or Email, and buy a calibrated dipstick to suit!
Cheers :-))
Alex
AnswerID: 26607

Reply By: Davidm - Sunday, Aug 03, 2003 at 09:26

Sunday, Aug 03, 2003 at 09:26
Best way to check the levels is to search the tank for a ladder once found start a process called climbing. Once you can't climb up any more feel around for a small round steel object, when you locate this start rotating it counterclockwise being carfull not to let it fall from you grasp when it realease's from tank. Once you have this done then close one eye and look into tank with other eye from there you should be able to see if there is still fuel in there :)
This is the secret way so please don't let anyone know unless you know them well

hehe

Just joking

Regards
David
AnswerID: 26650

Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Sunday, Aug 03, 2003 at 10:55

Sunday, Aug 03, 2003 at 10:55
David,

You forgot to tell me which eye to close - does it make any difference which one I use?

Hooroo...

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FollowupID: 18236

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